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The episode of the Transfiguration is narrated both in the Gospel of Matthew (17,1-8) and in those of Mark (9,2-8) and Luke (9,28-36). According to these texts, Jesus, after having separated himself with the disciples Peter, James and John, changed his appearance, showing himself to them with an extraordinary splendor of his person and an astonishing whiteness of his clothes.
In this context the appearance of Moses and Elijah, who converse with Jesus, and a voice "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him” (Mt 17,5) from a cloud that declares the divine sonship of Jesus. The splendor of Christ recalls his transcendence, the presence of Moses and Elijah symbolizes the law and the prophets who announced both the coming of the Messiah and his passion and glorification, the cloud refers to theophanies already documented in the Old Testament.
A tradition, already attested in the fourth century by Cyril of Jerusalem and by Jerome, identifies the place where the Transfiguration would have taken place with Mount Tabor, in Arabic Gebel et-Tur ("mountain mountain"). A rounded and isolated hill, about 600 meters high above the level of the surrounding valleys. It is on this hill that the Byzantines will then build three churches mentioned by the Anonymous Piacentino who will visit them in 570.
A century later Arculfo will find a large number of monks, and theCommemoratorium de Casis Dei(9th century) will mention the bishopric of Tabor with eighteen monks at the service of four churches. Subsequently there will be the Benedictines who will also build an abbey, surrounding the buildings with a fortified wall.
Destroyed entirely by the sultan Al-Malik (1211-12) to build a fortress, the Christians will return there again, building a sanctuary. This too was destroyed by order of Sultan Baibars (1263), leaving the mountain desolately abandoned for over four centuries.
Only in 1631 the Franciscans will be able to take possession of Mount Tabor. Two centuries later, in 1854, they will begin to study the ruins of the past, starting new constructions which will culminate in the current Basilica with three naves, designed and built by the architect Antonio Barluzzi, which was inaugurated in 1924.
With this supernatural vision, Jesus confirmed Peter's confession: "You are the Christ, Son of the living God.” (Mt 16:16). That moment of superhuman glory was the earnest of the glory of the resurrection: "Then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”(Lk 21:27).
The transfiguration, which is part of the mystery of salvation, is well worthy of a liturgical celebration that the Church, both in the West and in the East, has in any case celebrated in various ways and on different dates, until Pope Calixtus III (Alonso de Borgia, 1455 -1458), in 1457, he inserted it in the Roman liturgical calendar as thanks for the victory obtained over the Turks in Belgrade on August 6, 1456 by János Hunyadi and Giovanni da Capestrano.
Blessed Paul VI (Giovanni Battista Montini, 1963-1978) died on the evening of 6 August 1978 in Castel Gandolfo: it was the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. «I would like, finishing, to be in the light», he had written many years earlier in the «Thought of death». So it happened.
The event of the Transfiguration of the Lord offers us a message of hope: it invites us to meet Jesus, to be at the service of our brothers and sisters. The disciples' ascent to Mount Tabor leads us to reflect on the importance of detaching ourselves from worldly things, to make a journey upwards and contemplate Jesus.
The ever more lively rediscovery of Jesus is not an end in itself, but leads us to "come down from the mountain", recharged with the strength of the divine Spirit, to decide on new steps of conversion and to constantly bear witness to charity. (Pope Francis, Angelus of 6 August 2017)
source © gospeloftheday.org and Vatican News
The feast of the Transfiguration recalls the dedication of the basilicas of Mount Tabor, already celebrated at the end of the 5th century.
The feast takes place after that of the Exaltation of the Cross (September 14) on which, however, it depends on the date, set for August 6, 40 days before the Exaltation of the Cross.
The Feast also begins to be celebrated in the West from the 9th century and is inserted into the Roman calendar by Pope Callistus III in 1457: a historic occasion was the grateful memory of the victory obtained the previous year against the Turks, from whom the West was seriously threatened.
