(English text after the Italian)

 

HE WILL TRANSFIGURE OUR MORTAL BODY IN THE IMAGE OF HIS GLORIOUS BODY

«Maestro, it's nice for us to be here. Let's do three huts, one for you, One for Moses and one for Elìa ". He did not know, But, what he said …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tradition has preserved the episode, rightly famous, of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, where the celestial epiphany of baptism is repeated, this time for the benefit of a few disciples.

The story, in its current location during the life of Jesus, partially obscures the meaning of the event, because it is Jesus himself who leads the disciples to the mountain where he undergoes a temporary transfiguration presented as a foretelling of the destiny of death and resurrection that awaits him. It is very likely that originally it was a story of the appearance of the Risen One, that Marco, who excluded those stories from his narration, would have placed it at the center of the Gospel, immediately after Peter's messianic confession, to balance the announcement of the death destiny of the Son of man (MC 8, 31) with the proleptic vision of his glorification (MC 9, 2-13); a choice that would also have determined its placement in Matthew and Luke. Supporting this hypothesis is the fact that throughout the three stories the disciples' misunderstanding of Jesus remains intact., despite some having witnessed such a sensational event. While, placed after his death, the story takes on a crucial meaning.

The three disciples receive, in a state of relaxed alert consciousness - "burdened by sleep", Peter "does not know what he says" - the revelation of the Son of man in a form transfigured by divine light. It's the turning point: the disciples, after his death, they have the vision of Jesus placed on the same level as Moses and Elijah, that is, of two biblical figures already raised to celestial glory and listening to the proclamation of his divine election, the same one that resonates at the moment of baptism. Finally the disciples "know" who Jesus is, and it is in the light of this understanding that the historical episode of baptism takes on its "true" meaning of divine investiture. Among the numerous stories of apparitions of the Risen One, that of the Transfiguration represents, so, most eloquently the process through which some disciples reached a superior understanding of the meaning of Jesus' human story after the shock of his death. Let's read it:

“About eight days after these talks, Jesus took Peter with him, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he prayed, his face changed in appearance and his dress became white and dazzling. And here, two men were talking to him: they were Moses and Elijah, appeared in glory, and they spoke of his exodus, which was about to take place in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were oppressed by sleep; ma, when they woke up, they saw his glory and the two men who were with him. While they separated from him, Peter said to Jesus: “Maestro, it's nice for us to be here. Let's do three huts, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah". He did not know, But, what he said. While he was talking like this, a cloud came and covered them with its shadow. Upon entering the cloud, they were afraid. And a voice came out of the cloud, who said: “This is my Son, the chosen one; listen!”. As soon as the voice stopped, Jesus remained alone. They remained silent and in those days did not tell anyone what they had seen." (LC 9,28-36).

The song of the transfiguration, as already mentioned at the beginning, it is among the most difficult to read and to place within the historical path of Jesus' life. It is full of suggestions because it presents many rich allusions to events and stories from the Old Testament.

The temporal annotation, placed at the beginning, «eight days later», while the other synoptics report: «six days later», connect the story with what just happened. Jesus has finished his first announcement of the passion, ma, at least according to Matthew and Mark, but not Luca, he also received a bitter disappointment from Peter. If shortly before he had recognized him as the Messiah, now he advises him instead, taking him aside, not to go to Jerusalem, because Christ should not have died. Simone, on the mouth of Jesus, he becomes like Satan. For this reason many modern commentators add a theological meaning to the traditional interpretation which sees a theological significance in the presence of Moses and Elijah next to Jesus., they would embody the Law and the Prophets, also another reason. These two characters would bring Jesus the consolation he needed. The biographies of Elijah and Moses, indeed, they tell us what the two had to go through and this allows them to know what Jesus is about to go through. Both went through daring trials to the point of even asking God to die. Moses in Is 32,32 immediately after the story of the golden calf he turns to the Lord begging forgiveness for his people: «if you would forgive their sin… Otherwise, erase me from your book that you wrote!». Elia in 1Re 19,4: «Take my life, because I am no better than my fathers". Ultimately, both of them had bitter disappointments, by which they are granted the vision of God (cf.. Is 33,21-22; 1Re 19,13).

