9781644135945

The Easter Cycle
“At that time Jesus taketh Peter and James and John his brother, and bringeth them up into
a high mountain apart; and He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the
sun; and His garments became white as snow. And behold, there appeared to them Moses
and Elias talking with Him. And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be
here. . . . And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo! a
voice out of the cloud saying: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye
Him” (Gospel). In Peter and James and John we recognize our Holy Mother the Church.
During the season of Lent, Christ takes His Church aside to the mount that He may reveal
to her His glory and His essence. In view of His approaching passion, His apostles, His
Church, must be strengthened by the vision of His transfiguration. By this revelation it is
made aware of His divinity and immortality. Today we take the place of His apostles, and we
climb Mount Tabor in order to see Him transfigured. We shall not lose faith in Him when
we see Him descend to suffering and humiliation. “Brethren: We pray and beseech you in
the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you ought to walk and to please God,
so also you would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have
given you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should
abstain from fornication. . . . God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto sanctification
in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Epistle).
Bright heights of Tabor! On all sides yawn the abysses of darkness and sin. The Epistle
mentions especially the abyss of fornication and sins of lust and all dishonest dealings with
our fellow men. Then St. Paul warns us: “The Lord is the avenger of all those things, as we
have told you before and have testified. For God hath not called you to uncleanness, but
unto sanctification.” Thus the lesson we have to learn during Lent is that we must allow
the transfigured one to lift us up and to transfigure us, not only in the next life, but here on
earth — now. We must struggle now to sanctify our thoughts, our affections, our intentions,
and our motives. Our prayers and labors and sufferings must be transfigured while we are
still in this life, or they will be worthless. “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” We
shall be transfigured when we have obtained the mastery over our sensual appetites, over
the lust of the eyes, the desires of the flesh, and the pride of life. Everything that is dishonorable
in our life must be cast off. The transfiguration of the outward man is achieved by
disciplining the tongue, the senses, and the whole body. The transfiguration of the inner
man is brought about by the cultivation of purity of thought and motives. Thus in the eyes
of the true Christian there already shines some of the brilliancy of the transfigured Christ.
Something of the whiteness of His garments and the brilliancy of His face as it appeared
on Mount Tabor is already shared by the Christian who leads a pure life in this world. Such
a transfiguration is the purpose of all our lenten practices.
Today we see Christ transfigured on Mount Tabor, and by this vision we are strengthened
and confirmed in our belief in Him. We look up to Him, and having been strengthened
by the vision of His power and glory, we go bravely on our way. Dead to our sensual
passions and to unjust dealings with our fellow men, we walk as we have been taught to
walk in order that we may please God and advance in perfection. This is the will of God,
our transfiguration, our sanctification, that we may arise new and perfect men. During
the season of Lent we ardently desire to escape from the mire of lust, worldliness, and
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