HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF TRANSFIGURATION (YEAR A).
THEME: “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON LISTEN TO HIM.”
BY: Fr. Augustine Ikechukwu Opara.
(DANIEL 7:9-10,13-14; 2 PETER 1:16-19; MATTHEW 17:1-9)
Today we gather to reflect upon a remarkable event in the life of Jesus Christ, the transfiguration. It is a moment when the veil of His earthly form was briefly lifted, and his divine glory shone forth. Through this extraordinary event, we witness the intersection of encountering the radiant presence of our Lord. As the voice of God affirms his identity, we are reminded of the divine nature of Jesus. His transfiguration displays His transcendent glory and emphasizes his authority as the son of God.
The presence of Moses and Elijah highlights Jesus’ continuity with the law and the prophets. Moses symbolizes the law, and Elijah represents the prophets, both bearing witness to Jesus as the fulfilment of the teachings. Their appearance signifies the unity of the Old and New Testament, affirming Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
For the apostles, transfiguration was a pivotal moment. It served as a glimpse of the glory that awaited Jesus after His resurrection and a transformative journey for them and perhaps for us who are later followers of Christ. It also directs our attention to life after death for those who follow Christ.
The voice from the cloud instructs the disciples to listen to Jesus. The divine command echoes throughout the ages, calling us to pay attention to his words, teaching, and guidance. It urges us to seek His wisdom, follow His example, and surrender ourselves to his transformative power. This sums up the two major ways we are supposed to live as Christians by listening to the word of the Lord. Not just listening but doing what the word says as our bishop’s coat of arm says estote factores verbi- be doers of the word.
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The word of God, the Bible has been unchanged for nearly 2,000 years. Since the time it was in bits until the council of Carthage 419 when it was approved the way, it is today, to when the monks duplicated it by copying it, to around 1455 when Johannes Gutenberg did the first printing, it is widely considered to be the most influential and best-selling book of all time. The Bible does not merely contain the words of God, it is the word of God. The Bible has been thoroughly examined, investigated, and questioned like no other book in history. In Islam, no one dares or is permitted to question anything in the Quran. Yet the Bible, the holy word of God has stood up with intense scrutiny for centuries and has never been disproven in anything that it says. It is God’s love letter to us.
The Father’s message was meant first and foremost for St. Peter and his colleagues, who though had recognized Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the living God” The transfiguration event was, therefore, to let St. Peter and his colleagues have a glimpse of God’s plan of salvation, and to let them listen to Christ who has full knowledge of the plan and who has come to accomplish the mission of salvation in accordance with that plan. Listening is more than hearing. Listening requires that we make sense of the sound we register. Listening hints at the cost of apostleship.
My brothers and sisters, to listen to the Son of God is imperative for all who want to be saved. He came into the world for a purpose-to save us. For instance, in the period of a natural disaster, victims need to listen to the rescue officers. Similarly, since Christ has come to save us from supernatural disaster caused by the “earthquake of sin”, we cannot but listen to Him. Hence, the Father, who together with the Son and the Holy Spirit had put in place the rescue plan and instructed us to listen to His Son. There is no other name for which we shall be saved except the name of Jesus. This is my beloved son, listen to him!
Happy feast day!
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