“Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Matthew 17:9
Today, the apostles witness an extraordinary event, something that anyone would want to proclaim with joy from the mountain tops, yet Jesus’ request to them is to remain silent. What an odd request, especially with an event like this that would lead people to believe? Why then does Jesus insist on the secret? Actually, this isn’t the only time that Jesus asks for his disciples’ silence. There are many instances throughout the Synoptic Gospels; it’s called the Messianic Secret. Now, the reason for this secrecy is because Christ knew that his identity as the Messiah couldn’t be fully understood apart from the Cross and the Resurrection. He knew that people were expecting a political or military Messiah and not a Savior from sin and death, and so, publicizing his miracles and now his Transfiguration risked distorting his mission. To this end, his goal was for the people to focus on his mission – the divine power that came to heals us from sin, changes our lives, and reconciles us with God. Therefore, let’s not get confused by the Transfiguration in such a way that it becomes an act of “razzle dazzle;” rather, let us see it as salvation history unfolding before us, a preview of coming events, or better yet, a vision of Jesus glorified in the resurrection. As we reflect upon this mystery, may we then be reminded of this deeper truth of Christ’s mission – reconciling humanity through the events that the Transfiguration prefigures: His Passion, Death, and Resurrection, a truth that calls us to see Christ as our Savior over sin and to embrace God’s will over our own preferences, humbly recognizing that God’s plan unfolds according to His ways and timing, not ours.
Born into privilege yet rooted in living the faith, Saint Katherine Drexel’s life too unfolded according to God’s plans. At a young age, she realized that wealth cannot buy you freedom or safety from pain or death after seeing her stepmother battle a long illness and later die. It was this experience that changed her life and eventually inspired her to take on the cause of the poor and the Indian population in the United States. Her determination resulted in schools and missions to service not only the Indian population but African- Americans as well. In all, she established 50 missions for Indians in 16 states. For us, she serves as a reminder that holiness can be lived in today’s culture and can take many paths, but all of them lead to God. Saint Katharine Drexel: Pray for us!
In Christ
Fr Robert