In a way, Peter’s Confession confirmed the mission of the Messiah but it also set the template for discipleship that must include an ascent to Calvary. Jesus spelt out for them in no uncertain terms that the Messiah was destined to be rejected, to suffer grievously at the hands of evil men, to be killed and then to rise on the third day. On Tabor, the faith of Peter was endorsed by the brilliant emanation from the Person of Jesus and authenticated by the Voice that came from the cloud.
However, Peter only got it partly correct.
For the Jews, the departures of both Elijah and Moses’ were shrouded in mystery. The former was gloriously assumed whereas the latter’s tomb has never been located. What united these prophetic figures was a supposition that they would return in time for the Messiah to usher in the Kingdom of God. On Tabor, Peter was transfixed by both by the appearances of Moses and Elijah conversing with Jesus that he failed to grasp the full implication of the transfiguration. Firstly, it is a foretaste of a future brought about by the sacrifice of Calvary. Secondly, it is a glory that can only be sustained by eternity[1]. Thus, Peter was blind-sided believing that this glory could be captured in its totality through the earthly expressions of altars on the mountain.[2]
Like Peter, many of us cannot appreciate that in Christ, glory has to be paid for by the Cross and that the Transfiguration is merely a preview of the triumph to come. The mountain experience of the Peter, James and John was meant to prepare them for what awaited them in eternity and no Calvary can ever obscure the glory that will come with the Resurrection. At Golgotha, God’s salvation for us will consist in the apparent destruction of God-for-us (Emmanuel). This is the part which does not make sense to so many of us and as St Paul says so, the Cross is foolishness indeed.
We have a natural affinity for happiness and more so in the last 50 years under the aegis of an ethos that celebrates the self,[3] we are more inclined to embrace a theology of the Resurrection which is emptied of its content. Note that Jesus was emphatic in pointing out that suffering would be a part of His glorification. The mystery of the Transfiguration contains both a promise and also a fulfilment. A promise that tribulation will be ours but it will never overwhelm us to the point that we are lost. It is also a fulfilment because at the end we will prevail in the Lord.
This is confirmed by the Voice that thundered from the cloud, “This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.” It endorses what Jesus Himself pointed out: “Whosoever wishes to follow Me must take up the Cross”. St Paul in the 2nd Reading paints a perfect portrait of what awaits us when we stand firm and keep close to Christ—He will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious Body. The Transfiguration promises that eternal triumph will be ours if we stand firm.
If both the Cross and Resurrection are two sides of a same coin, how then do we integrate the Cross into our lives? In accepting the Resurrection, how do we not lose sight that there is a Calvary to climb?
Firstly, we simply acknowledge that we are expert at avoiding the Cross at all costs. It is natural to flinch from it. Christ Himself hesitated at Gethsemane. “Father, if you can, remove this cup from me”. There is a difference though. His reaction to the silence of God was not resentment. He merely accepted it as God’s will to be embraced. How often have we been annoyed with God for not bending to our will?
Secondly, we may have tamed the Cross by reducing it to an ornament, either as personal jewellery or wall decoration. It is basically a pointless reminder at best or a talisman at worst. How many of us are conscious that there is a Cross attached to the Rosary that is hanging from the car’s rear-view mirror? Or mindless, we easily curse at another driver for his or her inconsideration?
Thirdly, the Cross is the price of love. We point to the love of God and we preach His mercy. All sounds good and inviting that God loves us. But we forget that Jesus hung on the Cross out of love for us. “Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world” should be “You take away MY sins, have mercy on ME”. The Cross is both the cost of "My" sin and the price of love for "Me". St Paul preached Christ crucified to hammer the point that God paid the price of our sin by sacrificing His Son.
Fourthly, we be mindful of the reality of sin. Lent makes no sense if we do not recognise the role of sin in our lives. Otherwise, whatever is penitential in this season would merely be cosmetic[4]. We may better figure out the meaning of the “transfiguration” if we contrast it with a related word: “disfigurement”. Sin disfigures the soul and separates us from God. The climb to Tabor which culminates in the “transfiguration” is an invitation to the conversion of hearts—to truly turn away from sin.
Finally, the Cross comes in many shapes and sizes. Even to fast from sinning itself will be a Cross to bear. Whatever form it takes, be it grief, sickness or even death, the Cross is not God’s condemnation but a symbol of both justice and mercy. Justice because we have sinned. Mercy because we have been ransomed and redeemed by no less than the Son of God. In summary, the Resurrection would not be complete if the Cross were not a part of it. Without the Cross, the Resurrection is meaningless, a hollow victory at best. The Cross may feel foolish for many. Nevertheless, it is fertile soil for Christian hope to spring forth and necessary for us as we make the pilgrimage from sorrow to solace, from Calvary to the empty tomb, from death to eternal life.
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[1] When Mary Magdalene wanted to embrace the post-resurrection Jesus, He alluded to this mystery that a glorified body essentially cannot be captured by earthly realities anymore.
[2] That which is of eternity can only be approximated here in earth.
[3] What was once sin has now been reclassified as sickness. For example, alcoholism or sexual obsession are now treated as diseases and not moral failings. When our worship shifts from God to the self, what follows will not be reason but feelings.
[4] For example, fasting for what? Better figure?
