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Fr. Joseph’s Weekly Missive for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Year A
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August 3, 2023
“Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them.” (Matthew 17:1-2).
The major theme for this feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord focuses on the metamorphosis or transformation of Jesus Christ by the empowering of Heavenly Father. He sent His Son as our Savior and Redeemer and invites us to imitate Christ to work with the Holy Spirit to transform and to renew our lives and to radiate the glory and grace of our transfigured Lord to all.
“Transformation” means a complete or major change in someone's or something's appearance, form, etc. It is a process of modification, substitution, or conversion to become different, hopefully for the better and not for the worse, becoming life enriching but not life diminishing.
Change is a necessary element of growth. If we change, we grow . . . If we don’t change, we stagnate or deteriorate. Moreover, change is inevitable. Life itself consists in constant changes. Nobody can avoid or stop this inescapable reality. Just as our physical life continues to change, our emotional, intellectual, and spiritual life must also be in the progression of modification or maturation by our ongoing life experience and illumination.
The process of change is very often painful and costly. It drains our energy and puts us out of our comfort zone, causing us to fear the uncertainty. However, those who embrace it and maintain their faith in the divine providence, trusting in God’s merciful care will enter a new phase of life and enjoy greater energy, prosperity, blessing, fulfillment, and glory.
God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to transform ourselves, to follow Jesus Christ more closely, to repent our sins, to exercise our Christian stewardship, to use our time, treasure, and talents to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves, participating in the works of mercy, to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God.
How can we appreciate the transfiguration, or the transubstantiation of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, allowing each sacrament to transform us and unite us more closely with Jesus Christ, offering a message of hope and encouragement to all?
Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.
