The Transfiguration: More Than Just a Man

Second Sunday of Lent, 2015:

• Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18
• Romans 8:31b-34
• March 9:2-10

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Second Sunday of Lent, 2015

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
March 1, 2015

This year we hear St. Mark's account of the Transfiguration. The event took place a few weeks before Jesus would travel to Jerusalem to suffer and die. The Transfiguration has a three fold purpose: it was intended for Jesus himself, for the Apostles, and for each of us.

For our Lord, the Transfiguration was His early preparation for His own passion and death. Luke tells us that our Lord was praying, probably in the evening. Then something happens instantaneously: Jesus is "transfigured." His body changes and His clothing becomes "dazzling white." His divine nature, which He has kept carefully hidden until now, shines through His human nature.

Then, Moses and Elijah appear. It was the consistent Jewish belief that when the Messiah appeared, He would be accompanied by these two historical figures. Why them? Because the Jews at the time of Christ believed that Moses and Elijah were the only two people whose bodies had been assumed into the next life. Elijah's body was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind. And ancient book, titled "of the Assumption of Moses," it told of the devil trying to use Moses' body for some sinister purpose. As a result, Saint Michael came and snatched Moses' body away from the devil and took it to heaven. In addition, Moses and Elijah stood for things. Moses was the great lawgiver, bringing God's law to men. Elijah was the great prophet, the voice of God providing direction, guidance and wisdom. These two men were the greatest figures in Israel's history, and they came to speak with our Lord during the Transfiguration. They spoke to Jesus of His departure--in Greek, His exodus---which He was to accomplish in Jerusalem. As he approached Jerusalem, the great lawgiver the great prophet appeared to encourage Jesus so that He would completely fulfill all the law-giving and prophecy of the Old Testament.

As God, Jesus needed no encouragement. As man, however, he needed encouragement. His sacrifice, His passion and death, were going to be bloody, and an excruciatingly painful experience. Not even the God-man would want to endure it. These two Old Testament figures came to offer consolation and encouragement for the upcoming trial of His life.

After Moses and Elijah encouraged Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit appears in the cloud. The cloud is one way God frequently appears to people in the Old Testament (remember the cloud that led the Hebrews out of Egypt). In this cloud the Father called Jesus His "beloved son". The cloud, also often represents the holiness.

The Transfiguration was also for the apostles. Peter, James, and John were the leaders of the 12. Jesus will also bring these three closest to him during the agony in the garden. None of the Apostles had been happy, hearing a few days earlier that their Lord was going to Jerusalem to suffer and die. They complained about it, to no avail. So Jesus took them up on the mountain to witnesses Transfigured Glory. The Transfiguration gave Peter, James, and John greater insight into who Jesus really was. God the Father told them to listen to Jesus. The Transfiguration also gave these three Apostles hope by providing a window into the future. And they, in turn, reassured the rest of the Apostles about what was to come. Although no one really knew how painful our Lord's agony would be. It would help at the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost--50 days after the Resurrection--that the Apostles really could start to understand everything that happened to Jesus, as to what He had been telling them. Finally, the Transfiguration account is meant for all of us. It shows us that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of everything God did for His people, especially through the law and the prophets of the Jewish religion during the thousands of years between the creation of Adam and Eve, and the Annunciation, at which the Blessed Mother said, "May it be done according to your word."

The Transfiguration teaches us that our Lord Jesus is not just a man, not just the teacher, not just the great moral leader. He is also God, Himself, the second person of the Blessed Trinity, God-in-the-flesh. But as a man, in His human nature, as a human being, He underwent a tremendous sacrifice to die for us so that each of us could share in His life and glory forever, after our earthly lives are ended. He wants to transfigured every one of us, too, if we cooperate with him. So we need to heed the Lords voice, and obey his commands.

