Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

My Dear Parishioners,

This past Wednesday was the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and went up a mountain to pray. While He was praying, His face changed in appearance and His clothing became dazzling white. And behold two men were conversing with Him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His exodus that He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Peter and His companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. As they (Moses and Elijah) were about to part from Him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying.

While he (Peter) was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is My chosen Son, listen to Him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen. Luke 9:28-36.

This passage is an easy passage to visualize, and so it is a great passage in which to have a little exercise in praying with the Sacred Scriptures by using our imaginations. Yes, I said by using our imagination. God gave us an imagination and so let us put it to good use. Let us do just that and use our imaginations, and not just visualize the scene, but to actually place ourselves into the Scripture.

As we prepare to do this, it is good to read and re-read the passage a few times. Take your time with this step. Read the above passage slowly. Pause. Read it again. Pause. Now, at least one more time, read it through again.

The Transfiguration is so familiar to us, but in reading and re-reading it, did you pick up on some detail that you may have overlooked before? What is that detail? Why is it striking you now, at this point in your life?

Now, it is time to use your imagination and to use your imagination to place yourself into the Gospel itself. You can place yourself in the Scripture in one of two ways: you can image yourself as one the characters actually in the Gospel, or you can create an entirely new character and place yourself in the Gospel that way.

Take a moment, think about who you would want to be. Would you want to be Peter, James or John? Or maybe Moses or Elijah? Maybe even Our Blessed Savior Himself? Or what about even, yes even, God the Father?

Or maybe you envision yourself as a whole new character. Could you envision yourself as a simple bystander who just happened upon this event? Or could you envision yourself as a companion of the Apostles, who snuck up the mountain out of curiosity?         What about one of Jesus’s critics who is always looking for a reason to condemn Jesus—is that you right now— sneaking up the mountain to spy on Jesus? If so, that is okay too.

Now that you have envisioned yourself in the event, who are you now? Why did you choose to enter the Gospel as this character? What questions might you be bringing with you, and what answers might you be looking for?

If you have created an entirely new character for yourself, what is your name?

What do you look like? What are you wearing, period clothing or modern clothing? Do you envision yourself as educated and successful or poor or someone in need of help?

Before going any further, dig deeper into your imagination. Envision the landscape around you. Is it summer or winter? Is it barren or is it lush? What kind of plants or trees or flowers do you see, if any at all? What color is the ground and the rocks that you see? What does the sky look like? Is it day? If so, is it sunny with a blue sky? Is it night? If so, is it clear and filled with stars? Do you envision some other type of sky? What is the sky like off in the distance? What are the details of the sky you envision?

Now envision the sounds and smells around you. What does the air on the mountain smell and feel like? Is it crisp and clean? Is it refreshing? Is it warm or cold? Is there a breeze or is it still? What does the air smell like? Are there any scents in the air? What about sounds. Do you hear any sounds, other than the voices recorded in the Gospel? Do you hear any birds singing? Leaves rustling in the breeze? Are there any voices of strangers in the distance? Are there any hints of music? Or is there silence, other than the voices of Our Blessed Savior, Moses, Elijah, the Blessed Apostles, and God Our Father?

Now let us suppose for a moment that you are a whole new character, a bystander who just happened by. What do you see? What are Peter, James, and John wearing? The types of clothes, old or modern? What colors? What textures? What do they look like? Are they young or old? Are they people you would like to get to know? Are they people who, at first sight, you might dismiss or avoid? Either is okay, but why?

What about Moses and Elijah. What is Moses wearing? Is he as you always pictured him? Is he tall or short? Does he have a beard? Is he holding his legendary staff? Is he still carrying the tablets of the Law? And Elijah, what is he wearing? Is he wearing his legendary mantle? Is he still carrying the knife he used to slay the false prophets of Baal? Is Moses scary or friendly? Is Elijah scary or friendly?

Can you hear their voices as they converse with Jesus? What do their voices sound like? Are their voices low-pitched or high pitched? Strong and authoritative? Soft and inviting? What specific details do you now hear in their conversation with Jesus? Yes, it is okay to eavesdrop. They are speaking with Jesus about His upcoming Crucifixion. What is the expression on their faces as they speak to Jesus about His Cross?

