+ Since historically this event took place about a week before Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it was thought of mostly in terms of a Lenten placement. Jesus would soon be going to the Cross – which was his one chief goal and mission in life – he looked forward to it, for it would be for us and for our salvation! Jesus found JOY in the reconciliation that would take place for all of us, as barbaric and gruesome as it would be! He knew it was VICTORY through SUFFERING (and in this case DEATH!)
But before he would do that,
he thought it necessary to do three things: 1) to reinforce his teaching about
who he really was, the transcendent Word from Heaven who condescended to come
down and be a creature like us in all things but sin: 2) to reveal his true
identity, and to bolster the faith of those who would be leaders of his new
Church that would be launched later on, especially because they would be among
the first to lay down their lives for Jesus and his new found church, just as
Jesus did for them; and lastly 3) to give all members of his Church from then
on the blessed and amazing assurance that His glory would also be ours, his
resurrection would be ours, his radiant glorified body would be ours one day in
the Kingdom. Now that is something to look forward to!
This is also the second time
that God the Father is actually heard using human words: from a cloud, during those moments when Jesus revealed his radiant
glory in the presence of Peter, James and John, and also Moses and Elijah, the
Father proclaimed: “This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased! Listen to him!”
O yes, we must listen to everything Jesus says
in his words and actions! For he is the One True Way, the Truth and
Life for which we all yearn! Then our words and actions must resemble his more
and more every day, because by our Communion with him, he actually becomes part
of us, and our physical bodies, as well as our spiritual souls.
This feast was celebrated for
almost the entire first thousand years in the Eastern Church; it was not until
much later, almost the middle of the next millennia that the feast was made
part of the General Roman Calendar, by Pope Callistus III in 1457. And now,
though it is celebrated in August, it is always the right time to reflect on
“the splendor of Mount Tabor” – for it reveals God our Lord, and our future!
The
Lord is King, the Most High over all the earth!
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