6 August 2020: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

(Liturgical Color: White)

Reflection on the Gospel

(Suggested short meditation on the Word of God for lay people, from nickisip.blogspot.com)

Cycle A - Year II

Readings:

First Reading: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Second Reading: 2 Peter 1:16-19

Gospel: Please Read Matthew 17:1-9

"The Lord's Transfiguration: a glimpse of Jesus' divinity!"

The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord is celebrated 6 August, which falls on Thursday this year. The Feast prefigures the glory of the resurrection of Jesus and assures us that one day we shall share His glory.

This is a major feast day and commemorates the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor before the apostles Peter, James, and John. During this event, the apostles are given a glimpse of Jesus' divine nature and see Him talking with Elijah and Moses.

All three Synoptic Gospels tell the story of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36) With remarkable agreement, all three place the event shortly after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' first prediction of His passion and death.

In the Gospel narrative, as Jesus and His disciples were travelling to Jerusalem, their journey was briefly interrupted by an experience of Jesus' transfiguration upon a mountain. There, Jesus appeared in glory with Moses, the great lawgiver of Israel, and with Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, in the presence of three of His beloved apostles, Peter, John and James. St. Matthew's account tells us that Jesus' "face shone like the sun and his clothes become white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him."

The Transfiguration was a unique display of Jesus' divine character and a glimpse of the glory which Jesus had before He came down on earth in human form. In theological language, the Transfiguration is an experience of "the already of the not yet" for the beloved disciples, so that the "inner circle" of Jesus' disciples could gain a greater understanding of who Jesus really is. Thus, the disciples who had only known Jesus in His human body, now had a greater realization of the deity of Christ, even when perhaps they could not fully comprehend it at that time. Nevertheless, the experience gave them the reassurance they needed, and the strength of faith to sustain them, when later on they would hear the shocking news of Jesus' coming death.

The three apostles with Jesus in that sacred mountain never forgot what happened that day on the mountain. They bore witness to it to other disciples and to countless millions down through the centuries. In the second reading, Peter recounts the experience: "We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we have been eyewitnesses of his majesty." (2 Peter 1:16)

For Matthew's readers, the account of the transfiguration confirmed that Jesus indeed is the Son of God and pointed to the fulfillment of the prediction that He will come in His Father's glory at the end of age.

In other words, the transfiguration foretells the glory of the Lord as God, and His ascension into heaven. It anticipates the glory of heaven where we shall see God face to face. And even now, through grace, we already share in the divine promise of eternal life.

So in sum, the message of the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ is that God wants to share His glory with us. And so with the eyes of faith we, too, experience the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist at Mass. When we actually receive Him in the Holy Eucharist, He gives us the grace to sustain us in our difficult and challenging journey through this life. Jesus in the Holy Eucharist makes light our way of the cross in this life. So receiving Jesus frequently in the Holy Eucharist is a foretaste of His resurrection, like our own experience of the "already of the not yet" in our time. It is our assurance of God's ultimate victory over sin and evil, at the end of time.

A blessed Feast of the Transfiguration to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!

Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church

On Ash Wednesday, which falls on February 26, in 2020, we begin our Lenten journey. Lent is the season of preparation for Easter Sunday.

Ash Wednesday always falls 46 days before Easter Sunday. It is no longer a Holy Day of obligation but our Mother Church encourages all Catholics to attend Mass on this day in order to mark the beginning of our Lenten journey with our Lord Jesus Christ as He endures His Calvary for our redemption.

Distribution of Ashes

It is called Ash Wednesday because literally ashes are distributed during Mass. These ashes are from the burning of the blessed palms of the previous year's celebration of Palm Sunday.

After the homily, the priest blesses the ashes and sprinkles them with holy water. The faithful come forward to receive them. The priest, or lay minister, dips his right thumb in the ashes and makes the sign of the cross with them on each person's forehead, while saying these words:

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return" or

"Repent, and believe in the Gospel." 

Please note that as a precautionary measure "to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus," the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, or CBCP,  has issued an advisory that the blessed ashes "can be imposed on the faithful by dropping or sprinkling a small portion of blessed ash on the crown of the head of the faithful with the prescribed formula."

A Day of Repentance

The symbolism of the distribution of the ashes reminds us of our own mortality, and calls us to repentance. Those who receive the ashes usually leave the markings of the ashes on the forehead all day as a sign of repentance and humility.

Fasting and Abstinence

The Universal Church requires us to fast and abstain from meat in keeping with the penitential nature of Ash Wednesday.

Fasting is required from ages 18 to 60. This means they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during Ash Wednesday, with no other food intake in-between.

Abstinence covers those with age of 14 and above, who are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat on Ash Wednesday.

A Journey of Hope

The annual Lenten Season is a fitting time to climb the holy mountain of Easter. It is our journey of hope towards our redemption from sin, when our Lord Jesus Christ rises again from the dead on Easter Sunday.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!