“Throwing ourselves into the Hands of God, and receive what He gives us, and thus to experience the Transfiguration!”

(Based on Gen 12:1-4a, 2 Tim 1:8b-10 and Mt 17:1-9 – 2nd Sunday of Lent)

A five year old boy was playing in the front yard of his house, by throwing a ball up in the air.

An elderly priest, who was passing that way, asked the boy what he was doing.

The little boy, with innocence answered:
“I am playing a game of ‘catching the ball’ with God!

I throw the ball up in the air…
… and He throws it back to me!”

The senior priest was pretty amused at the simple answer.

And as he moved ahead, he thought in his mind…
“Although, the boy in his innocence just said his experience of a law of nature…
… in that simple statement, he also expressed a religious reality:
Divine experience is this: Throwing of ourselves into the Hands of God…
… and receiving what He gives to us”

That’s very true isn’t it?

Divine experience is ” throwing of ourselves into the Hands of God…
… and receiving what He gives to us”

When we throw ourselves into the Hands of God, and receive what He gives us…
… that is the experience of Transfiguration!

The Gospel of the Day presents before us the Lord undergoing the Transfiguration.

The Disciples shared in this joy.
You and me are invited today!

The Scene of the Transfiguration is one of the most captivating and thrilling scenes of the Gospels.

We shall look into this account of the Transfiguration through the eyes of St Matthew’s Gospel.

It’s interesting to see that this scene takes place on a high mountain.

Mountains play a key role in the Gospel of St Matthew.

Mountains of course, dot the landscape of the Biblical regions.

They are a great part of the physical reality of the Biblical world.
They are a symbolic of “being closer to God”.

St Matthew’s Gospel has a particular love for this “lofty symbol of God’s presence”

Jesus underwent a temptation by Satan on the Mount…
… the Mount of Temptations (Mt 4:8)

Jesus delivers His Sermon and Teachings on a Mount…
… the Mount of the Sermon (Mt 5:1)

Jesus performs many deeds of healings on a Mount…
… the Mount by the Sea of Galilee (Mt 15:29)

Jesus is transfigured on a Mount…
… the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17:1)

Jesus gives His final teaching and discourse on a Mount…
… the Mount of Olives (Mt 24:3)

Jesus gives up His life on a Mount…
… the Mount of Calvary (Mt 27:33)

Jesus delivers His Final Mission mandate on a Mount …
… the Mount of Galilee (Mt 28:16)

So in this Lofty and High Place of the Presence of God – a Mountain – Jesus undergoes His Transfiguration…
… and is joined by the presence of two other “Mountain” Figures – Moses and Elijah!

Moses is the Man of the Mount of Sinai and Mount Nebo – representing the Law of God!
Elijah is the Man of the Mount of Carmel – representing the Prophets of God!

Jesus is the God and Man of all the Mountains – the Fulfillment of all the Laws and the Prophets!

What is the purpose of the “many mountain settings” of the Transfiguration Scene?

To look further…
… to imagine deeper
… to hear beyond.

To see the way God sees us.
To imagine the way God perceives us.
To hear the way God wants of us.

We all need Transfiguration Moments in our lives…
… a Transfiguration Experience in our lives!

Vision that needs to be transfigured…
… into God’s representation!

Imagination that needs to be transfigured…
… into God’s resemblance!

Hearing that needs to be transfigured…
… into God’s resonance!

Let us take courage…
… and accompany the Lord!

Beyond the peripheral problems of life
… away from the hardships and difficulties of our physical, mental, spiritual, emotional worries…
…to climb the Mountain of Spiritual Closeness and Presence of the Lord, and share in the joy of the Transfiguration!

Life has much more to offer.

Life has much more to be expected.
Life has much more to hope for….

Let us “throw” our lives into the Hands of God…
… and receive what He gives to us

And thus…
Be transfigured!
Be transformed!
Be transcending!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE THREE DEGREES OF THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY ORDERS

“The divinely instituted ecclesiastical ministry is exercised in different degrees by those who even from ancient times have been called bishops, priests, and deacons.”
Catholic doctrine, expressed in the liturgy, the Magisterium, and the constant practice of the Church, recognizes that there are two degrees of ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ: the episcopacy and the presbyterate.
The diaconate is intended to help and serve them.
For this reason the term sacerdos in current usage denotes bishops and priests but not deacons.

Yet Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called “ordination,” that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders. (CCC # 1554)