August 6th - Transfiguration of Our Lord
A reminder of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the three
Apostles, Peter, James, and John, can be found in the Mass when Jesus is
lifted up by the priest for all to adore Him, as was the case for the
Apostles, who bowed before the Divinity. In fact, just as Moses and Elias
bore witness to the divinity of Christ on Mount Tabor, so also the angels,
although invisible, are present at every Consecration of bread and wine
into
the Body and Blood of Our Lord.
Granted, the types of miracles are different. In the first, awe comes much
more naturally, given Jesus' change in appearance, not to mention the
presence of the two Old Testament figures. Yet, the second miracle is more
significant because ordinary substances are transformed into God Himself.
There have been cases in Church History, however, where God has intervened
to make the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist apparent to the ****d
eye as the visible Body and Blood of Christ and to give the faithful a
sense
of awe rivaling that of Peter, James, and John as Christ was transfigured
before them. We call these phenomena "Eucharistic miracles," during which,
at the time of the Consecration, the bread and wine not only change their
substance to become the Body and Blood of Our Lord but also they become
externally visible to the eyes as such.
In some of the Eucharist miracles I am referring to the Host gives place
to
the figure of the Infant Jesus, whose Body is then held up by the priest.
Does this mean that Jesus is any more present than He would have been had
the Consecration happened as usual?
In substance, both the presences - with or without miracle - are the same.
Likewise Jesus was substantially the same in His normal life and in the
Transfiguration to the Apostles on Mount Tabor. What was added in the
latter
was the visible confirmation of his Divinity, which doubtlessly increases
one's faith, hope, and charity.
You may recall that in an article two weeks ago, I mentioned that Our Lady
appeared to both St. Dominic and to St. Simon Stock as a safeguard against
her children falling prey to two enemies of the soul, pride and
sensuality.
Well, in similar fa****on, I believe that God granted these Eucharistic
miracles as armor for the faithful against the denial of the Real Presence
by such influential heretics as Berengarius of Tours in the 11th century,
and later by the Protestant heresiarchs during the Protestant Revolution
of
the 16th Century. Those miracles were occurring in the first two millennia
of Christianity, and they could continue into the third as a reminder that
Our Lord meant what He said when He told the Apostles in John's Gospel,
"My
flesh is true food and my blood is true drink."
Jesus was transfigured before the Apostles to strengthen their faith in
His
divinity because their faith would be shaken during His Passion, on Holy
Thursday right through Good Friday. This miracle would not prevent St.
Peter
and St. James from falling, just as the Eucharistic miracles have not
prevented even many faithful Catholics from having periods of doubt and
darkness in their spiritual life. But it would prevent St. John from
abandoning the way of the Cross. His fidelity, which relied on his
closeness
to Our Lady, certainly was strengthened by the remembrance of that glory
he
saw in the Transfiguration.
Remembering the ways in which Jesus has chosen to manifest Himself before
the eyes of the Apostles and to certain privileged faithful helps us to
remember His promise to be with us all days, and to overcome our doubts
and
discouragement along the "via dolorosa," which is what our day-to-day-life
is.
Just as E***enical Councils have been called to deal with crises in Faith,
the Transfiguration and Eucharistic miracles increase our certainty in the
Divinity of Our Lord, which serves to prevent those crises.
Our faith should not have to rely only on miracles, but rather should
depend
upon our strong belief in the Divinity of Our Lord. Our charity should
depend upon our willingness to be united with Jesus Christ and Mary on the
way of the Cross at every moment of every day.
The Apostles would completely understand the gift of the Transfiguration
only after they drank from the cup of Our Lord's sufferings. We should
recall that this is precisely the promise of Our Divine Savior to St.
James
and St. John when He told them, "You will drink the cup from which I
drink."
Implied in this forewarning of Christ is not simply a sharing in His
death,
but also in the interior sufferings that they would have to endure for the
sake of His Name.
We should remember this in our days especially, because to be faithful to
the constant teaching and traditions of the Holy Catholic Church in our
difficult days mean we will have to share in the sufferings of Christ. He
is
inviting us today to drink from the cup which He drank from, the cup of
being misunderstood, of isolation. It is not always easy, but we should
remember that the final end for our fidelity now is to be united with him
in
the glory of Heaven. The Transfiguration reminds us of that, just as it
would remind the Apostles and prepare them to fulfill their missions on
earth in face of every adversity and suffering.
By Father Paul Sretenovic
Saint Quote:
People who keep themselves low in their own estimation and love to be
considered of little account and despised by others please God in the
highest degree.
-St. Thomas a Kempis
Bible Quote:
13. And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And
the disciples rebuked them that brought them. 14. Whom when Jesus saw, he
was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come
unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. 15. Amen
I
say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little
child, shall not enter into it. (Mark 10:13-15)
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A Parent's Prayer to the Guardian Angel of
Her Children
I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly Friends of
my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and
goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with
thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care
for them, and before the whole heavenly court
acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and
protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all
their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my
(wife/husband), and my whole family, that we may all one day
rejoice in your blessed company. Amen.
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