The Feast of the Transfiguration commemorates the dedication of the basilicas on Mount Tabor. It originated as early as the end of the 5th century, after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) came to be celebrated. 6 August, the date set for the Feast, is 40 days prior to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, manifesting its close connection with it. In the West, it began to be celebrated from the 9th century. In 1457, Pope Calixtus III included it in the Roman Calendar in grateful memory of the victory obtained the year before against the Turks, who had presented a serious threat against Western Europe. The mystery of the Transfiguration is, of course, at the heart of the Feast: the vision of the "old man" on the fiery throne and the appearance of the "Son of Man" (cf. First Reading).
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tentshere, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid.But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid. ”And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the visionto anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Mt 17:1-9).
From fear to trust
The account of the transfiguration follows Peter's confession at Caesarea and the first announcement of Jesus’s passion (cf. 16:13ff). This is the "ultimate" reason why it is always worth having the courage to confess Jesus as Lord and God, even in the most difficult and trying moments, because Jesus is Lord. The transfiguration, a foretaste of the resurrection, is offered as a horizon that aims to alleviate fear and instill courage the face the journey of life.
A few verses earlier, in Mt 16:22, Peter, as well as the other disciples, rebel against the fact that Jesus announced his "passion and death". They could not accept to follow a Messiah whose human existence would end that way. It is in view of this premise that the experience of the transfiguration must be understood. Jesus had spoken of His death on a cross (cf. Mt 16:21ff), and the conditions for following Him: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him take up his cross..." (Mt 16:24). Now Jesus wants to help His disciples understand that, while it is true that He would suffer and die, it is also true that He would rise again. The transfiguration is a "live" anticipation of the resurrection to prepare the disciples to face what would happen in between, that is His passion and death.
The mountain
“He led them up a high mountain”. “The mountain of the Lord”, the prophet Isaiah reminds us, “is the highest of all mountains” (Is 2:2; Mi 4:1). Climbing this mountain recalls other “ascents” and other experiences in which God manifested Himself: Mount Horeb/Sinai (cf. Ex 3:2; 24:12-18), the ascent and descent of Moses (cf. Ex 19-34), the experience of Elijah (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18). On the mountain, Jesus reveals to His three disciples that there is more to His life than what could be “seen” or what could be “known”.
“He was transfigured”. The evangelist gives this fact very sparsely. We know from Luke that Jesus had gone up to pray. The transfiguration, therefore, took place in a moment of prayer in which Jesus manifests that He is one with the Father (cf. Jn 10:30). In this dialogue, in which “his clothes became white as light”, Jesus reveals Himself as the light of the world (Jn 12:46).
Moses and Elijah
“Moses and Elijah appeared to them”: Elijah, father of the prophets; Moses, guardian of the law. They represent the entire history of the Old Testament. Moses had been gifted with various manifestations of God’s presence. It was specifically in this context of intimate friendship that his face would shine (cf. Ex 34:29-35). But we also know that another like Moses was being awaited: “A prophet like me will theLord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom you shall listen” (Dt 18:15). For Moses, who prayed to God saying, “Let me see your glory!” (Ex 33:18), heard the response, “No one can see me and live” (Ex 33:20). I point this out because Moses can finally see God’s glory on the mountain with Jesus, this Jesus Christ who is the “Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8), the One on whose face shines “the glory of God” (2 Cor 4:6). Jesus is the new Moses. Next to Moses is Elijah, the father of the prophets who climbed the mountain as well, and heard God “in the still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). He represents the ideal synthesis of the entire host of prophets that ended with John the Baptist, being the last prophet, the “new Elijah” (cf. Mt 11:14).
The presence of "Elijah and Moses". While it is true that Jesus has to "reveal Himself" to the disciples, there is also a more "human" aspect: Jesus Himself needs to face “His exodus" (passion/death/resurrection). He knows He cannot do this with His disciples, because they do not understand. So, He chooses two illustrious "friends", two friends we find in Scripture. In this way Jesus teaches me and you that we must know how to choose with whom to confide and face certain things, because no one knows everything. The Church indicates biblical figures, as well as the Saints, as "friends and models of life," who can help us to understand the meaning of life and give us proper direction through their writings and example.
The cloud
“A bright cloud cast a shadow over them…”. The Exodus experiences continues to form the backdrop: the strenuous journey the people made in the desert, led by the cloud (cf. Ex 13:11ff); the cloud on Mount Sinai (cf. Ex 19:16); the cloud that accompanied the “meeting tent” that housed God’s “law” (cf. Ex 40:34-35); and, finally, the cloud that descends on Jesus who will say “true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23) when neither certain mountains or tents will no longer be necessary.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!”. When He was baptized, Jesus alone heard the voice from heaven (cf. Mk 1:11). Now, instead, this voice is heard by the disciples as well. “Listen to Him”: this is an echo of the Shema’ – “Hear, O Israel” (Dt 6:4), and of Moses’s words: “A prophet like mewill theLord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom you shall listen” (Dt 18:15). The voice on the mountain indicates that Jesus, and He alone, is the One that must be listened to now – Him and the living Word, the Word of life and truth (cf. Jn 14:6).
It is good that we are here
Peter does not understand everything, but there is one thing he gets: “it is good that we are here” (Mt 17:4). This is the human drive. How many “beautiful” experiences have we lived that have led us to say “I will make three tents”…”let’s stop time”. The risk, however, is that of pursuing experiences solely because of the emotions they bring which make us incapable of “going back down the mountain”, where concrete life awaits us. Jesus teaches me that active listening is the culmination of the experience: “Listen to Him”. We cannot remain under the dictatorship of emotions. They are helpful, this is understood, but they are not enough. They are necessary to provide warmth, to get us moving again, to give us courage. But we are greater than our emotions. “It is listening that defines the disciple”, B. Maggioni remarks. “It is not about being original, but about being servants of truth. Listening is composed of obedience and hope. It requires intelligence to understand, but also courage to make decisions, because the Word involves you and tears you away from yourself”. It gives what your heart seeks: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). “How beautiful, Lord!”
