Feast of the Transfiguration: A Foretaste of Our Ultimate Metamorphosis
When the Redemptorist came to Baclaran in 1932, Baclaran was a small desolate village of grassland near the sea. They built a small wooden chapel attached to their convent since their main purpose was to give missions to the Tagalog provinces. Little did they imagine that someday the small wooden chapel would transform into the biggest shrine in the world dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Little did they imagine that Baclaran would transform into a booming town for trade and an international pilgrim center. These transformations happened because of the love story between Our Mother of Perpetual Help and the Filipino people.
Today, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. In today’s gospel, Matthew narrates the transfiguration:
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, 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 light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
Jesus’ transfiguration happened after his first prediction of his own passion and death in Jerusalem. The disciples were naturally shocked and distressed to hear this from Jesus as represented by Peter’s wailing to Jesus: “This cannot happen to you, Lord!” It is after this depressing situation of disillusionment and incomprehension that the Transfiguration takes place. Through the transfiguration, Jesus wanted to give his disciples a preview of his glory even if it was just a fleeting moment.
The Greek word used to describe for transfiguration is metamorphoo—the root of the English word, metamorphosis. We use that word more popularly today for the transformation of caterpillar to butterfly, likewise in the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and the changing of a tadpole into a frog. We are utterly amazed when we witness these wondrous changes.
Metamorphosis is one of the wonders and mysteries of nature, indeed, one of the wonders of God’s creation. Who would imagine that a beautiful butterfly would come out of an ugly caterpillar? Metamorphosis is a reminder and a symbol for us from nature that something good can come out even from the messiest and ugliest reality of our lives. This gives us the greatest of hope and joy in anticipation of the transformation that will become of us and of God’s creation in the fullness of time.
Jesus’ transfiguration was a foretaste of the metamorphosis that is to become of us at the end of time. The divine metamorphosis that occurred to the three Disciples on the mountain during the time of the Transfiguration of the lord will also happen to us and we will become “God-viewers.” Like them and all the Saints of the ages, God’s light will metamorphosize our whole body and soul. We will achieve what is called Theosis (Deification) and shine as luminaries radiating the light of the knowledge of God. We will become partakers of the Divine Grace and communicants of God.
Until Jesus return in glory, God will make possible many spiritual metamorphosis in our lives. Along the journey of our lives, the Lord will transfigure Himself to us especially in the midst of crisis experiences. The Baclaran story is a story of metamorphosis. Nature offers us plenty of metamorphosis which are manifestations of God’s wonder. There are many small metamorphosis that God gives us every day like a beautiful sunset, a sudden burst of joy because of an experience of the goodness of a person, a profound bliss out of the sense of being loved, a sense of genuine fulfillment out of an empowering project for the poor, etc. These small spiritual metamorphoses truly gives us divine joy if only for a fleeting moment.
But these spiritual metamorphoses are not just to show us the wonders of God but also a calling for mission. Until Jesus returns, our mission is to partner with Him in giving foretastes—previews—of God’s kingdom. As JR Woodward said, “The church is called to be a foretaste of God’s kingdom, a place where people can get a taste of the future in the present.”[1] As we wait and anticipate the kingdom, we too can bring great joy to God the Father by the joyful witness of our lives and humble service to our fellowmen and women (Mark 1:11).
[1] JR Woodward, “Missional Field Notes,” https://missionalfieldnotes.wordpress.com/2014/01/09/church-as-foretaste-of-gods-kingdom/
I am passionate about the intersection between new media and technology. I continue to research and apply new media in theology and vice-versa. I am also a fan of Our Mother of Perpetual Help and her continuing relevance in today’s digital world.
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