01 – 06 AUGUST 2022, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS
01 AUGUST 2022: JEREMIAH 28. 1-17; MATTHEW 14. 13-21, SAINT ALPHONSE LIGUORI
Thrust: God’s ways are not human’s!
Indicative: The greatness of faith is not to go on thinking like mere humans, in limited ways, but to put on the mindset of God and feel, think and act like God
1. As men and women of faith, we are called to see, feel, think, react, respond and act differently from others. Our faith must make us put on the perspective of God and act with his Heart. It is not that we are not realistic. It is not that we fly in the air with idealistic and unrealistic ideas. It only means that our realism should be charged by our faith and transported into another higher realm.
2. The disciples in the gospel were certainly realistic like good common sense- persons. They knew that the people who came to Jesus in the desolate place were hungry. They knew the crowd was as large as more than five thousand. They also knew they had only five loaves and two fish. They knew that it will be impossible to feed them.
3. So they tell the Lord to send away the people so that they would procure food themselves. Here we need not make too much of their intentions. Whether they wanted to get rid of the people? Whether they did not want to face the embarrassing and difficult situation? Whether they were positively concerned for the people? Whether they were practically wise and see an immediate solution?
4. These are different possible intentions. But for us what is more important is that they were aware of the reality, assess it, and come up with a solution. This is nothing wrong. But it is here that Jesus wants them and us to think and act from a divine perspective and with God’s own heart.
5. Jesus had compassion for the people and he healed the sick. The disciples had already seen both the goodness as well as the power of the Lord. So, why could they not request Jesus to do something by himself? They could have easily said, Lord, you are already doing many good things and wonders; you know their hunger; please do something to feed them.
6. Even with their inadequate human resources, they could still tell Jesus, this is what we have – five loaves and two fish; we place them in your hands; now it is left to you. Not that they did not have faith in Jesus. But often, when we face problems, we get carried away by ordinary human thinking and acting.
7. This is what happens also in the case of the false prophet Hananiah in the first reading. He was led by the human seeking for approval and good pleasure of the people. So, he makes a false prophecy of deliverance from slavery. But in reality, God wanted to chastise the people for their disloyalty.
8. So what is needed is that we always sublimate our human ordinariness with the divine extraordinariness. We need to constantly blend together our human littleness with the divine mightiness. We need to put on God’s perspective and divinize our human actions in concrete situations. This is what St Alphonse Liguori did. He integrated the human and the divine into one whole of holiness and goodness.
Imperative: Being realistic should not be a kind of evading personal responsibility and commitment. Solving the problems should not be avoiding challenges and risks. Ultimately our aim must be to distribute God’s grace to all and fill them with deeper contentment
02 AUGUST 2022: JEREMIAH 30. 1-2, 12-15, 18-22; MATTHEW 14. 22-36
Thrust: Fear drowns but faith raises up!
Focus: In the sea of life often strong winds blow against us. Fear grips us with the danger of sinking. But as long as God is with us, He will not allow us to sink but lift us up from drowning
1. The disciples of Jesus in a boat are hit by strong winds. Jesus was not with them. In our life also, many times our lifeboat is assaulted by the winds of problems and afflictions. The sail becomes difficult. We need to check and see whether we too left Jesus behind and went ahead without him. We may be so preoccupied with the winds that we may not even recognize Jesus and mistake him as a ghost, like the disciples.
2. At times, we may be like Peter who walks on the waters with focus and trust in Jesus. But this may be only for a while. Sooner or later, we may shift our attention from him to the winds. We will also begin to sink. As long as we are focused on Jesus, no winds can frighten us or drown us. They may be strong and make our moving difficult and tedious. But they cannot stop our march ahead. We will be able to walk on the waters.
3. However, as humans we are, we too will experience moments of drowning and sinking. But there is nothing to be panicky about. We need to constantly tune our ears to the assuring words of Jesus, “It is I, take heart, do not be afraid!” We can also cry out to him, “Lord, save me!” We need to deepen our focus and trust in the Lord.
4. As in the first reading, this is what God repeatedly reminds His people that they lost their focus, trust, and fidelity to Him. He wants them to realise, repent and return to Him. It is with this purpose that He sends them His prophets. He subjects them to slavery or exile or calamity, different experiences of misery and affliction. But it is not a sign of God’s cruelty or hard heart. He never ceases to promise them revived fortunes and restoration.
