Mission Monthly – August 2001

“As one who was once in darkness suddenly sees the sun and is illumined in the vision of his body, seeing what he had not seen clearly before, so one found worthy by the Holy Spirit is illumined in soul and sees what [the eye] cannot see.”

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

Someone once asked me, “Do you want to know the truth?” Normally I would have responded sarcastically, “No, tell me a lie!” For some reason, this time, I stopped dead in my tracks and thought to myself, “Wow! That's a loaded question!” The conversation carried and but that question has never left me.

It takes courage to face the truth. Its consequences are challenging. The consequences of lying, however, are much worse. They are compounded by the fear of discovery. In the days of our Lord there was an epidemic of deceit. The consequences were grave as “the true light that enlightens every man” (John 1:9) confronted and conquered the darkness of the fallen world. The voluntary suffering of the Incarnate One restored in man and all of creation immortal life and freedom from the enslavements of the fallen nature. This month we celebrate the annual feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. This great and holy feast is one of splendid joy as we receive the vision and revelation of the divinity of Christ. It is also a feast of tremendous consequence as we face the Truth and its implication for our lives.

When one thinks of transfiguration it is often seen as a change in something from one form to another (as if that which has changed has become completely different from what it was before, like a stone turning into a loaf of bread). This is incorrect. In the transfiguration Jesus did not all of a sudden become divine as though He was not before. Rather His divinity, having been concealed from the unprepared hearts of men, was now being revealed for the purpose of preparing His disciples for “His departure, which He was to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31).

Jesus was transfigured in a moment of time as only the only Sinless One could be. We are called to the same process of transfiguration to become what we already are “partakers of divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), though because of sin it is a lifelong process. This process requires many things, three of which are an absolute desire to put heavenly things above earthly things, the willingness to be told the truth about God and ourselves, and the conviction to submit to the disciplines of faith which are the only things that can lead to our salvation and to the uncovering of our real selves.

Are we happy to be “partakers of divine nature?” This question is as haunting to me as “Do you want to know the truth?”. The consequences of this truth are daunting as we face the truth of who we are, human beings created in the image of God. This literally strips away from us all excuse for not fulfilling the responsibilities of our divine calling. The beautiful things of this life, our families and friendships, homes and jobs, educations and activities can help us in our own transfiguration but only if we transfigure them as offerings to the glory of God. If these things become idols and ends unto themselves, however, we risk hearing the dire words of Jesus, “He who loves father or mother [son or daughter] more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37).

We have to really believe in and seek the joy of a transfigured life. Yes, the living work (liturgy) of God's Church requires much sacrifice. But if we are willing to be told the truth and follow it, the illumination of our souls and the ensuing transfiguration will take us beyond the boundaries of a life absorbed and enslaved to material and fleshly pursuits. This is glory to God. This is our salvation. This is the truth of becoming who we are, kings and stewards of creation who joyfully offer our very lives as recipients and ministers of the legacy of the Kingdom of God.