and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
- Matthew 17:1-9
Put yourselves in the shoes of Peter, James or John. Jesus, your teacher and friend who you have been traveling around the countryside with, takes you up on a mountain. All of a sudden Jesus begins to shine and appears to be conversing with Moses and Elijah, two long dead prophets who you have heard about since you were a small child. Then a voice comes from a cloud telling you that Jesus is the Son of God. How would you react?
Last week’s Gospel – Jesus’s temptation in the desert – showed us a glimpse into Jesus’s human side. The story of the Transfiguration this week shows us His divine side. That Jesus is both human and divine is a major part of our belief as Catholics. It is something we are taught about from a young age. Yet even for those of us who grew up with that belief it can be a difficult concept. The idea that a person can be fully human and fully God at the same time is one that goes beyond our limited human understanding of how things work. We simply cannot wrap our minds around it.
How much more afraid and unsure would Peter, James and John be? They were only beginning to understand who Jesus really was and now they had a completely new identity to deal with. In the Transfiguration, we get a glimpse of who Jesus really is beyond Jesus the man. We see Him in His rightful place, between Moses – the giver of the Law – and Elijah – the greatest of the prophets. Jesus, as the Messiah, has come to complete the work begun by both of these men. He is the new lawgiver – giving us a new commandment to live by: love one another. He is the fulfillment of all that the prophets taught – repent and return to God. In the Transfiguration, we see an acknowledgment by God that Jesus is His Son and that we should listen to Him. Are you ready to follow the new law given to us by Jesus? Are you ready to repent? Maybe this Lent is a chance for you to start fresh. Maybe the best way to do this is to obey the voice and “Listen to Him.” Give it a try.