We do that by listening, by being active members of his Mystical Body, the Church; by obeying His teachings and morals; by living our faith--the seven Sacraments, especially the Eucharist-- our personal Mt. Tabor experience with prayer, and carrying our crosses with Him. And we don't just do that one day a week, or occasionally when we feel like it, or when it's convenient or easy.

The Transfiguration reminds us that our Catholic religion is not just for special occasions, like Sundays, or when we are in serious need; not just up on the mountain, like midnight Mass at Christmas, Easter Sunday, or an Ordination to the Priesthood. Catholicism is supposed to permeate every part of our lives, and touch everything we say and do. We may fail from time to time, but we have to keep trying to live as Jesus taught.

If we lived by the teachings of Jesus, after our lives on earth are ended, we will get our own Transfiguration. And we are going to change to "dazzling white" like a very bright light, too. We will be beautiful and handsome, without spot, wrinkle, blemish, or any disfigurement; we will be in perfect shape, like an Olympic athlete, only to a greater extent than we can possibly fathom. May the Blessed mother, who bore the light of the world in her womb, pray for us that we will open our minds and hearts to the light. Amen.

So you all be Good, be Holy, preach the Gospel always using words and holy actions and be faithful to the Gospel!

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'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

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More reflections:

• "Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church"

Somewhat-related posts:

• "Corpus Christi: 'Whoever Eats My Flesh,' Two Millennia Later"
  (June 22, 2014)
• "Jesus: Two Millennia of Truth and Alternatives"
  (May 4, 2014)
• "Standing Orders and Spider-Man"
  (June 30, 2013)
  Particularly
  • Jesus in the World
  • Parthians, Medes, Americans - - -
• "Jesus, God, and Something Thomas Aquinas Said"
  (Guest post) (February 24, 2013)
• "Faith, Belief: and a Really Good Role Model"
  (October 24, 2012)

Jesus, God, and Something Thomas Aquinas Said

Readings for February 24, 2013, Second Sunday of Lent 2013:

• Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18
• Philippians 3:14-4:1
• Luke 9:28b-36

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Second Sunday of Advent 2012

By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas
February 24, 2013

The great painter Raphael eloquently envisioned the Transfiguration in what is considered his last painting. Jesus floats in midair before softly illuminated clouds, with Moses and Elijah at his left and right. Below Jesus, the disciples cower in terror as the Transfiguration reveals the light flooded promise of eternal life. It is a revelation of Christ's Divine Glory.

In the lower part of the painting. Raphael depicts the apostles attempting to free a possessed boy of demonic possession.

The painting seems to show the Redemptive Power of Christ contrasted with the flaws of mankind. Raphael died in 1520; the work was finished by his pupil Giulio Romano. And today it is housed at the Vatican.

The Transfiguration was an amazing event. It is reported to appear like a person bursting forth into flames from the inside out.

How often do we meditate on the Transfiguration, especially that now we have one of the mysteries of the Rosary dedicated to the Transfiguration.

Then, wouldn't you know, as I was reading in preparation for this homily: I find that there are some modern Scripture scholars who think this never happened! How come it is that our so-called "modern scholars" know more than the people who actually lived through it. Maybe the question should be asked of them, why are you trying to disprove this great happening of the Transfiguration? One account stated that it is just a preview of the resurrection, written after the resurrection to make the latter resurrection more acceptable. Yeah I know, it doesn't make any sense to me either.

Thomas Aquinas wrote that it was a miracle that suspended a previous miracle. That is, when God became human, the divinity would have overpowered the humanity of Jesus every minute of every day. So, God miraculously shaded the divinity to give the humanity space to be itself. Then on that mountain, God suspended that continues miracle for a few moments, and the divinity of Jesus was free to break forth in splendor.

But exactly what broke forth? What would have overwhelmed the humanity of Jesus had it not been suppressed? The infinite compassion of God for all his creatures; the stunning wisdom of God; the dazzling brilliance of God's beauty; the overpowering crush of God's justice; the dissolving tenderness of God's Mercy. All this converged and exploded on that mountain.

