Fr. Michael Williams

St Matthew tells us in his gospel, that in the presence of the Apostles Peter, James and John, “Jesus was transfigured; His face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light”. The light that shines through Christ, is His Divine Power, which ordinarily remains out of sight. The Apostles caught a glimpse of it. I have heard people in the hospital talk of seeing a supernatural light, when they are drifting between this world and the next. There is a light, which is God, that for the most part remains hidden from our view in this world, because the Lord wants us to cling to Him through faith, not sight.

In our overly rationalistic society some people may be tempted to think that the Transfiguration is a myth. In St Peter’s day many people must have thought the same thing, that is why he writes in his letter, “It was not any cleverly invented myths that we were repeating when we brought you the knowledge…of Our Lord Jesus Christ”. Ultimately, people who deny that Christ is the Radiant Light of God’s glory are the authors of myths. But the truth about Jesus, and who He is, is safeguarded by the Church.

Many people today look on Jesus as a good man, and nothing more. The Church affirms the Divine Nature of the Son of God, which shines through Jesus’ humanity. The Transfiguration shows that Jesus, uniquely, has a Divine and a Human nature. Jesus is “God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God”. Only the supernatural gift of faith can affirm this reality.

In his gospel St Matthew is affirming that the change which took place in Our Lord’s appearance was not down to human agents, but the result of God’s action. God gave a glimpse of His glory to the Apostles. He did this so as to strengthen the Apostles who, when they came down from the mountain, were on their way to Jerusalem to witness the terrible suffering of Our Lord. By seeing the Glory of God the Apostles would be strengthened for the suffering that was about to follow.

God’s glory can be manifested to us in many different ways. In our own lives there may be times when God gives us a glimpse of His glorious power and love. He gives us these moments to strengthen us as we carry our crosses in this life.

So let us thank God for the moments of Grace and Light, that He gives to us, they are “visions in the night”, given to us to strengthen us on our pilgrim way. And the greatest moment of Grace and Light for us in this world is the Holy Mass, which gives us a taste of His glory , so as to strengthen us on our pilgrim journey through this life.