What does Moses the Lawgiver have to specifically say to Jesus? What does Elijah the Prophet have to say? How do they see Jesus as the fulfillment of all of their own hopes and dreams? How do they see Jesus as the fulfillment of all of the hopes and dreams of humanity? What do they specifically have to say about the upcoming Crucifixion? Do you have the opportunity to “butt into the conversation” and speak with either of them? If so, what are you saying to Moses? What are you saying to Elijah? What are either of them saying to you? How do their works make you feel? What do their words make you think? Are you happy to have met them, or sorry you ever “butted in?” Either is okay.

What about Our Blessed Savior Himself? Did you see Him when He first came up the mountain, before He was Transfigured? What did He look like at first? What color was His hair? Did He have a beard or was He clean shaven? What was He wearing? Was He as you always pictured Him? What did His voice sound like? Did His voice remind you of someone else’s voice? Can you still see Him as He is Transfigured? What does He look like now? What changed about His features? Did you like Him more before He was Transfigured or as He is Transfigured? Either is okay. But why?

When He speaks, is He authoritative or inviting or, in some way, both? Are you able to speak to Him directly? If so, what is He saying to you right now? Is He also discussing His Mission with you, as with Moses and Elijah? Is He telling you that He came into this world because He loves you? Are you understanding the fact that He came to die for you? Is this making any sense? Do you find yourself easily accepting His love? Do you find yourself easily accepting that He came to die for you? Is He helping you to understand that the Cross leads to eternal Glory?

Now comes the cloud. Is it a white fluffy white cloud or is it dark and sinister, as if a thunderstorm is approaching? Are you also scared, as the Blessed Apostles are scared? If so, that is okay. Is it being in the presence of God the Father that makes you afraid? Why? Since God is Love, are you having a hard time accepting God’s love for you? Is that making you afraid? Do you fear that truly accepting His love will mean too many changes in your life? Do you think that He only sees your sins and your failings and doesn’t see the love and goodness deep in your heart? Is that what is making you afraid? Or something else? What does the voice of God the Father sound like? Will it be the same voice you will want to hear someday when you are in His presence in Heaven?

Now the cloud disperses, and Moses and Elijah return to the place of the dead, to await that very first Good Friday and the very first Easter Sunday. Right now, do you feel and think as Peter, James, and John, overwhelmed by this close encounter with God and with Heaven? Can you accompany the Blessed Apostles back down the mountain and back onto that journey to Jerusalem? Or instead, do you want to stay on the mountain and hide in the rocks? Could you keep silent about the Transfiguration, or do you feel the need to share the experience with someone else?

How has this little exercise changed you? Might you hear the Holy Spirit speaking to you during this exercise? Has the Holy Spirit given you some new insight into Jesus’s love for you? Has this given you some renewed hope? Has this given you some new trust in His Providence? Are you better able to see that the Crosses of your own life are really a share in His Holy Cross and are the entry way into Eternal Glory? Has it given you a reason to Confess a sin that you have been holding in? Has it given you a new appreciation for the love He shares with us through His Church and His Sacraments? Do you have a renewed devotion to that true symbol of love, the Holy Cross?

My dear parishioners, I do hope that this little exercise with using our imaginations in praying with the Sacred Scripture has helped you, and I hope you repeat it often with other passages in the Sacred Scriptures.

Some of the Saints of old have used this same exercise as one of the steps of “Lectio Divina,” Holy Reading. They used this exercise to move beyond simply “studying the Scriptures” to actually praying with the Scriptures and to then allow the Sacred Scripture to enter more deeply into their hearts. Which then brings us to the true purpose of the Sacred Scriptures. Our Blessed Savior gave us the Sacred Scriptures to give Himself an entry way into our hearts, so let us then use our imaginations, and without hesitation, let Him into our hearts.

Through the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, may Our Blessed Savior always be at the very center of our hearts.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Church and our Patron, pray for us!

Fr. Michael J Pawelko, pastor