A couple of years ago, after celebrating the beginning-of-the-year Mass for the whole school in Belmont, I processed out and stood in the foyer to greet and say goodbye to people, especially the children and teachers on that day. I remember that all the preppies and grade one students walked out first, waving their hands and saying goodbye to me. Amidst the waving, a little grade one student gave me a thumbs up, looked into my eyes, and said, “You did a great job.” I was quite delighted by such a cute and simple gesture. Life is full of surprising moments. I don’t know if she had picked up the habit of saying “you did a great job” at home, but that acknowledgment from a little child truly brightened my day and helped me keep going amidst the busyness. I call these “moments of consolation for hard work” – moments of encouragement, joy, and hope.
If we think about the Transfiguration of Jesus in this week’s Gospel, we might see a similar effect on the demanding life of a disciple. Jesus did not take the three disciples up the mountain and transfigure in front of them just for the sake of doing it. He did it for the sake of his disciples. He gave them a glimpse of His divine glory to strengthen them for the challenges they would face ahead.
Interestingly enough, there is an important detail of timing that is missing in this week’s Gospel: “About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.” In the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, we also find a similar phrase before the Transfiguration, though the number of days isn’t unanimous. In Luke, it’s eight days, while in the other two, it’s six days (Mark 9:2; Matthew 17:1).
Why is this detail of timing important? What had happened just before this moment?
Perhaps the evangelists were deliberate in mentioning this timing. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all connect the Transfiguration to an important event that happened just prior: Jesus had foretold for the first time that He must go to Jerusalem, undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised. When Peter heard this, he said, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you!” And Jesus responded, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
This must have been a painful and embarrassing moment for Peter, and perhaps he was struggling to understand Jesus’ words. He, like the others, wanted a Messiah who would bring glory, power, and success. The notion of suffering and death seemed foreign and impossible to him. Jesus, however, was preparing His disciples for the difficult road ahead, one that involved sacrifice, struggle, and eventually, glory.
This is why the Transfiguration is so significant. Jesus gave the disciples a vision of His divine glory as a source of encouragement. It was a moment of consolation for them, to reassure them that despite the upcoming trials, there was a greater glory awaiting – just as there was a greater purpose behind Jesus’ suffering and death. It was a glimpse of hope, of something more than what their earthly eyes could see.
In our own lives, we too face moments of suffering, confusion, and uncertainty. Like the disciples, we may find ourselves in situations where we don’t understand why things are happening or what the future holds. But it is in these moments that God offers us consolations – moments of grace that remind us that He is with us. These moments may not always be as dramatic as the Transfiguration, but they can be small, simple signs of God’s presence and encouragement: a kind word, a smile, or a gesture that lifts our spirits.
The Transfiguration is not just an event in the past, but it is an invitation to us. It reminds us that we are not alone on our journey. Jesus is with us, offering us His light and His hope. Even when we walk through difficult moments, we can trust that God’s glory is at work in our lives, often in ways we cannot yet see.
Let us pray that, like the disciples, we may have eyes to see the moments of grace God sends our way and hearts open to His encouragement, so that we may continue to follow Him with hope and courage, even through the challenges of life. May these moments of consolation help us to endure the trials and embrace the journey of faith with joy and trust in God’s promises.
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Laura Facci says:
A wonderful homily Father Sang. I found the ‘missing timing incident’ very interesting.