Imperative: Like Peter, we must confide in Jesus to go to him in the waters. We must be ready to get out of our boats of securities and things of clinging, and throw ourselves into the waters
03 AUGUST 2022: JEREMIAH 31. 1-7; MATTHEW 15. 21-28
Thrust: Faith wins and heals!
Indicative: Every favour and every act of God’s grace is nothing but a concrete manifestation of God’s abiding love and unfailing mercy
1. A pagan Canaanite woman approaches Jesus for the healing of her possessed daughter. She cries out to him from the depths of her heart, “Have mercy on me, o Lord; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon”. It is not a mere request for a favour. It is a profound act of faith. How? She was aware of her need and affliction; she was totally trustful of his power and kindness to heal. She was also utterly humble to plead for his mercy.
2. Further, her faith was not an easy go. It had to go through apparent indifference, discrimination, humiliation, and rejection. For, initially Jesus uttered no word. He would discriminate and exclude her, saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. He would apparently humiliate her, saying that “it is not fair to throw away children’s bread to the dogs”.
3. Is she a dog, so despicable and undeserving? Is she a beggar at the mercy of the Jews, the chosen race? Does she not have dignity and honour, just because she is a non-Jew? Humanly speaking, this statement is very degrading and humiliating. But she is not carried away by hurt. Her faith is focused and determined. She knows what she wants from Jesus. And nothing, even the apparent despisal of Jesus would turn her aside from obtaining that grace from Jesus.
4. We do not know exactly what is the intention and purpose of Jesus in pronouncing such separatist and derogative statements. Certainly, they are not out of a prejudiced and discriminative mind. He never intends to disrespect anyone because he came precisely to restore dignity and respectability. His grace and love know no bounds.
5. That is what God reiterates in the first reading: I have loved you with an everlasting love. I continued my faithfulness to you. I will revive your fortunes, and rebuild your prosperity. There will be dignity and joy again. So such a merciful and magnanimous God cannot be despising and discard anyone on the basis of race or region.
6. There can be different possible purposes. Maybe Jesus wants to test her faith as he praises her faith at the end. Maybe, he wants to indirectly expose the shallowness of the faith of the so-called God’s own people. Thus, her faith is an indirect test, a poking, and a challenge for the faith of the Jews themselves. Maybe, Jesus wants to present her faith as a testimony of authentic faith.
7. But amidst all these, what is most notable is her faith, a rock-like faith, persevering even amidst odds. “Even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table”. She is firm in her insistence and smart as well. She makes it clear that the children are not deprived of their legitimate share because what she gets is only what falls from their bread and is not robbed away from their mouths. And she is not receiving from the children but from the master’s table. Thereby, her concern is with the master and not so much with the children.
Imperative: Just because we carry the tag of the people of God, there is no guarantee that we deserve God’s grace and healing. Ultimately what decides the issue is the depth and perseverance of our faith
(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021, 04 AUGUST)
Focus: Faith may not always meet with favourable responses and positive results. We may feel that God is not concerned for us and does not understand our needs. Persevere in such moments!
1. The Canaanite woman in the gospel Matthew 15. 21-28 stands before us as an example of a faith that is humble and persevering. There is nothing so special in her approaching Jesus for the sake of her possessed daughter. Anyone in need may approach Jesus. That does not guarantee a true and deep faith. It can be a shallow faith that is merely a favour-seeking request. On the contrary, the Canaanite woman demonstrates to us a faith that is genuine and exemplary. In all humility and trust, she cries out, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David”.
2. Strangely, she is met with a strange response and reaction from the part of Jesus. Three kinds of Jesus’ response are noted: first, there is silence (but he did not answer her a word) – this can indicate an attitude of indifference and unconcern; then there is an indication of discrimination and exclusion (he answered, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel). But she does not lose heart. She went and knelt before him, saying, Lord, help me. Finally, a very harsh and derogatory remark from Jesus, “it is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” – an attitude of resentment and rejection.
3. But the Canaanite woman testifies to a commendable contrast response. In response to the silence of Jesus, she continues to cry after him. In response to exclusion by Jesus, she acknowledges him as the Lord of all, and the sure recourse for help. In response to the rejection by Jesus, she persists with utter humility, “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table”.
4. Note that she would not murmur or retort. Many may find fault with Jesus for his harshness. Perhaps such an insulting reply from Jesus was not warranted. Perhaps he wanted to test her faith. Whatever it was, she got tested and testified. Even in times of humiliation and loss of hope, true faith perseveres.
Direction: At times, in our life also God appears to be indifferent, excluding and rejecting us. We may feel offended and not understood and not accepted. What then is our response?
(REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020, AUGUST 05)
Focus: At times, the negative and unpleasant experiences in life may make us feel that God is not concerned and caring toward us, that He has abandoned us to our fate, and that He is punishing us for our iniquities due to our human fragility. But it is not true
True it is that we annoy, pain, and vex God so often. It is also true that time and again God seems to be fed up with us, thus pronouncing His anger and condemnation. But what is notable is that He wants to destroy the sin in the sinner and not the sinner with sin. That is why His mercy and compassion always overwhelm and surpass His judgment and justice. He never stops to own up His people. How heartening it is to hear: I will be your God and you will be my people. He never stops to rejuvenate the drooping spirits of His people with promise and assurance of abundant prosperity.
Jesus’ benevolent healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman in the gospel is a clear indicator of this whole drama of God’s justice and mercy. Initially, he seems to be very indifferent and stern, and even offensive in his remark that it is not proper to throw the children’s food to the dogs. This offence is not necessarily directed at the individual woman. This can be directed to any and all of us. He wants to feed us all as His own children at His royal table with His abundant graces. But we want to be satisfied only with the scraps that fall from the table like a dog.
It can be symbolic of the quite natural feeling of God whether He is needlessly throwing away the children’s food to the dogs. He owns us up as His own, as His own children, but are we behaving like dogs without dignity and bonding? This hurting reaction can also be a test for her faith, whether she can persevere in her faith even amidst offence and disrespect. Our faith may be tested but never rejected. The woman’s faith is rewarded and her possessed daughter is freed from the demon.
04 AUGUST 2022: JEREMIAH 31. 31-34; MATTHEW 16. 13-23, SAINT JOHN MARIA VIANNEY
Thrust: Jesus is my all and he changes my whole!
Indicative: What counts to accomplish God’s mission is not bundles of talents but a fount of surrender, fervour, and commitment
1. “Who do you say that I am?” Maria Vianney constantly hearkened to this question of Jesus. He constantly responded to this question, not just through words but by his very life. He is in tune with the assuring and restoring words of God in the first reading. For, he truly enters into and grooms a “new covenant” of faith and charity with the Lord.
2. Truly, he has God’s law “put… within him and has it written on his heart”. He completely belongs to God and allows God to possess him, so that “God will be his God, and he shall be God’s people”. He was not outstanding or noteworthy in his academic career. He would not be rated as a quick grasper.
3. But, God Himself teaches him through His only Son. He was fully open and docile to the working of the Spirit. That is why God will reveal His only Son whom He has chosen. “It is not flesh and blood that has revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven”.
4. He would daily grapple with the fundamental question of “Who am I?” He would make God someone personal and precious. His quench for God gets satiated with the daily nourishment by the Eucharistic Lord.
5. It is not mere expressions about God as Saviour, liberator, healer, Lord, friend, guide, and so on. But he profoundly experiences being saved, liberated, healed, surrendered, guided, intimate, and committed in response to what the Lord is. It is not merely saying what the Lord is, but relating with him.
6. That is why he would sit in the confessional every day for about 16 hours. He could read the minds of the penitents. He could see their inner struggle. He could come up with consoling and transformative solutions. Truly this is how he could stir and touch the tepid hearts of the faithful of his small parish Ars.
Imperative: In a world that is infected and tormented by sin and hopelessness, St John Mary Vianney stands as a beacon of grace and hope. He shows clearly that what qualifies and beautifies a person’s life is not just intelligence and competence but transparence to God and benevolence to others
(REFLECTION 2)
1. St John Mary Vianney bears witness to a faith that is humble, persevering, toiling, and fruit-bearing. His lack of brilliance or talent, or the tepidity and the spiritual lethargy of the people did not deter him. He persisted and his hard-labouring faith was rewarded with a radical transformation of all the people around him. What an imitable priest as the patron of all priests!
2. In a world that is bruised, affected by sin and desperation John Mary Vianney comes as a ray of hope and a soothing remedy. His whole life was one of depth and interiority, fidelity and availability, devotion and dedication. He never ceased to draw the people closer to God, he was never tired of giving the people the taste of God’s forgiveness and reconciliation through his availability at the confessional round the clock, even 16 hours a day. He was never carried away by the external pressures of the world but always nurtured a profound sense of loyalty and surrender to God. He sought always God’s holy will and engaged himself to please Him alone. This is the right way of a priest of God and the timely need of our times.