Jesus was not a mere channel for Divinity, not just a vehicle for some divine display. Jesus was equally human and he did not simply appear at that moment. He worked his way there from the beginning of time and evolution. And that is when his personal genius took command. He learned a skill, appreciated nature, loved children, became a notable storyteller, attracted friends, discovered a poetic talent, became passionate about God's kingdom, grew in wisdom and grace, became proficient in prayer, called God his own father. And all of that perfect humanity came to a head on that undistinguished hill. The humanity of God met the divinity of a man and exploded in ecstasy.

Lest someone should think we are confusing the issue we should be reminded that God is so far beyond our vocabulary, we get sloppy with words. We say that God became human. But of course, God did not become anything. God cannot become because God simply is. What we mean to say is that God took our humanity; God assumed a particular human nature.

We also can accurately say that Jesus is equally God and man. But of course, nothing is equal to God. Any human person would be shattered like a mirror in the face of God. What we mean to say is that Jesus is fully divine and fully human, that God did not lose any divinity by becoming human and that Jesus did not lose any humanity by becoming divine. Both natures are miraculously protected.

Jesus is not a combination of two persons, or a split personality. Jesus is one Divine Person. Just as you may have a whimsical or tragic personality apart from your essential self, so Jesus had a unique human personality that is expressed as a Divine Person.

It's complicated, I know. We must speak of God in human terms because that's all we really have. But once we arrived at some human notion of God, that tells us something more about ourselves. It says that your essential self is to live in Christ. You spend a life- time forming your personality around the person of Christ. Then you die, imperfect.

But God transforms your mortal life into God's Divine Life. You become living proof of Irenaeus' conviction: "The glory of God is you fully alive."

So do not doubt, but believe!

Be Good, be Holy, preach the Gospel always, and if necessary use words!

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'Thank you' to Deacon Kaas, for letting me post his reflection here.

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More reflections:

• "Reflections from Sauk Centre's Our Lady of Angels Church"

Related posts:

• "Jesus: Human, But Not Just Human"
  (January 23, 2013)
• "Jesus, Knowledge, and Stories From Egypt"
  (January 16, 2013)
• "Jesus: Human; Really Human"
  (January 9, 2013)
• "Jesus, God, and What St. Augustine Said"
  (December 26, 2012)
• " 'He Emptied Himself' "
  (December 4, 2012)

Faith, Belief: and a Really Good Role Model

Jesus died to save my life.

That's not the sort of thing I'm likely to forget. (August 1, 2012)

There's more to my faith than that: I'm not likely to keep anything simple, let alone something as important as where and how I hope to spend eternity.

Here's what got me started on today's post:

"The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who 'loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins': 'the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world,' and 'he was revealed to take away sins':⁷⁰

"Sick, our nature demanded to be healed; fallen, to be raised up; dead, to rise again. We had lost the possession of the good; it was necessary for it to be given back to us. Closed in the darkness, it was necessary to bring us the light. ...⁷¹

"The Word became flesh so that thus we might know God's love ... 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.'⁷³"
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 457-458)

Acting as if God Matters

One more thing: it isn't enough to 'really believe.' Not as far as I can tell. I couldn't settle accounts with God without my Lord: but I'm not expected to sit back and do nothing after saying "I believe."

I'm expected to act as if God matters. Happily, I've got a good role model:

"The Word became flesh to be our model of holiness: 'Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me.' 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.'⁷⁴ On the mountain of the Transfiguration, the Father commands: 'Listen to him!'⁷⁵..."
(Catechism, 459)

