Gospel Reading Today - Matthew 17:1-9
1 Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” 8 And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.
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The Transfiguration is an important event in the life of Jesus. In many ways, it links the Old and New Testaments through the three figures present: Jesus (New and fulfillment of Old), Elijah (Old and Spirit) and Moses (Old and Law). In the person of Jesus, the Old is fulfilled and reborn in the New Covenant of His (Jesus) blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins. Without the advent of Jesus, the Old Testament would remain forever open and the promises of God remain unfulfilled, which, by the way, is what the Jews still think today.
It is important to reflect upon this dynamic if we want to understand what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ and all His promises. It is in and through the Gospel that we receive the fulfillment of the promises that God made to Abraham at the beginning of His work with the Chosen People. It is in the context of our relationship with Jesus that we understand what God did with the Jewish people. Yes, His actions have meaning for the Jews apart from faith in Jesus that is quite legitimate, but the deepest meaning of the Old Testament comes with faith in Christ.
Our Christian lives are meant to be lived from the beginning of the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises. We do not have to wait until the Second Coming of Jesus to begin enjoying the fruits of His death and resurrection. One of the deficiencies of our catechetical education is that we do not properly learn about the promises that God made to us starting in the Old Testament. This means that we do not experience the fullness of life that we could have if we knew the promises. We need to be proactive in studying the Scripture if we really want to be properly informed of our faith. Let us not miss out on the promises of God through our laziness to seek them in His Word.
Reflection Question:
How much of God’s promises in the Old and New Testaments do I know?
Jesus, You stood firm on the Word of God as revealed to the Jews and used it to fight temptation and to guide Your mission. Help me to do the same by first getting to know Your
Word better than I do now.
Martyrs of Cardena, pray for us.