Direction: As long as people allow their eyes to be so easily distracted and wander aimlessly by every little external appeal and gratification, they can never be healed of their wounds and be restored to perfect health and sanity. They need to be a little more focused and concentrated on the interior, the purity of the heart
05 AUGUST 2022: NAHUM 2. 1,3; 3. 1-3, 6-7; MATTHEW 16. 24-28
Thrust: Lose so that you can gain!
Indicative: To follow Christ is not merely a matter of allegiance by some label and profession. It is a matter of clear conviction and life-long commitment
1. Following Jesus is not a matter of convenience and comfort, profit and use. It is an inseparable covenant and immeasurable commitment. It makes no room for compromises. It calls for total kenosis, forbearance, and unflinching zeal. It is loyalty to the crucified Saviour, carrying our own crosses.
2. In the first place, following Jesus demands wholehearted self-denial, a total giving up of the ego. One who clings to self-interests, is driven by egoism, and is not ready to retrench all the ties and attachment to the layers of the false self, cannot be a true follower of Christ.
3. This process of effacement and detachment necessarily involves suffering and obstacles. The weight of the cross of right values and afflictions will certainly press us down time and again. Like Jesus, we too may experience the “lost and abandoned” moments in our life.
4. But the choice is clear and firm. It is an uncompromising choice for following the Lord and not the world. This choice is made because of wisdom. This is the wisdom that discerns between “gaining the whole world but losing one’s own soul on one hand, and gaining the priceless soul and losing the world on the other hand”.
5. Come what may, there is no turning back. However, it is not a futile enterprise. It is not a worthless choice and project. For, “whoever loses his life for the sake of the Lord will find it”; “the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done”.
6. Thus, following Jesus is worth and fulfilling though it may appear to be absurd. It shows our love for him, loyalty, and commitment to him. And there can never be a true following of Jesus without renouncing the ego and carrying the cross patiently.
Imperative: It is really foolish that there are some followers of Jesus who wish and try to follow him without carrying the cross. Without a way of sacrifice, and perseverance that is smeared with love for the Lord, how can one follow him and arrive at the destiny of the glory of the resurrection?
(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2020, 07 AUGUST)
Focus: We can never truly follow Jesus without the cross and loss, and it will be totally missing the point of following Jesus if we try to shun the cross in life
It really looks ridiculous that many try to profess their loyalty to the crucified Saviour without really understanding and following his way. Can one follow the Crucified with no connection at all to his cross? Can one be a disciple without following the teachings of his Guru? Can one be a good servant without serving his master? Can one be a true companion without accompanying his partner? Can one be a genuine lover without loving his beloved even to the extent of death for the loved one?
Often many are confused and misguided in following Jesus. It is not because of a lack of clarity on the part of Jesus. No, Jesus is crystal clear in his demands and promises. He never makes false promises, nor is he satisfied with half-measures and compromises. One can never be an authentic disciple of Jesus if he is not detached from his ego and self-interests if he is not ready to bear the cross of suffering and unfavourable situations if he is not wise to give priority to the spiritual concerns and is not carried away by the worldly concerns and gains.
If one is not true to his call to follow and resemble Jesus, it is only because he is still too attached to the world and there can be no other reason. “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me” – this summon of Jesus is ever vibrating and compelling! And the beauty of an authentic follower of Jesus is quite impressively contrasting as in the first reading: the whole world may be so much infected by “bad news”, in the infirmities and wounds of sin and evil and is without peace; but a follower of Jesus becomes the “bearer of good news and announces peace”.
Resolve: It is stupidity to claim to be so intelligent and competent, while one fails to discern and follow what is a priority in life, and that is, follow Jesus, the model of real values of a good life, applicable to anyone
06 AUGUST 2022: DAN 7. 9-10, 13-14; 2 PETER 1. 16-19; LUKE 9. 28b – 36, TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD
Thrust: Configured to be transfigured!
Indicative: Our Lord is a God of glory and not misery. He has shared and shouldered our misery caused by sin in order to make us sharers of glory
1. The Lord goes to mount Tabor to pray with three of his disciples, Peter, John, and James. There he is transfigured. His original divine glory is manifested. His face and clothes shone exceedingly bright. He is seen conversing with Moses and Elijah. A voice from an overshadowing cloud attests, “This is my Son, my Chosen one, listen to him”. This in brief is the whole scene of transfiguration.
