THE FEAST OF THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION (AUGUST 6)

A Contemporary Icon in the Ancient Byzantine Style, First Seen in the Apse of St. Katherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

Today is the glorious Feast of Christ’s Holy Transfiguration, an important high point in the narrative leading to Christ’s ultimate sacrifice and triumph over death, Resurrection, Ascension and the establishment of the Church. The Transfiguration means many things, and in different times and ages, holy Fathers and Mothers have said different things about the way in which it can be applied to our lives, but the overwhelming consensus is the same, and the resonance throughout all times and all ages rings true - that Christ revealed Himself in glory on Mount Tabor in order to reveal Who He is, Who God is, and who we truly are in Him! 

The Biblical Narrative and Scriptural Precedents

The account of Christ’s Transfiguration is vividly recorded in the Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, and Luke 9:28-36. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a high mountain where He is transfigured before them. His face shines like the sun, and His clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah appear, conversing with Jesus, and a bright cloud envelops them, from which a voice declares, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

Old Testament Prefigurement and the Lives of Moses and Elijah

The Transfiguration is rich with Old Testament imagery. Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets, respectively, confirming Jesus as their fulfillment. Moses, who received the Law on Mount Sinai amidst a radiant theophany (Exodus 24:12-18), and Elijah, who encountered God on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:9-13), are both prefigurations of this divine revelation.

Moses' shining face after speaking with God (Exodus 34:29-35) parallels Christ's radiant appearance. Elijah, taken up to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11), prefigures the glorified Christ. Their presence with Jesus signifies the unity of the Old and New Covenants, emphasizing Jesus as the culmination of salvation history.

The Absence of Enoch

Enoch, like Elijah, was taken bodily into Heaven (Genesis 5:24), yet he does not appear at the Transfiguration. This absence highlights Moses and Elijah's unique roles in salvation history. Moses signifies the Law, which prepares the way for Christ, and Elijah, the prophets who herald His coming. Enoch's life, marked by a mysterious intimacy with God, underscores the mystery of God's sovereign choices and the specific roles assigned to His servants.

According to the Book of Enoch, a beautiful piece of canonical Scripture in the Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syriac Churches, Enoch is described as an enlightened and angelic servant of God, even called “Metatron” in the non-canonical books that followed in the Enoch tradition. This depiction reveals that Christ, while instructing Moses and Elijah, was also served by Enoch in the heavenlies. Enoch’s role, as a heavenly scribe and servant, shows the intricate harmony of God’s divine plan where every role has its purpose and place, and where Christ reigns supreme over all.

Revelation of the Holy Trinity

The Transfiguration is a profound revelation of the Holy Trinity. The Father's voice, the Son's glorified presence, and the Spirit’s overshadowing cloud converge in this theophany. This mirrors the Old Testament theophanies, especially Moses on Sinai, but now the revelation is fuller and clearer. Jesus is not merely a recipient of divine law but the divine Lawgiver Himself, shining with the light of the Holy Spirit, revealing His divinity.

St. Paul’s Interpretation

St. Paul, in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians, reflects on the transformative power of beholding the glory of the Lord. He writes, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another" (2 Corinthians 3:18). Paul sees the Transfiguration as a promise of the believer's transformation, emphasizing that as we contemplate Christ’s glory, we are gradually transformed into His likeness.

Patristic Insights

The Patristic Fathers, such as the Cappadocians, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. John Chrysostom, understood the Transfiguration as a central act in Christ’s revelation of Himself. St. Gregory of Nyssa interpreted the Transfiguration as a preview of the ultimate deification of humanity, emphasizing the divine light of Tabor as an anticipation of the resurrection glory promised to all believers. St. Ambrose saw the event as a sign of Christ’s preeminence over the Law and the Prophets, indicating that their ultimate purpose is fulfilled in Him. St. Augustine reflected on the symbolic nature of the mountain, representing the elevation of the soul towards God, and connected the Transfiguration to the believer's spiritual ascent, guided by divine illumination. St. John Chrysostom highlighted the pedagogical aspect of the Transfiguration for the apostles, preparing them for the scandal of the Cross by revealing Christ's divine nature and glory.

For the Fathers, the Transfiguration revealed not only Christ's divine nature but also the Holy Trinity itself. The Father’s voice, the Son’s transfigured presence, and the Holy Spirit’s enveloping cloud presented a full revelation of the Triune God. This event, therefore, stands at the heart of transformational theology. It demonstrates how God enters the world, changing it for the good of all and reflecting His divine likeness. The Fathers saw in the Transfiguration a profound promise for humanity: as we are transformed by Christ's glory, we partake in the divine nature, being transfigured into His image from one degree of glory to another. God, in His divine and transcendental nature, can still touch and fill this created world, and we can have true experience with God - face to face, life to life, and glory to glory! 

Transfiguration and Transformation: A Poetic Reflection

The Transfiguration invites us to envision our own potential for transformation. Just as Jesus revealed His divine nature, we too are called to reveal our true selves, created in God’s image - first in humility and self abasement in confession and penance, and then in love and service to others, expressing true joy in the life of the other. By embracing the indwelling of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be changed, illuminated from within by God’s grace. This illumination can be seen in the light of our eyes and faces, and it shines brighter and brighter as we love one another and work together for the glory of God! 

Imagine a world where each encounter with Christ transfigures our hearts, making us radiant beacons of His love. Picture the delight and wonder on a child's face as they discover something new and marvelous. Children, with their innocent and open hearts, often reflect the joy and wonder of divine revelation. When we witness their delight, we are reminded of our own capacity for wonder and the joy of seeing the world anew. This transformation is not only external but deeply internal, as we reclaim the purity and joy of seeing God's creation with fresh eyes. Remember, only if we become as a little child can we enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Older people, watching the transformation of a delighted child's face, remember how they used to see the world with wonder. In this remembrance, they are inwardly transformed with joy. The child’s discovery becomes a shared experience, a moment of divine revelation that bridges generations. This interplay of wonder and memory reflects the dynamic process of transfiguration in our lives, where God continually renews our spirits and reveals His glory through the simple, yet profound moments of everyday life. Let us, as spiritual fathers and mothers, accountable for the spiritual and physical children in our lives, use these moments within the lives of our families and parishes to seek for our own salvation, as we humble ourselves and enter into the delight of others. 

May we, like the Holy Apostles on the Mount Tabor, be ever attentive to the voice of the Father, embracing the transformative power of Christ’s glory, and shining forth His light in a world yearning for transfiguration, all the whole declaring the power of the Most Holy Trinity! 

Collect for the Transfiguration

O Almighty God, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thy well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistering; Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty, who with thee, O Father, and thee, O Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.