At the center of the Feast we naturally find the mystery of the Transfiguration: the vision of the "old man" on the throne of fire and the appearance of the "Son of Man" (see first reading).
Six days later, Jesus took Peter and James and John his brother with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Taking the floor, Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, it is good for us to be here! If you want, I'll make three huts here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
He was still speaking, when a luminous cloud covered them with its shadow. And behold a voice from the cloud saying: “This is my Son, my beloved: in him I am well pleased. Listen to him".
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were filled with great fear. But Jesus came and touched them and said: "Get up and do not be afraid". Looking up, they saw no one but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them: "Tell no one about this vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead" (Mt 17:1-9).
The story of the transfiguration follows Peter's confession in Caesarea and the first announcement of the passion (see 16:13ff).
It is the "ultimate" reason why it is always worth having the courage to confess Jesus as Lord and God, even in the most arduous and difficult moments, because Jesus is Lord. The transfiguration, as an anticipation of the resurrection, offers itself as a horizon that aims to lighten fear and instill courage in facing the path of life.
A few verses earlier, in chapter 16:22, Peter, as well as that of the other disciples, rebels against the fact that Jesus had announced his "passion and death” and they could not accept following a Messiah whose human story would have ended in that way. It is in the light of this premise that the experience of the transfiguration must therefore be understood.
Jesus had spoken of his death on the cross (cf. Mt 16:21ff), and the conditions for following him: "If anyone wants to come after me, take up his cross…” (Mt 16:24); now Jesus tries to help his disciples understand that it is true that he will suffer and die but it is also true that he will rise again. The transfiguration is "living" the resurrection in advance, precisely to prepare them to face the middle path, that is, the passion-death.
“He led them up a high mountain”:"The mountain - the prophet Isaiah recalls - is the Lord's abode elevated above the mountains” (Is 2,2; Mi 4,1). In this ascent of the mountain, other "ascents" and other experiences of God's manifestation echo: Mount Oreb/Sinai (Ex 3:1; 24:12-18), the ascent and descent of Moses (cf. Ex 19-34) , the experience of Elijah (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18). On the mountain, Jesus reveals to his three disciples that his life is much deeper than what they "see" and what they "know".
“He was transfigured”:the evangelist is very dry in pointing out this fact. We know from Luke that Jesus went up to pray: the transfiguration is therefore an event of prayer, where Jesus shows his beingone with the Father(see Jn 10:30). And in this dialogue, where "his clothes were very white” -,Jesus reveals himself as the light of the world(Jn 12:46).
“Elijah appeared to them with Moses and they were talking with Jesus”: Elijah, father of the prophets, Moses, guardian of the law. In them the entire history of the Old Testament is collected.
Moses had received various manifestations of God as a gift and precisely in this intimacy of friendship, his face shone (see Ex 34:29-35). But we also know that Moses was the expected: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you and among your brothers; listen to him.!” (Deut 18:15).
Just as Moses is the one who prayed to God saying: “Show me your glory" (Ex 33:18), being answered: "It is not possible to see…and stay alive” (Ex 33:20-23). I point out all this because on the mountain with Jesus, Moses can finally see the glory of God, who is Jesus Christ, the "Lord of glory” (1Cor 2,8), the one on whom “shines the splendor of God's glory” (2Cor 4,6): Jesus, the new Moses.
Next to Moses, Elijah, the father of the prophets who, having also climbed the mountain, hears God "in the voice of a soft breeze/wind” (1 Kings 19:12). He represents the ideal synthesis of the whole group of prophets that John the Baptist will close, he being the last prophet, the "new Elijah" (see Mt 11:14).
The presence of "Elijah and Moses”. It is true, Jesus must "reveal himself" to the disciples, but there is also a more "human" fact: Jesus himself needs to deal with the "his departure"(passion-death-resurrection). He knows he can't do it with his disciples, who don't understand.
