TEXT: The Holy Gospel According to St. Matthew 17:1-9

In our Gospel reading today, there is an event that is not mentioned, but one that looks forward to this event of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ before Peter, James and John. These were three in the inner circle, as it were, who were by their closeness to Jesus, made partakers of the deeper revelations of our Lord.

In the Old Testament there is a similar story.

In the 24th chapter of the Book of Exodus, after Moses had taken blood from the sacrifice and sprinkled the people, we have the story of Moses going up into a mountain with -- Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, along with seventy of the elders of Israel. There, these three close to Moses, and all of the seventy, saw the God of Israel in Glory.

It is interesting that Moses rose up after that event and was seen with Joshua the son of Nun, and, Moses went up into the mount of God more fully, there to receive the instructions about the details of the Tabernacle of God. The story says that Joshua went up with Moses, while Aaron and Hur waited with the seventy elders below. Nadab and Abihu remained below as well.

It says that the cloud covered the mountain for six days, and, on the seventh day God called Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

Moses, there, remained forty days and forty nights in the midst of the cloud, while Israel saw the fire of God upon the mountain.

How, awesomely, this speaks to me, beloved.

A greater than Moses has come.

Our "Joshua, the son of Nun," (Hebrew meaning -- "Yahweh is Salvation, the son of fish"), is that greater Son of God, the Son of Mary, our Lord Jesus. Jesus is the One who took the fishermen who would fish for men into the place where the Glory of God the Son in the Holy Trinity would be revealed.

Jesus would be Transfigured, dearly beloved of God.

Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God is Our Savior! Jesus Christ, whom Moses spoke of in the Tabernacle in the Desert, that Joshua of the Old Testament would lead through the wilderness to conquest, is the perfect fulfillment of all the Old Testament speaks of, (Cf. Luke 24).

Here, we see Jesus leading three fishermen whom he has called to greater things, to meet with God again.

May we meet with God today and be changed.

1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.
2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.
3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.

There was Moses, representing the Torah (the Law). There was Jesus coming to Moses, the perfect fulfillment of Torah (the Law). The Glory of God shone forth with such astounding Glory that Peter, the spokesperson for the three, did not know what to say. Perhaps, when we speak in the Glory of God, we find we should remain silent?

Elijah was there, also in Glory, the Glory of God. The three of that "trinity" talked with One another. Elijah represents the Prophets.

The Law and the Prophets speak of Jesus, (Luke 24). All of the Holy Scriptures, all of the Teachings of the Church, all speak of Jesus.

When we speak the name of Mary, we hear Mary say, "Jesus."

When the prophets speak, they say, "Jesus."

When Moses speaks, he says, "Jesus.

Now, when Peter speaks, he says,

4 And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah."

"Jesus, Moses, and, Elijah."

And, what does the Father say from the cloud? The Father says the same thing he spoke to Moses in the wilderness, where our Lady was waiting (Cf. Exodus 25ff). There the Tabernacle speaks of Jesus and there the Ark of the Covenant awaits Aarons rod the budded and the Law that would dwell within her, our Ark of the Covenant.

Do we not see the beauty of our Lady in waiting.

The Seed of the Woman would overcome the Satan. . . alas, and she has done so through JESUS, the Fruit of her womb.

God has gotten the victory.

Exsultet, beloved, as we enter Lent. The day of Easter, the Feast of Firstfruits, is not far away. He will rise from the dead, and, we shall be delivered from the enemy of our souls! Let us prepare for the Vigil.

What does God the Father say?

5 He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

What Mary says, Whatever he says to do, do it.

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.

When we see the plan of God, we are filled with awe.

When we experience the ecstasy of this revelation of the purposes of God toward us, for God so loved the world, he gave us the Son through Maria, the Woman promised? Such things are too wonderful for us. They are high. They are well beyond our physical stamina. We are prostrated on our faces before the Face of that One whose Face was so marred and torn by the thorns and the whip and the fists of the soldiers.

Yet, he was Transfigured before these witnesses (these Saints, these martyrs of the Faith).

And, then, he places his hand upon us.

It is the Right Hand of Yahweh become our Salvation, the Hand of Jesus. The Hand of God, the Right Arm of the Lord reaches down and touches us where we are at, with all our sin, with all our leprosy. God gives all graces. He touches us through Mother. He touches us through each other.

7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear."
8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."

The vision has been told, beloved, because Jesus, the Son of man is raised from the dead.

Now, shall we tell it too when we come down from the mountain where we have seen our Lord in Glory?

When we partake of the Eucharist, we are beholding the Glory of God become the Man. We are beholding the Bread of Heaven, the Bread of Angels, the Bread of Mary, the Fruit of God that all may come and dine upon. Whosever will may come and dine, come and eat of him who loves us so!

What shall we say of this Son of Mary?

O' come let us adore him. Let us adore him who was Transfigured for us that we might be transformed by him who was also torn, beaten and bruised for us.

Yet, today, he is alive. . . let us also live for Christ Jesus until he comes in great glory with all the angels and the Saints of all ages. . .



Deus et Sanctissima.