The presence of the two characters it is therefore not just for disciples, but it is the consolation for the Son who is about to go to Jerusalem. Jesus must be comforted and strengthened regarding his "exodus", that is, its near future; the angel will do the same in Gethsemane, according to Luke's story, in the moment of extreme struggle (LC 22,43-44).

The three synoptic Gospels they try to explain what happened on Tabor, the mountain of Galilee where, Since the dalct that tiet the humbs 348, according to Cyril of Jerusalem, the Transfiguration would have occurred and they describe that transformation in their own way. Both Matthew and Mark use a verb in the passive voice, the so-called "theological passive": "he was transformed"; which suggests that it was implicitly God who acted. For Marco, in particular, the Transfiguration plays an important role in the economy of his writing. For him it's not just about listening to Jesus, "This is my Son, the beloved: listen!» (MC 9, 7), but also to accept that He is truly the Son. Pietro, in MC 8, 29, he had stopped at a partial identification, recognizing Jesus only as Messiah: «Peter answered him: You are the Christ". The voice on Tabor, instead, points out that Jesus is indeed the Son, according to the name that had already been given to Him at baptism. This item, by itself, however, it has no confirmation in Matthew's story, where Peter had already seen in Jesus both the Messiah and the Son: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God " (Mt 16,16).

For the evangelist Luca, at last, the Transfiguration is not just a moment of consolation for Jesus or the way for Peter to understand who Jesus was and his destiny. Luke also introduces the motif of the glory that is manifested. Only this evangelist, indeed, he insists on this term twice: «gloria» (v. 31 e 32). Thus Jesus, on the mountain, prefiguring to the disciples what his destiny will be, after his "exodus", suggests that it will be fulfilled for them too, and for us. The announcement of the passion and death of Jesus is never complete if it is not associated with that of glory, of the resurrection. So too will our destiny as believers in Him be fulfilled when our body also, our life, they will be transfigured and so will we, like Pietro already did, John and James, we will see the Risen One "as he is" (1GV 3, 2), not just in his human form, but in its most complete reality. The transformation of Jesus is the revelation of the profound personality of Jesus, that of the elected, of the only begotten Son and is also a prophecy of our future transformation.

For this reason I would like to underline how recurrent it is, in today's song, the verb to see, which returns several times and in different forms (v. 27.30.31.36), as well as the term: to listen (v. 35). They describe well the current condition of believers who, thanks to faith, they can see the Lord present in the little ones, in the next or in the sacraments where, as Leo the Great wrote: «what was then visible in our Savior has passed» (sermons 74,2). And beyond seeing, they can also listen to him thanks to the Church which still prepares the table of His word.

To end, one last detail. Reading the passages from the Transfiguration, only Luke gives us at least one reason why Jesus goes up the mountain, that is, to pray and prayer is, incidentally, also one of the most relevant Lenten commitments. Among the evangelists, Luke is the one who insists more than the others on this aspect and lets Jesus pray even when the other gospels don't say so.: at baptism (LC 3,21: "Jesus, He also received the baptism, he was praying"); before choosing the Twelve (LC 6,12: «In those days he went to the mountain to pray and spent the whole night praying to God»); it's here, to the Transfiguration: “About eight days after these talks, Jesus took Peter with him, John and James and went up on the mountain to pray" (LC 9,28).

A few days earlier, according to Mark and Matthew, Jesus had received a setback, right from Pietro. Luke glosses over it and only recounts the announcement of the passion and the harsh demands that derive from it for the disciple: «If anyone wants to come after me, you deny yourself, take up his cross every day and follow me " (LC 9, 23). But the reaction to all this for Jesus is prayer which becomes an opportunity to create unity, to collect your most intimate feelings and let yourself be guided by God, even if you have to go through the storms of life. At the end of the experience only one voice remains. The final notation of the passage it reports: «Jesus remained alone», "he was found alone" (Jesus alone was found); it also talks about the condition of Jesus during the Transfiguration, or during the prayer that the disciples struggle to bear. On the Mount of Transfiguration, where he went up "to pray", Jesus is alone, even "while praying". The effort of the disciples, expressed by at least three annotations, suggests to us, in a negative way, three stages of an initiation, three moments of a journey to enter the mystery of Jesus' prayer. The disciples are burdened by sleep, their eyelids fall, the eyes close and the somatic fatigue of praying shines through. Then Peter pronounces words that appear confused, tangential to what happened. In the end, everyone is struck by fear. Their not saying anything to anyone ends the story (LC 9,36) it seems like the possible start of something new and positive. This silence could be their beginning to cherish an inner solitude, indication of praying, that is, the ability to rethink and meditate on the events that have happened and seek meaning in them before God. Like Mary who kept words and facts regarding her son Jesus, turning them over and over again in her heart (cf.. LC 2,19.51).