So he chooses twofriends” of great stature. Two friends of Scripture. A way in which Jesus suggests to me and to each of us, that on certain things we must be able to choose who to confide in and confront, because not everything is within everyone's reach.
The friends of Scripture, as well as the saints, whom the Church indicates to us as "friends and role models”, well they can help us with their writings and their examples to understand the meaning of life and to give it the right direction.
“A cloud came from the sky..”: the experience of the Exodus continues to be the background: the tiring march of the people in the desert, guided by a cloud (Ex 13:21ff); the cloud on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:16); the accompanying cloudthe tabernacle" (Ex 40,34-35), who kept "the law" of God and, finally, the cloud that descends on Jesus, who will say "true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23), when neither particular mountains nor tabernacles will be needed anymore.
“He is my son, my beloved: listen to him!”:at the moment of baptism, the voice from heaven was heard only by Jesus (Mk 1:11), but now this same voice is also heard by the disciples.
Listen to it: it is the echoof the Shema' “Listen, Israel” (Dt 6,4) and of the words of Moses: “The Lord your God will raise up for you, among you, among your brothers, a prophet like me. You will listen to him(Deut 18:15). The voice on the mountain indicates in Jesus, him alone, the one who must now be listened to: He is the living Word, Word of life, of truth (cf. Jn 14:6).
Peter doesn't understand everything, but one thing catches him: "it's nice to stay here” (Mt 17:4).
This is the human drive: how many experiences”beautiful” we too live to the point of letting ourselves be tempted and say “Let's make three tents…”, “Let's stop time”. With the risk, however, of pursuing only emotional experiences but which make us incapable of "returning down the mountain", where there is the concreteness of life.
Jesus teaches me that active listening is the pinnacle of experience: "Listen to him”. In other words, we cannot remain under the dictatorship of emotions: they are useful, it is understood, but they are not enough.
They are used to warm up, to restore impetus, courage ... but we are greater than emotions.
"It is listening that defines the disciple: it is not about –recalls B. Maggioni– to be original, but to be servants of the truth. Listening is made of obedience and hope. It requires intelligence to understand but also courage to decide, because the Word involves you and tears you away from yourself".
Giving you what your heart seeks: "I told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). “Lord, how beautiful".
At that time, Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves by themselves.
He was transfigured before them and his clothes became dazzling, very white… And Elijah appeared to them with Moses and they were talking with Jesus. Taking the floor, Peter said to Jesus: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three booths, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”. In fact, he didn't know what to say, because they were frightened.
A cloud came from the sky that covered them with its shadow and from the cloud came a voice: "This is my Son, my beloved: listen to him!". And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down the mountain, he commanded them not to tell anyone what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. And they kept the matter to themselves, wondering what it meant to rise from the dead. (Mk 9,2-10)
James, John and Peter are the three disciples closest to Jesus, already chosen as witnesses of the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus (cf. Mk 5:37-43), those who will later also be the witnesses of his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane , on the eve of the Passion (cf. Mk 14:32-42).
"The mountain - the prophet Isaiah recalls - is the Lord's abode elevated above the mountains” (Is 2,2; Mi 4,1). In this ascent of the mountain, other "ascents" and other experiences of God's manifestation echo: Mount Oreb/Sinai (Ex 3:1; 24:12-18), the ascent and descent of Moses (cf. Ex 19-34) , the experience of Elijah (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18).
On the mountain, Jesus reveals to his three disciples that his life is much deeper than what they "see" and what they "know". But what is most interesting is that Jesus reveals that the passion and death towards which he goes towards, are not the destruction, the end, but the full realization of the person, because passage to glory.
The evangelist is very dry in pointing out this fact. We know from Luke that Jesus went up to pray: the transfiguration is therefore an event of prayer, where Jesus shows his beingone with the Father(see Jn 10:30). And in this dialogue, where "his clothes were very white” -,Jesus reveals himself as the light of the world(Jn 12:46).