2. We can pick up some quick pointers from this event. First, Jesus is truly divine. That is why his shining is matchless. His encounter with Moses and Elijah indicates that he is the meeting point, the blend, and the culmination of Law and the Prophets respectively. Father’s own voice affirms his intimacy with His Son and strongly urges us to listen to His Son.
3. Therefore, his incarnation does not diminish or annul his divine essence. Human misery does not cancel his divine glory. The earthly limitations do not dilute his heavenly power. Glory is not something that is added on to him. It essentially belongs to him. It was the divine will and plan that this divine glory maintains a low profile during his earthly and humanly fragile existence.
4. The manifestation of this inherent glory is meant to authenticate his divinity and boost up their drooping spirits. This experience of glory would keep them aloft, especially in times of misery. It is also an indicator of our future glory. We too would inherit the same heavenly glory, if we follow the Lord.
5. How to inherit the same glory? We need to constantly climb up the mountain of silence, solitude, and serenity, apart and even amidst our noisy and worrying preoccupations. We need to spend ourselves in moments of prayer. We need to be transfigured, that is, transformed. This transformation is not piecemeal but total and entire. This includes both the interior and the exterior. This is symbolized and indicated by the change of face and clothes respectively.
6. We need to encounter and experience the Lord intimately. Our experience of the Lord must not be shallow but something profound and heart-touching. It is so nice and relishing that it is worth-continuing, worth-pursuing, worth-nurturing, and worth-cherishing and worth-fostering. That is why, Peter would exclaim, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses, and one for Elijah”. He does not want to stop and miss that exciting experience. Then, listen to him attentively and obey his directions. Follow his ways. Walk the very same way of the cross. Accompany him always and everywhere.
Imperative: Transfiguration of the Lord is not just one bygone event. It is not just an individual matter that pertains to Jesus alone. It is an indicator of our glory as well and it must make us transfigured daily.
(REFLECTION 2 FROM 2021)
Focus: God allows some occasions of glory and transfigured visions in our life, in order to boost up our drooping spirits, and to remind us of our eternal destiny of glory
1. On mount Tabor, in the presence of three disciples, Jesus is transfigured. His face shone like the sun and his garments became white as light. Moses and Elijah appear talking with him. The purpose of the transfiguration of Jesus is not a power display, not a show of self-glory, not winning the best impressions of his three disciples. The simplest reason is Jesus is never a showman. He never seeks self-glory but only the Father’s glory. He is least concerned about human impressions because he knows humans well.
2. The key purpose of the event of transfiguration is to strengthen the faith of the disciples. Especially when they have to go through the turbulent times of the ignominy of the cross, they should be strong and deep-rooted. Otherwise, they would easily lose their feet, be shattered, and give up their journey. The wonderful transfiguration experience would keep their faith alive and renew it. It would assure and encourage them that Jesus who will suffer helplessly, is not a helpless weak human being. He is not forced to meet a fateful destiny out of inability, but it is all in perfect symphony with God’s will and plan of salvation. Jesus who is their master is the real Christ, the awaited Messiah. He is the Son of God, vested with power and glory.
3. His face and his clothes shone with brilliant light. This signifies radiance and vibrance. Thus, the experience of transfiguration is essentially the change of life to be radiant and vibrant. We too are called to shine, that is, to be radiant and vibrant. A life that is lackluster and lethargic is not a transfigured life but only a disfigured one. Face and clothes together imply the whole person. Face points to the interior, as it is said that the face is the index of the soul. Clothes represent the exterior. Thereby, the shining of both indicates that any real change must comprise both the interior and the exterior. Our interior must change and it must be reflected in the exterior life of radiance and vibrance.
4. Jesus meets Moses and Elijah. Moses would signify the Law and Elijah, the prophets. Accordingly, the meeting of Jesus with Moses and Elijah can signify that Jesus is the encounter, the meeting point with the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus is the culmination and the fulfillment of the whole Old Testament. One who meets Jesus lives the law and as a prophet.
5. Peter exclaims, Lord, it is so nice to be here and I will make three tents, one for Jesus and the other two, for Moses and Elijah. It shows the overwhelming and relishing experience of the vision and the glory of the Lord. It recalls the excited sentiment of the psalmist, I rejoiced when I heard the people saying, let us go to the house of the Lord; or, one day within your house is equal to a thousand elsewhere. If just a few moments in the presence of the transfigured Lord can be so awe-enveloping, then can we imagine what an infinite joy it will be in eternal glory!