Following my Lord is changing me, and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• Jesus
  • " 'But who do you say that I am?' "
    (October 10, 2012)
  • "The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead"
    (March 11, 2012)
  • "Christmas: Mything the Point"
    (December 18, 2011)
  • "To 'Make Men Gods'"
    (January 10, 2011)
  • "Just Who is This Jesus Person, and Who Does He Think He is?"
    (January 17, 2010)
• And me
  • " 'Understand God?' Ha!"
    (September 9, 2011)
  • "A Nerdy Interest in God and His Creation?"
    (August 12, 2011)
  • "Brilliant, Talented, and On Medication"
    (November 30, 2010)
  • "Faith With a Cold"
    (October 18, 2010)
  • "Having All the Answers, Knowing Some of the Questions"
    (October 2, 2010)

Raphael "Transfiguration:" My Take on Controversy! Conflict! and Discord! in the Vatican

Here's one of the less breathless news pieces on the latest Controversy! Conflict! Dissension! and Discord! in the Vatican:

"Vatican paper: Raphael masterpiece is meant for the liturgy, not the museum"
Catholic News Agency (August 7, 2010)

"The place of Raphael's 'Transfiguration' in an art museum and not in a place of worship means the 'most beautiful painting in the world' has lost most of its ability to speak, an article in L'Osservatore Romano has claimed. The Vatican newspaper says that the venue rendered the artwork into little more than an object...."

Here's the deal: Marco Agostini wrote a moving piece in the Vatican's newspaper, about how wonderful Raphael's painting was. Also, what a good idea it was to have it where it had been, in the Roman church of St. Peter in Montorio. As the CNA paraphrased his ideas, "it would have had a favorable effect in the eyes of the faithful as they approached the altar."

I see what he means:


(Raphael, via Wikipedia, used w/o permission)
"Transfiguration," by Raphael (1516-1520)

From that article:

"...The painting draws from St. Matthew's Gospel. In its upper portion is the Transfigured Christ with Moses and Elijah. At their feet are Peter, James, and John. In the foreground are the other Apostles and onlookers, including a possessed young man recounted in the gospel...."
(CNA)

The Catholic News Agency is, as its name says, a news agency. They do what news agencies do: take a situation; then find an angle that makes it look like a conflict.

That's what sells newspapers. Sold newspapers, anyway. Circulation these days - but that's another topic.

And the Catholic News Agency did a pretty good job of pointing out what Marco Agostini actually said in L'Osservatore Romano.

Back to "Transfiguration"

Like I said, I see Marco Agostini's point. It's a powerful peace of sacred art, and - provided that the folks seeing it understood the stories behind the picture - having Raphael's "Transfiguration" behind an altar in one church might have the desired effect.

In that church.

In the Vatican's museum, well: see for yourself. Turns out, the "Transfiguration" has done a bit of traveling in the last 490 years.

A cardinal kept the painting when Rapheael died, instead of sending the painting to France. It did go to France in 1797, after the Treaty of Tolentino - along with quite a few other things that weren't nailed down.

When Napleon's regime fell, "Transfiguration" was returned from Paris to Rome. The year was 1815 - and that's when it was assigned to the Pinacoteca (Picture Gallery) of Pius VII (pontiff from 1800 to 1823).

The Vatican Museum page on the "Transfiguration" has more detail on the painting's history.

Why aren't I All Fired Up About This Issue?

As controversies go, that article in L'Osservatore Romano is small change: particularly compared to some of the heresies that have popped up over the last two millennia.

That said, I think Marco Agostini has a point.

I also think that "Transfiguration" is the Holy See's property: and if they want it in the Vatican Museum, it sure beats storing it in a closet. Besides, this way it gets quite a lot of exposure - to people who don't live in Rome.

Yes, it would look good over an altar in some church in some town or city. Maybe it'll be put over an altar again at some point.

I think it's a good idea for Marco Agostini to publish an argument for reassigning "Transfiguration." I also think it'd make at least as much sense to run the proposal through whatever part of the hierarchy handles the disposition of artwork.

Maybe Marco Agostini's already done that - I haven't read his article.

But: get worked up about where a painting should be hung? Not me, not today.

Related post:

• "Art, Catholic Teachings, and This Catholic"
  (August 9, 2010)