Elijah, father of the prophets, Moses, guardian of the law. In them the entire history of the Old Testament is collected. Moses had received various manifestations of God as a gift and it was precisely in this intimacy of friendship that his face shone (cf. Ex 34:29-35). Next to Moses, Elijah, the father of the prophets who, having also climbed the mountain, hears God "in the voice of a soft breeze/wind” (1 Kings 19:12).
He represents the ideal synthesis of the whole group of prophets that John the Baptist will close, he being the last prophet, the "new Elijah" (see Mt 11:14).
In this discourse (the evangelist Luke adds "they talked about his departure which he would bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem, Lk 9:31) Jesus reveals himself as the authentic interpreter of the Law and of the Prophecy, the one who "Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, explain in all scriptures what pertains to Him” (cf. Lk 24:27, Emmaus).
And the evangelist Luke makes the "two men" at the empty tomb on Easter day coincide with Moses and Elijah: "While the women were still uncertain, behold, two men appeared near them in dazzling garments” (Lk 24:4): those who interpret the words spoken by Jesus in his life and will proclaim that Jesus, the Crucified, has risen (see Lk 24:4-7).
Peter certainly expresses joy at what he has experienced, but he also reveals what he has not yet understood! Perhaps he is thinking of the joy of being able to meet God in the "tent" (see Ex 33:7-11)? Either he refers to the feast of Tabernacles / Sukkot, forgetting that it will in any case be God who will "build" the tent (cf. 2Sam 7; Is 66,1ff) as can be gathered from John's prologue: "And the Word became flesh and pitched his tent among us” (1,14).
The experience of the Exodus continues to be the background: the tiring march of the people in the desert, guided by a cloud (Ex 13:21ff); the cloud on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:16); the accompanying cloudthe tabernacle" (Ex 40,34-35), who kept "the law" of God and, finally, the cloud that descends on Jesus, who will say "true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23), when neither particular mountains nor tabernacles will be needed anymore.
At the moment of baptism, the voice from heaven was heard only by Jesus (Mk 1:11), but now this same voice is also heard by the disciples.
Listen to it: it is the echoof the Shema' “Listen, Israel” (Dt 6,4) and of the words of Moses: “The Lord your God will raise up for you, among you, among your brothers, a prophet like me. You will listen to him (Deut 18:15).
The voice on the mountain indicates in Jesus, him alone, the one who must now be listened to: He is the living Word, Word of life, of truth (cf. Jn 14:6). That is, he is the yardstick with which to listen to Moses and Elijah: the center of gravity has changed.
And this creates considerable embarrassment in the disciples, because Jesus does not correspond to the image they had of him. Yet, he must be listened to, without being ashamed of him and of his word (cf. Mk 8:38).
At that time Jesus took Peter, John and James with him and went up on the mountain to pray. While he was praying, his face changed in appearance and his clothes became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him: they were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory, and spoke of his exodus, which was about to take place in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep; but, when they awoke, they saw the glory of him and the two men standing with him. As they parted from him, Peter said to Jesus: “Teacher, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three booths, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." He didn't know what he said.
As he spoke thus, a cloud came and covered them with its shadow. As they entered the cloud, they were afraid. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, the elect; listen to him!”. As soon as the voice ceased, Jesus remained alone. They kept silent and in those days they told no one what they had seen (Lk 9:28b-36)
“He led them up a high mountain”:"The mountain - the prophet Isaiah recalls - is the Lord's abode elevated above the mountains” (Is 2,2; Mi 4,1).
In this ascent of the mountain, other "ascents" and other experiences of God's manifestation echo: Mount Horeb/Sinai (Ex 3:1; 24:12-18), the ascent and descent of Moses (see Ex 19-24) , the experience of Elijah (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18). On the mountain, Jesus reveals to his three disciples that his life is much deeper than what they "see" and what they "know".