Happy Sunday everyone!

from the Hermitage, 16 March 2025

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HE WILL TRANSFIGURE OUR MORTAL BODY BY IMAGE OF HIS GLORIOUS BODY

«Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah». He did not know what he was saying …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

The old Tradition has preserved the famous episode of the Transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain, where the celestial epiphany of baptism is repeated, this time for the benefit of a few disciples.

The story, in its current location during the life of Jesus, partly obscures the meaning of the event, because it is Jesus himself who leads the disciples to the mountain where he undergoes a temporary transfiguration presented as a preannouncement of the destiny of death and resurrection that awaits him. It is very likely that it was originally a story of the appearance of the Risen One, which Mark, who excluded those stories from his narrative, would have inserted at the center of the Gospel, immediately after Peter’s messianic confession, to balance the announcement of the destiny of death of the Son of Man (Mk 8:31) with the proleptic vision of his glorification (Mk 9:2-13); a choice that would have determined its placement also in Matthew and Luke. Supporting this hypothesis is the fact that in the continuation of the three stories the disciples’ misunderstanding of Jesus remains intact, despite the fact that some of them had witnessed such a sensational event. While, placed after his death, the story takes on a crucial meaning.

The three disciples receive, in a state of slackening of waking consciousness ― «burdened by sleep», Peter «does not know what he is saying» ― the revelation of the Son of Man in a form transfigured by divine light. This is the turning point: the disciples, after his death, have the vision of Jesus placed on the same level as Moses and Elijah, two gloriosus biblical figures already raised to heavenly glory and they hear the proclamation of his divine election, the same one that resounds at the moment of baptism. Finally the disciples “know” who Jesus is, and it is in the light of this understanding that the historical episode of the baptism takes on its “true” meaning of divine investiture. Among the numerous accounts of apparitions of the Risen One, that of the Transfiguration therefore represents in the most eloquent way the process through which some disciples have reached a superior understanding regarding the meaning of the human story of Jesus after the shock of his death. Let us read it:

«About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah” (He did not know what he was saying). While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him”. When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen» (Page 9, 28-36).

The passage of the Transfiguration, as already mentioned at the beginning, is among the most difficult to read and to place within the historical path of Jesus’ life. It is rich in suggestions because it presents many and rich allusions to events and stories of the Old Testament.

The temporal annotation, placed at the beginning, «eight days later», while the other synoptics report: “six days later”, connects the story with what has just happened. Jesus has finished his first announcement of the passion, but, at least according to Matthew and Mark, but not Luke, he has also received a bitter disappointment from Peter. If shortly before he had recognized him as the Messiah, now instead he advises him, taking him aside, not to go to Jerusalem, because the Christ should not have died. Simon, in the mouth of Jesus, becomes like Satan. For this reason many modern commentators add another motivation to the traditional interpretation that sees a theological meaning in the presence of Moses and Elijah next to Jesus, they would embody the Law and the Prophets. These two characters would bring Jesus the consolation he needed. The biographies of Elijah and Moses, in fact, tell us what the two had to go through and this makes them know what Jesus is about to go through. Both have experienced daring trials to the point of even asking God to die. In Exodus 32:32, immediately after the story of the golden calf, Moses turns to the Lord, imploring forgiveness for his people: «if you would forgive their sin… But if not, blot me out of your book which you have written!» Elijah and 1 Kings 19:4: «Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers». Finally, both have had bitter disappointments, for which they are granted the vision of God (Exodus 33:21-22; 1 Kings 19:13).

The presence of the two characters is therefore not only for the disciples, but is the consolation for the Son who is about to go to Jerusalem. Jesus must be comforted and strengthened regarding his “exodus”, or his near future; the angel will do the same in Gethsemane, according to Luke’s account, at the moment of the extreme struggle (Page 22:43-44).

