5. The Transfiguration of Jesus
Just a few days after Jesus began to tell what He expected to happen to Him, that He would suffer crucifixion, He took Peter, James and John away for a day. They were in Galilee, and they went to climb a mountain. When they reached the top, Jesus' appearance began to change, glowing brighter and brighter, until it was hard to look at him. And two other figures arrived, appearing as Moses and Elijah, and they took counsel with Jesus for a short while. When they had gone, Peter suggested that they erect tents in that place to honor Jesus, Moses and Elijah, but before he finished speaking, a shining cloud descended upon them. A great voice was heard, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him." All three disciples were amazed, and groveling at his feet, but Jesus bent down and lifted them up. "Do not be afraid. But you cannot tell anyone what you have seen, not until the Son of Man has risen from the grave." In this way, Jesus revealed that everything that would happen was already planned.
The Transfiguration was a sign for them that Jesus was not merely an ordinary human, but that He had the favor and acceptance of God to do and say what He does. Not only authority to do miracles, but Jesus can do whatever He sees necessary, to execute the plan of salvation. He is the Son of God Himself, and what He says will happen. This is the reason why Jesus revealed his glory at the Transfiguration, glowing with the holy brightness of sanctification and walking together with Moses and Elijah: to show his disciples that they should not be scandalized, nor have their faith shaken when He was put to death on the cross. He wanted them to see this, and remember that He has God's own power for what He needs to do.
Peter never got used to hearing it when Jesus spoke of his coming suffering and death, but he never again questioned Him in protest. Still, he understood that telling what he had seen was unlikely to convince anyone who hadn't been there to believe. Indeed, he had almost forgotten the incident, until Mary returned with the news that Jesus was missing from the tomb. Then, as he and John ran to see what had happened, he began to remember, until, seeing the stone rolled away, he stopped.
Peter could see then, in his mind's eye, what had occurred: how the guards had been afraid, and the stone removed, and Jesus emerging just as Lazarus had. The Light would have been too overpowering, blinding the soldiers who tried to look. No one could move to interfere with the angels who came for Him. It had all happened according to the plan. This was the reassurance that he had needed. Now Peter could go back and tell the story to the other disciples, and James and John would support him. Jesus has risen from the dead, just like He said He would!
5. The First Eucharist
(To be moved to Thursday's meditation on the Theological Mysteries.)
When Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 from one basket of a few loaves and fishes, He was once again proclaiming the Kingdom, without words. But no one was understanding. So when the crowd followed, He tried to tell them the rest of the story, that He Himself is the Bread of Life. And yet, they couldn't put the miracles together with the teachings. They wanted to dispute Jesus' claim to be coming from the Father, to be more than the manna in the wilderness. Before He could even finish telling them the whole truth, they had stopped hearing. If they had listened, rather than take offense, He would have said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Instead, they were drifting away. So when He saw that his disciples were also confused, He wondered. But Peter reassured Him, "You have the words of eternal life!" It was enough, it would all be clear sooner or later.
The story finally comes together "on the night before He was to suffer." As they are sharing an early Passover feast, no one questions Him. This time, they are listening, but now, there is no time for in-depth discussion. Jesus has to trust us to understand what He is about to do. So, He picks up a loaf of unleavened bread, raises it up to Heaven and says the blessing, then breaks it. Passing it down the table, He says, "Take this, each of you, and eat from it. This is my body, which is to be broken for you." This is definitely not a part of the Passover ritual, and everyone here knows it. Then, as supper is ending, Jesus pours a last cup of wine, raises it and says the blessing, then passing it on, He says, "Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of my blood, which shall be poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. And this shall be a new Covenant between us, in my blood. Do this in memory of Me." Again, this is not the usual ending of Passover. They will remember.
The crucifixion of Jesus was a traumatic wake-up for the disciples. They really didn't see that coming, and were appalled and frightened for their own lives. It was the women, led by Mary Magdalen, who discovered that He had risen. That was when they began to see just how much of what He had said they hadn't understood. They were gathered in discussion to try and piece it all together when Jesus appeared to them in that upper room where they had shared dinner. That was when He explained how they should reenact that evening, and He told them to meet him in Galilee on the mountain where they had seen Him transfigured.