An experience, that of the Transfiguration, which takes place in prayer, recalls Luke: "Jesus went up the mountain to pray”. In this context, Jesus shows his beingone with the Father(see Jn 10:30). And in this dialogue, where "his clothes were very white” -,Jesus reveals himself as the light of the world(Jn 12:46).
“And behold, two men were talking to him, they were Moses and Elijah”: Elijah, father of the prophets, Moses, guardian of the law. In them the entire history of the Old Testament is collected. Moses had received various manifestations of God as a gift and it was precisely in this intimacy of friendship that his face shone (cf. Ex 34:29-35).
But we also know that Moses was the expected: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you and among your brothers; listen to him.!” (Deut 18:15). Just as Moses is the one who prayed to God saying: “Show me your glory" (Ex 33:18), being answered: "It is not possible to see…and stay alive” (Ex 33:20-23).
I point out all this because on the mountain with Jesus, Moses can finally see the glory of God, who is Jesus Christ, the "Lord of glory” (1Cor 2,8), the one on whom “shines the splendor of God's glory” (2Cor 4,6): Jesus, the new Moses.
Next to Moses, Elijah, the father of the prophets who, having also climbed the mountain, hears God "in the voice of a soft breeze/wind” (1 Kings 19:12). He represents the ideal synthesis of the whole group of prophets that John the Baptist will close, he being the last prophet, the "new Elijah" (see Mt 11:14).
The presence of "Elijah and Moses”. It is true, Jesus must "reveal himself" to the disciples, but there is also a more "human" fact: Jesus himself needs to deal with the "his departure"(passion-death-resurrection). He knows he can't do it with his disciples, who don't understand. So he chooses twofriends” of great stature. Two friends of Scripture.
A way in which Jesus suggests to me and to each of us, that on certain things we must be able to choose who to confide in and confront, because not everything is within everyone's reach.
The friends of Scripture, as well as the saints, whom the Church indicates to us as "friends and role models”, well they can help us with their writings and their examples to understand the meaning of life and to give it the right direction.
“A cloud came from the sky..”: the experience of the Exodus continues to be the background: the tiring march of the people in the desert, guided by a cloud (Ex 13:21ff); the cloud on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:16); the accompanying cloudthe tabernacle" (Ex 40,34-35), who kept "the law" of God and, finally, the cloud that descends on Jesus, who will say "true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23), when neither particular mountains nor tabernacles will be needed anymore.
“He is my son, my beloved: listen to him!”:at the moment of baptism, the voice from heaven was heard only by Jesus (Mk 1:11), but now this same voice is also heard by the disciples.
Listen to it: it is the echoof the Shema' “Listen, Israel” (Dt 6,4) and of the words of Moses: “The Lord your God will raise up for you, among you, among your brothers, a prophet like me. You will listen to him(Deut 18:15). The voice on the mountain indicates in Jesus, him alone, the one who must now be listened to: He is the living Word, Word of life, of truth (cf. Jn 14:6).
Peter doesn't understand everything, but one thing catches him: "it's nice to stay here” (Lk 9:33).
This is the human drive: how many experiences”beautiful” we too live to the point of letting ourselves be tempted and say “Let's make three tents…”, “Let's stop time”.
With the risk, however, of pursuing only emotional experiences but which make us incapable of "returning down the mountain", where there is the concreteness of life. Jesus teaches me that active listening is the pinnacle of experience: "Listen to him".
In other words, we cannot remain under the dictatorship of emotions: they are useful, it is understood, but they are not enough. They are used to warm up, to restore impetus, courage ... but we are greater than emotions. “It is listening that defines the disciple: it is not about –recalls B. Maggioni– to be original, but to be servants of the truth.
Listening is made of obedience and hope. It requires intelligence to understand but also courage to decide, because the Word involves you and tears you away from yourself”. Giving you what your heart seeks: "I told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (Jn 15:11). “Lord, how beautiful".
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