Sunday’s Liturgy celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. This feast is celebrated every year on August 6 and comes advantageously this year at the beginning of our meditation on John 6, known as the “Bread of Life Discourses.” The word “transfiguration” means to change, to go beyond limits. In the Transfiguration, the curtain between the visible and the invisible seems lifted. Jesus, the Son of Man, is seen as Jesus the beloved Son of God.
The Mystery Revealed
What was hidden from the apostles is now made manifest. The mystery is revealed. Christ’s human nature is seen in its perfection as revealing his divinity. Transfiguration is an epiphany (manifestation) in that God is being shown. The Transfiguration of Jesus has been understood by many to be a catechetical event. (Catechetical means a way to explain faith.) There are many understandings of this event. The Transfiguration attests to the belief that the Law of Moses and the Prophets all point to Christ as the fullness of God’s self-revelation. The Paschal overtones of the event are self-evident.
Invitation to Divine Presence
The Transfiguration remains a mystery. The text does not really explain the event. We can contemplate this event. We can allow our spirits to enjoy the Divine Presence in the Eucharist. Visiting the Blessed Sacrament chapel can be a way to simply be in the presence of Christ. In this quiet time we can invite the Lord more deeply into our lives.
The Gospel event of the Transfiguration was to strengthen the faith of the disciples so that they could bear the horror of the Cross. The mystery of the Transfiguration can be for you an assurance that the suffering you are now enduring will be changed into joy.
Grace That Transforms
The Transfiguration can be a meditation on grace. Grace is the life of God. Grace has the power to change us from the inside out. The Eucharist, the Sacrament of encounter with the Lord, has the power to convert our hearts. The Eucharist, as the sacrament of Transfiguration, can change us so we can be instruments of positive change in our respective worlds.
Msgr. Guy A. Massie
March 01, 2026