The three Synoptic Gospels try to explain what happened on Tabor, the mountain in Galilee where, according to Cyril of Jerusalem, the Transfiguration took place since 348, and they describe that transformation in their own way. Both Matthew and Mark use a passive verb, the so-called “theological passive”: “he was transformed”; which implies that implicitly it was God who acted. For Mark, in particular, the Transfiguration plays an important role in the economy of his writing. For him it is not just a matter of listening to Jesus: «This is my beloved Son; listen to him!» (Mk 9:7), but also of accepting that He is truly the Son. Peter, in Mk 8:29, had stopped at a partial identification, recognizing Jesus only as the Messiah: «Peter answered him, You are the Christ». The voice on Tabor, however, emphasizes that Jesus is indeed the Son, according to the name that had already been given to Him at baptism. This element, in itself, has no correspondence in Matthew’s account, where Peter had already seen in Jesus both the Messiah and the Son: «You are the Christ, the Son of the living God» (Mt 16:16).

For the evangelist Luke, finally, the Transfiguration is not only a moment of consolation for Jesus or the way in which Peter must understand who Jesus was and his destiny. Luke also introduces the motif of the glory that manifests itself. Only this evangelist, in fact, insists twice on this term: «glory» (v. 31 and 32). In this way Jesus, on the mountain, prefiguring to the disciples what will be his destiny, after his “exodus”, lets it be understood that it will also be fulfilled for them, and for us. The announcement of the passion and death of Jesus is never complete if it is not associated with that of glory, of the resurrection. Thus also our destiny as believers in Him will be fulfilled when our body, our life, will be transfigured and we too, like Peter, John and James, will see the Risen One «just as he is» (1 Jh 3:2), not only in his human form, but in his most complete reality. The transformation of Jesus is the unveiling of the profound personality of Jesus, that of the chosen one, of the only-begotten Son and is also a prophecy of our future transformation.

For this reason, I would like to emphasize how recurrent, in today’s passage, the verb to see is, which comes back several times and in different forms (in the verses 27, 30, 31, 36), as well as the term: to listen (in the verse 35). They describe well the current condition of believers who, thanks to faith, can see the Lord present in the little ones, in their neighbor or in the sacraments where, as Leo the Great wrote: “what was then visible in our Savior has passed away” (sermons 74, 2). And in addition to seeing, they can also listen to him thanks to the Church that still prepares the table of His word.

Finally, one last detail. Reading the passages of the Transfiguration, only Luke gives us at least one reason why Jesus goes up the mountain, that is, to pray and prayer is, incidentally, also one of the most important Lenten commitments. Among the evangelists, Luke is the one who insists more than the others on this aspect and lets Jesus pray even when the other Gospels do not say so: at the baptism (Luke 3:21: «When Jesus also had been baptized, he was praying»); before choosing the Twelve (Luke 6:12: «In those days he went out to the mountain to pray, and spent the whole night in prayer to God»); and here, at the Transfiguration: «About eight days after these sayings, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray» (Luke 9: 28).

A few days earlier, according to Mark and Matthew, Jesus had received a setback, precisely from Peter. Luke passes over it and only tells of the announcement of the passion and the harsh demands that descend from it for the disciple: «If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me» (Luke 9:23). But the reaction to all this for Jesus is prayer, which becomes the occasion to create unity, to gather the most intimate feelings and let oneself be guided by God, even if one has to go through the storms of life. At the end of the experience only one voice remains.

The final notation of the passage that reports: «Jesus remained alone», «he was found alone» (latin: "Jesus alone was found"); speaks of Jesus’ condition even during the Transfiguration, that is, during the prayer that the disciples struggle to sustain. On the mountain of the Transfiguration, where he went up «to pray», Jesus is alone, even «while praying». The fatigue of the disciples, expressed by at least three annotations, suggests to us, in a negative way, three stages of an initiation, three moments of a journey to enter into the mystery of Jesus’ prayer. The disciples are burdened by sleep, their eyelids fall, their eyes close and the somatic fatigue of praying shines through. Then Peter pronounces words that appear confused, to what has happened. Finally, everyone is gripped by fear. Their not saying anything to anyone with which the story ends (Page 9:36) seems the possible beginning of something new and positive. This silence could be their beginning to guard an interior solitude, a sign of prayer, or the ability to rethink and meditate on the events that happened and seek a meaning before God. Like Mary, who guarded words and facts about her son Jesus, in her heart (Luke 2:19.51).

Happy Sunday to everyone!

from the Hermitage, March 16, 2025

 

 

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