A HOMILY FOR THE GREAT FEAST OF THE LORD’S TRANSFIGURATION
About the Benefits of Reflection Upon the Glorious Transfiguration of Christ
(Aug. 6/19)
Brothers and sisters!
The public ministry of the Lord was drawing to a close, and the hour of His Passion was quickly approaching. Christ had begun speaking openly about His death to the disciples. They did not wish to understand what He was saying: actually, they considered what He was saying to be impossible. Be it far from Thee, Lord, protested Peter; this shall not be unto Thee.[1] Despite the fact that they acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God, the disciples were not yet done with Jewish fantasies of the Messiah as an earthly king. Knowing that their faith was still weak and childish, Christ wished to reveal to them His divine glory, to the degree that they could endure it. His immediate purpose in so doing was to help the disciples understand that He was “in truth the Effulgence of the Father,” as we chant in the Kontakion of the present feast, and that His enemies had no real power over Him. Rather, He was voluntarily submitting to death for the life of the world out of love for mankind.
A short time after He clearly explained to the disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day,[2] the Lord took Peter, James, and John up Mount Tabor in Galilee. On the mount, Christ began to pray, but the disciples, wearied by the long uphill walk, after reaching the summit paid human nature its due and fell asleep. When they awoke, they beheld a wondrous, unprecedented sight: Christ’s face had become brilliant as the sun; His garments shone whiter than snow; and beside Him, sharing in the rays of light that poured out from His figure, stood Moses and Elijah. The two prophets were conversing with the Lord about His impending death in Jerusalem. An unearthly joy filled the apostles’ hearts, and Peter in ecstasy said to Christ, Lord it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; (meaning, shelters constructed of branches) one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. Obviously, Peter did not know what he was saying, and simply wanted to prolong the wondrous vision. Then suddenly, while he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him!
Human strength could no longer endure the high tension of what was happening. Terror overpowered the disciples, and they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. When they lifted up their eyes, the apostles saw their Teacher standing in front of them, having resumed His usual form. And with this the vision ended.
Upon first reflection, dear brothers and sisters, it might seem that the events we are celebrating have little significance except for the apostles, whose faith would be sorely tried by their Master’s Passion. This would occur just forty days after the Transfiguration. But a closer examination reveals that the events have much to teach all of us; that the light of the Transfiguration benefits every Christian. So let us conclude today by quickly reviewing those benefits and extracting from them edification and illumination.
First of all, Christ leads the disciples up a high mountain before revealing His innate splendor. This teaches us that spiritual exertion is necessary, if we are to behold the Savior more perfectly, in the brilliance of His divine light.
Second, Moses’ presence on Tabor represents the Law, and Elijah’s represents the prophets. The fact that Moses and Elijah share in the Lord’s glory assures us that Christ is both the Giver of the Law and the Giver of all prophecy. He is the fullness of both the Old and the New Testaments: of all of God’s revelation to mankind.
Third, Christ is transfigured as He prepares for His Passion, thereby reminding us that we must accept our cross if we are to experience the joy of transformation, of transfiguration in Christ.
Fourth, Saint Peter wishes to prolong the joy of the Transfiguration and asks the Lord’s permission to build the three tabernacles. But Jesus does not answer him; instead, Moses and Elijah vanish, and Christ returns to His usual form. Similarly, we yearn for prolongation of moments of sweet spiritual consolation, but we must remember that these are not meant to last forever, except in the future life.
Fifth, a bright cloud covers the mountain, and out of it the Father’s voice solemnly testifies to His Son, concluding with the command: Hear ye Him. This makes it clear that any extraordinary divine visitation is effectual only if it results in our increased attentiveness and obedience to Christ’s words.
Sixth, our liturgical texts teach that the Transfiguration shows us beforehand the transformation of our human nature and the entire creation which will occur upon the Lord’s dread Second Coming. If we hearken unto Christ as the Father commands, then a transfiguration not unlike His awaits us at the end of days.
Seventh and finally, the Transfiguration is an epiphany of all three divine hypostases, as we chant in the ninth ode of the canon of the feast, saying, “Let us go up into the holy and heavenly mount and gaze with our mind upon the immaterial Godhead of the Father and the Spirit, shining like lightning in the Only-begotten Son.” Seeing Christ transfigured on Tabor, we peek behind the veil which in this life so often separates us from the vision of the Most Holy Trinity. Whenever we gaze with fear and love upon the person of the incarnate Son of God with our inner eyes, we glimpse the Father and the Holy Spirit as well, but much more so when we behold Christ resplendent in the uncreated light of the triune Deity, which was manifested in Him on Tabor.
And so, dear Christians, may the remembrance of these truths and divine benefits remain fresh in your memory, spurring you repeatedly to contemplation of the Lord’s holy Transfiguration both now, during the festal period, and throughout the year. May the thought of them ever fill you with divine knowledge and surround you with heavenly illumination! Amen.
[1] Matt. 16:22
[2] Matt. 16:21
