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WORD AMONG US WAU.ORG Reflections
Daily Meditation: Matthew 17:1-9
His face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. (Matthew 17:2)
Writing about today’s Gospel reading on the transfiguration of Christ, St. Thomas Aquinas used an analogy. He said that if an archer is going to shoot his arrow straight, he needs to see the target. Aquinas also said that we can’t know which road to take unless we know the destination. And when the road is difficult, knowing that we’re headed to a great destination can make the difficult journey worthwhile.
How does all this apply to the transfiguration? Aquinas said that when Jesus was transfigured, he gave Peter, James, and John a glimpse of their own future. They saw Jesus in his heavenly glory, and embedded in that miracle was the promise that all who follow him would also be filled with this glory. As St. Paul told the Philippians, God will “change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body” (3:21).
Jesus knew that he was headed toward his own suffering and death. He knew that the disciples would be shaken to the core by the events of his passion, and that the road ahead of them would involve hardship and suffering. So he revealed his glory to them to give them a glimpse of where he was headed—and a glimpse of their own target. He gave them a foretaste of their own future glory, and that revelation strengthened them for the difficult path ahead.
Let today’s Gospel do that for you, too! We are at the start of Lent, but we know that the time will come when we will see Jesus, beaten and bloodied, stripped of all dignity, raised up on a cross between two criminals. That’s the time to remember the transfiguration, when his glory shone brightly on the mountain. Even in his suffering, Jesus knew what his destination was: resurrection. And in our struggles, we can look toward our destination—heavenly glory, in union with Jesus!
“Jesus, help me hold onto this glorious vision as I aim toward heaven.”
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First Reading — Genesis 12:1-4
How would you respond if you were called from your family, friends, and country to follow God?
Second Reading — 2 Timothy 1:8-10
In this explanation of our calling, which actions are God’s, and which actions are ours?
What do you think sometimes causes timidity and embarrassment within us when we have an opportunity to speak to someone about Christ?
Gospel Reading — Matthew 17:1-9
How do you think you would have responded in this situation if you were there with the disciples?
5. What are the messages of this transfiguration experience, and what are their meanings?
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