Feast of the Transfiguration
“Do not forget to show hospitality; in doing this, men have before now
entertained angels unawares.”
– Hebrews 13:2
“Who am I? I am the angel Raphael, and my place is among those seven who stand
in the presence of the Lord.”
– Tobias 12:15
Part of the charm of certain fairy tales is that good and beautiful things are
hidden for a while and undergo a time of testing to prove their worth. Then in
the great reveal, a sudden unexpected turning, the incredible occurs: all that
was secret and hidden is made clear, the truth comes out, the faithful are
rewarded, the wicked are punished.
Likewise, angels walk among us, hidden from plain site but sent out by Him when
the destined heirs of eternal salvation have need of them.
Even more amazing, the Light that shines in darkness and gives life to men himself
became incarnate as a man and walked among them as one of them. Everyone once
in a while he gave a hint through the profundity of His moral teachings or
through miraculous prodigies that indicated who He really was. One time,
however, he let his real self shine through – his mortal form was Transfigured – in
a blaze of radiant glory.
“His countenance was altered, and his garments became white and dazzling…”
– Luke
9:29
With this event occurred on Mount Tabor, he wasn’t momentarily elevated;
rather, he took off the veil and revealed himself as he already was at all
times.
The proper response to God’s goodness is love, which is to will the good of
another. If we accept God’s love and return our own, he will bless us by
sharing some of his goodness with us. In Heaven, our resurrected bodies will be
transformed, and they will take on the attributes of subtlety, impassability, agility,
and clarity.
* Subtlety: perfected in its form, able to pass through solid objects with ease
* Impassibility: incapable of experiencing physical pain, sickness, suffering, corruption,
or death
* Agility: swift movement without difficulty or labor, able to physically travel
any distance with the quickness of thought
* Clarity: lightsome, free of deformity, filled with beauty and radiance, shining
with a brilliant radiance and beauty
“Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we may grasp with purified minds
this most holy mystery of the Transfiguration of Thy Son…”
– from the
Postcommunion prayer for the Mass of the Transfiguration
Atop Mount Tabor in the Holy Land
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