6. The Father’s voice from heaven attests and summons, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him”. This shows the intimate union between the Father and the Son. In Jesus, we have the surest guide to listen to and follow, because he is so pleasing to the Father. He listens to the Father and obeys Him. And so, if we listen to him, we are for sure on the path of heaven and reach heavenly glory.
Direction: A constant thought of heaven can keep us not to be entangled in the realms of the earth. Experiences of light and glory can help us to move through the shades of darkness and misery
(REFLECTION 3 FROM 2020)
Focus: Glory is our destiny and transfiguration is the way. Let us not be upset at the fact of misery but always raise our hearts to the destiny of glory by constant transfigured life, transformed heart
1. Jesus is transfigured on Mount Tabor in the presence of 3 of his disciples. It is not a display of self-glory but a manifestation of his true identity. It is not to impress them but to confirm them in faith. His glory is not partial but total, both interior and exterior, as indicated by the glow of his face and clothes respectively. The experience of divine glory is so relishing, as indicated by Peter’s exclamation: “it is nice to be here; let us make three tents”.
2. Jesus’ transfiguration points to our own transfiguration, being adorned with divine glory. This is possible through a constant integral transformation of our both interior and exterior, by attentive listening and adhering to the Lord.
3. The event of Jesus' transfiguration is a manifestation of his original divinity, identity, and glory. The purpose is not to display his glory, not to impress upon the three disciples his greatness. It is not self-directed, seeking self-glory. Rather, it serves as a fount of hope that prepares and strengthens the disciples, in the face of the cross and the death of Jesus ahead.
4. The transfigured glory of Jesus illuminates and assures the disciples that Jesus who meets the fate of the cross, is not a helpless failure, forced to such a miserable end; rather he is the glorious Son of God, who willingly and freely accepts the cross as God's will for salvation. It is not a fate of misery and damnation, but a destiny of glory and salvation.
5. Thereby when faced with the ignominy of the cross, let them not be shaken or shocked; let them not be dissipated or frustrated. Let them not be stuck with the cross and death, but rather let their focus go beyond to glory and eternity. Behind and beyond the disfigured crucified, one should see the transfigured resurrected Lord, re-vested with the original heavenly glory.
6. Thus that simple Jesus, who is walking along with them as an ordinary man, that suffering Jesus, who will be subjected to the humiliation of the cross, is not a disgraced and defeated man. Instead, he is the glorious "beloved Son of the Father", attested so by the Father Himself from heaven. So do not lose faith in him, when things go contrary, but continue to keep trust and hope in him.
7. Jesus' transfiguration is also an indicator, a forecast, and foretaste of our own resurrection and the glory of the resurrection. It is a prefiguration of our own future glory. The frequent disfiguration of life, with all the vicissitudes and adversities, is not the final or permanent reality. Transfiguration is the ultimate and definitive experience. Misery is not an absolute fate, but glory is our eternal destiny. Therefore, the transfiguring experience must trigger us to direct our focus, beyond the temporary upsets of the cross, to the eternal upheaval of resurrection.
8. This is possible only through a constant REINVIGORATION of our original identity of being God's image and likeness. This in turn is possible through a faithful CONFIGURATION with Jesus. The more we are tuned and communed to him, the more we live and grow like him, the more we adhere to him in "attentive listening to him", the more we shall experience and share the same transfiguring glory.
9. If sin disfigures us, depriving us of our original beauty and dignity of being God's images, grace through Jesus transfigures us, restoring to us that lost light and radiance. The shining light and brightened glow will indicate that our transfiguration is more a matter of illuminating and brightening our darkened selves and false lives. The more we are enlightened, breaking off the sheaths and layers of darkness that often block and blur our radiance, the more we re-discover our real identity and radiate the light of that true image.
10. Thus real transfiguration lies in a daily process of brightening up our lives. Light up the life, daily on the "mountain" - of the vicinity, proximity, and intimacy with God, in a spirit and ambience of solitude and serenity, in the heights of our spirits, in the focused moments of prayer, in a personal encounter with Moses and Elijah, signifying the Law and Prophets, i.e. the entire Scripture and Tradition. Transform and glorify life, wholly and fully, by changing both the interior, indicated by the change of face, which is the index of the interior, and the exterior, indicated by the change in clothes.
11. Let our every day be a continuous journey of removing the shades of darkness that reduce our glow. Let it be a vibrant march of regaining our lost radiance. Let the light of Christ make our heart, our life, more bright, with more hope and more renewal.
Direction: Often we want to see only glory and cling to such moments. But only the path of the cross and following Jesus will lead to glory.
