The Transfiguration was the most astounding, amazing and mind-blowing experience for Peter, James and John. It again reveals Jesus as truly the Son of God. What glorious Light shines from the face of Christ as He gave a foretaste of Heaven and a vision of His hidden glory.

“After six days, Jesus took Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured be-fore them and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.”

The beginning words speak specifically of time: “After six days...” These are the exact six days after which Jesus revealed to His twelve disciples for the first time His impending Passion, Death on a Cross and Resurrection.

The fact that Jesus took the disciples up to the mountain apart by themselves signifies that He wants them to pray and worship Him. Why does Jesus invite these three disciples? Jesus is preparing these disciples to be with Him during His Agony in the Garden.

Today’s Gospel passage continues:

“Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; and from the cloud came a voice, ‘This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.’ Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.” To listen to Him means to obey God, with the obedience of faith. Abraham in today’s First Reading from Genesis, denied himself and obeyed God when he was willing to offer his only beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice, a holocaust, a whole burnt offering.

The glory of the Lord is shown in the “cloud casting a shadow” over the disciples. The cloud is the visible manifestation of God’s Presence, known as shekinah. It corresponds to God’s glory, the same cloud that directed the Israelites to the Promised Land (Exodus 14:19) and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit when Our Blessed Mother conceived Jesus in Her womb (Luke 1:35).

In Mark chapter 8 we read: “the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days.” Then Jesus “summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, ‘Whoever wish-es to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and that of the Gospel will save it.’” (Mark 8: 31, 34-35)

We know that each and every Catholic, each Christian, is called to be one of Jesus’ disciples, to obey Him in the obedience of faith, to worship only Him and to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. This precious time of Lent is the time to put all of this love, worship and obedience to God into practice, day by day. Your soul will rest in the Glory of the Lord.

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Stations of the Cross are on Fridays after the 8:30am Mass and also at 3:30pm before the K of C 4:00pm Fish Fry.

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The CDA continues through Lent and Easter. We have started off very well.

Next week I will explain more about the Parish Engagement Study which will transform and transfigure our Parish in our Jubilee Year and beyond.

Fr. Kilian, Fr. Joseph, Deacons and our great Parish Staff, Disciples and Volunteers

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