The whole point of the Last Supper was for Jesus' followers to share a common meal in fellowship, and to establish a ritual by which to reenact the memory of the new covenant between God and his people. Jesus had told them that they must "eat my body and drink my blood," or else they would have no life in them. He did not say whether performing the ritual would effect a miracle of "transubstantiation," or if it was a metaphor, or more simply, a symbol of an ineffable truth. He did say that doing it would give us life, and make us a part of his body, the Church. He meant for us to have faith, to believe that his Word gives us eternal life, because whatever He says, happens.
No matter what else you think you see, we do not eat bloody meat in the Eucharist. Neither did YHWH eat the flesh nor drink the blood of the sacrifices in the Temple. But we do partake of the body and blood of Christ, in some way, no matter how you understand it. And that gives us life, and imparts God's grace to us, all because of our faith. The details don't matter as much as the presence of our faith. Faith is what God counts for us as righteousness, our trust in his Word and promises. That upholds our end of the new covenant.
.......
This concludes the meditations for the Luminous mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Please return periodically to find the meditations for the other days of the week. Thank you.
When Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 from one basket of a few loaves and fishes, He was once again proclaiming the Kingdom, without words. But no one was understanding. So when the crowd followed, He tried to tell them the rest of the story, that He Himself is the Bread of Life. And yet, they couldn't put the miracles together with the teachings. They wanted to dispute Jesus' claim to be coming from the Father, to be more than the manna in the wilderness. Before He could even finish telling them the whole truth, they had stopped hearing. If they had listened, rather than take offense, He would have said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Instead, they were drifting away. So when He saw that his disciples were also confused, He wondered. But Peter reassured Him, "You have the words of eternal life!" It was enough, it would all be clear sooner or later.
The story finally comes together "on the night before He was to suffer." As they are sharing an early Passover feast, no one questions Him. This time, they are listening, but now, there is no time for in-depth discussion. Jesus has to trust us to understand what He is about to do. So, He picks up a loaf of unleavened bread, raises it up to Heaven and says the blessing, then breaks it. Passing it down the table, He says, "Take this, each of you, and eat from it. This is my body, which is to be broken for you." This is definitely not a part of the Passover ritual, and everyone here knows it. Then, as supper is ending, Jesus pours a last cup of wine, raises it and says the blessing, then passing it on, He says, "Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of my blood, which shall be poured out for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. And this shall be a new Covenant between us, in my blood. Do this in memory of Me." Again, this is not the usual ending of Passover. They will remember.
The crucifixion of Jesus was a traumatic wake-up for the disciples. They really didn't see that coming, and were appalled and frightened for their own lives. It was the women, led by Mary Magdalen, who discovered that He had risen. That was when they began to see just how much of what He had said they hadn't understood. They were gathered in discussion to try and piece it all together when Jesus appeared to them in that upper room where they had shared dinner. That was when He explained how they should reenact that evening, and He told them to meet him in Galilee on the mountain where they had seen Him transfigured.
The whole point of the Last Supper was for Jesus' followers to share a common meal in fellowship, and to establish a ritual by which to reenact the memory of the new covenant between God and his people. Jesus had told them that they must "eat my body and drink my blood," or else they would have no life in them. He did not say whether performing the ritual would effect a miracle of "transubstantiation," or if it was a metaphor, or more simply, a symbol of an ineffable truth. He did say that doing it would give us life, and make us a part of his body, the Church. He meant for us to have faith, to believe that his Word gives us eternal life, because whatever He says, happens.
No matter what else you think you see, we do not eat bloody meat in the Eucharist. Neither did YHWH eat the flesh nor drink the blood of the sacrifices in the Temple. But we do partake of the body and blood of Christ, in some way, no matter how you understand it. And that gives us life, and imparts God's grace to us, all because of our faith. The details don't matter as much as the presence of our faith. Faith is what God counts for us as righteousness, our trust in his Word and promises. That upholds our end of the new covenant.
.......
This concludes the meditations for the Luminous mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Please return periodically to find the meditations for the other days of the week. Thank you.
