Divinity Breaking Through Humanity

HOMILY: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Matthew 17:1-9

6 August 2023 

Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA

Back in my early formation years as a religious, I was sent to Mexico for exposure and language learning. The Mexican priests of our community were assigned to say the morning mass every Wednesday at a nearby Carmelite convent. It was an opportunity to interact with these contemplative sisters after mass. What struck me about these sisters was how radiant most of them looked. They all looked so young. There was something noticeably aglow in each one of them. It made me wonder whether it could be likened to the Transfiguration of the Lord. 

Today’s feast reminds us that Jesus was of divine nature. The transfiguration was a moment in time when His divinity broke through His humanity. This was manifested in how radiant He appeared to the disciples. “And He was transfigured before them; His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:2) He shone so brilliantly that it was almost blinding to Peter, James and John. His body changed somehow and His being was illumined. 

Like these eyewitnesses, we similarly experience some transfiguration moments in our life when we come in contact with the presence of God’s holiness in our midst. We may not shine the way the apostles saw Jesus; however others would still be able to perceive the light of Christ in our noble actions and in our good deeds. In the Second Reading, St. Peter urges us: “You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19)

There are many moments we do experience profoundly God’s presence. There are instances when we come in contact with the divine presence especially in moments of deep prayer. We may recall that there were strange events experienced by some visionaries at Mama Mary’s apparition sites. When they fall into a deep state of prayer and find themselves in the presence of the divine, they are described to be in the state of ecstasy! Their faces glow and they are not disturbed by any noise or commotion around them. We also encounter Jesus in various moments in the Eucharist, particularly during the Liturgy of the Word, as well as in the Breaking of the Bread. I chanced upon this video clip of a mass celebrated by Cardinal Chito Tagle becoming so emotional at saying the words: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins….” as he presents the Body and Blood of Christ before Holy Communion. If we are truly conscious and sensitive to the presence of Jesus, we cannot help but be moved to tears in every mass.

This weekend, the World Youth Day will culminate in Portugal. In 1995, the World Youth Day took place here in the Philippines. At that time, it was St. John Paul II who was Pope. The ones who were blessed to see him in person even if only for a brief moment while he was passing by the pope mobile were moved to tears. There were many accounts of people who were moved to tears after just seeing the Pope on TV as they televised his activities here in the Philippines.  They could not explain why, except for the overwhelming feeling of peace and holiness that the man radiated. This is probably the result of his closeness to Christ and of being a good and faithful disciple of the Lord.

This divine presence is also sensed in the acts of service done to us or others in time of great need. In these moments, we recognise the holiness that is embedded in all of us when we were created, breaking through our human experiences both in small and profound ways. We may not see the effect on ourselves but others do see the mark of Christ on us. That’s why we say to those who have helped us in dire need: “You are God-sent!” (“Hulog ka ng langit!”) Hence, when we pursue lives of prayer and service, we participate in the work of making others experience the goodness of God, and we in turn are made more like God. When we serve others, we are transfigured into God’s radiance that illumines the darkness of this world. 

The nature of light is to illuminate. A small amount can already show us what we need to find or to show us where we need to go. Many things and events in our life are shrouded in darkness. When we ask the Lord for guidance, what we are actually asking for is clarity so that we may find a solution to our problems. Light is also not easy to conceal because it shines through the smallest cracks and can be visible even through opaque surfaces. At home, even if the door is closed, we can still tell whether the light is on or not because we see a glimmer of light in the tiny space at the bottom rail of the room’s door. In the same way, although we do not experience Jesus fully and completely as the apostles did when He walked the earth, we can still have an unmistakable experience of Jesus through the Eucharist or our encounters with others. One day, when we are called from this life, we hope to witness the Lord in His glory in heaven. It is our hope that one day, we shall find ourselves in the dazzling light of His presence.

Today, as we celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord, may we strive to fill our lives with God’s radiant light and be a lamp lighting the way for all our brothers and sisters.