Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
St. Thomas Aquinas, building upon the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, taught that our five senses provide all our sensory knowledge. From that body of knowledge our human intellect can form universal ideas. The next step is to accept faith as a gift which takes our intellect beyond our limited ability to reason.
This brief background highlights what happened in the Transfiguration of Christ on Mt Tabor. The Gospel tells us that Jesus chose Peter, James, and John to accompany him to the mountain top in order to pray, an indication that a special kind of communication was about to take place. While there the face of Jesus changed and the three apostles saw a vision of Jesus in dazzling white garments speaking to Moses and Elijah. They were speaking about the coming event of salvation in Jerusalem. This brought on a kind of mental and spiritual overload for Peter and his companions. He could only stammer his desire to continue what they were seeing. Suddenly from the overshadowing cloud they heard the words, “This is my Chosen Son, listen to him.” This call to a deeper faith in Jesus took them to a new level of understanding.
How does this mystery impact our life of faith? What if the meaning and purpose of this event were meant for each of us as much as the three apostles? We don’t have to go to a mountain to know the presence of Christ. With our senses wide open as well as a heart grounded in faith we can follow and hear the Lord anywhere. Are we tuned in?
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections