a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,

great deeds are they that you have done,
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth,


O King of all the ages.
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name?
for you only are the Holy One.


All nations will draw near and fall down before you
because your just and holy works have been revealed.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

January 25 marks the feast day of the Conversion of Saint Paul, while traveling on the road to Damascus. During this remarkable moment, Paul comes face to face with Jesus, who states, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.” Paul’s heart is changed, as is his life. His encounter with Jesus transforms his beliefs, and his prolific theology springs forth, which he shares with all who will listen. For Paul, an everyday trip becomes the start of an extraordinary journey toward the Lord. And for him, the path to God is love.

Born in Tarsus to a noble family, Saint Paul was at first named Saul. His family, given the laws at the time, were bestowed the rights and privileges of citizens of the Roman Empire. Saul grew up instructed in Mosaic Law, which he strictly observed. Sent to Jerusalem to study, Saul mentored with the strictest and most prideful sect of Pharisees. As was the Jewish rule of the time, he also learned the craft of tent-making. During this time (36 A.D.), Christianity was spreading throughout the region, but was not to be tolerated.

Saint Stephen the Deacon was an early martyr of the church at that time. He was persecuted and put on trial by the Sanhedrin for preaching the message of Christ. Throughout his trial, he remained steadfast in his faith, with “the countenance of an angel.” Eventually, the observers, acting “as a single man,” rushed at him, dragged him from the city, and stoned him to death. While they were doing so, they laid their cloaks at the feet of Saul, who kept them—a sign at the times for responsibility of the execution. While he was dying, Saint Stephen pleaded for the forgiveness of his tormentors, including Saul. 60 He fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord do not hold this sin against them.” And with that he died. (Acts of the Apostles, 7:60) Saints and theologians credit Saint Stephen’s intercession as one of the precursors to the Lord’s conversion of Saul.
1 Saul, for his part, concurred in the act of killing. That day saw the beginning of a great persecution of the church in Jerusalem. (Acts of the Apostles, 8:1) By virtue of the power he had received from the high priest, Saul dragged Christians out of their homes, loaded them with chains, and thrust them into prison where they were tortured and oftentimes executed. He was ruthless and unmoved by their pleas for mercy. In the fury of his zeal he asked for permission to persecute all the Jews in Damascus who confessed to Jesus Christ, and to bring them in bonds to Jerusalem, that they might serve as examples for the others. It was with this permission that Saul, and his assistants, set off on the road to Damascus, where he would encounter the saving grace, and unquestionable patience and mercy of the Lord.

1 Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus which would empower him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem anyone he might find, man or woman, living according to the new way. 3 As he traveled along and was approaching Damascus, a light form the sky suddenly flashed about him. 4 He fell to the ground and at the same time heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, sir?” he asked. The voice answered, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 6 Get up and go into the city, where you will be told what to do.” (Acts of the Apostles, 9:1-6)

In his epistles, Paul details that while he was struck down and blinded, he experienced a vision of Jesus. But he further explains that vision does not fully capture the experience. Rather, an “illumination” of his life, and above all, a “revelation” of the vocation that will become his calling. He preaches throughout the world the mysteries of Christ, and the simple truth that conversion was not the result of a development of thought or reflection, but the fruit of divine intervention-- an unforeseeable, divine grace. Paul’s message is clear: Jesus Christ must remain the center of our lives, so that our identity is tied to his, just as Paul’s identity was reborn through his encounter with Christ. Our lives are made whole through the Eucharist, by communion with Christ, and in his Word which restores purity and virtue.

Saint Paul went on to preach throughout the Mediterranean. He authored thirteen epistles of the New Testament, spreading the word of God, and greatly contributing to the growth of the Church. The blasphemer and persecutor had become the greatest writer of that time.



Upon returning to Jerusalem (approximately 60 AD), Saint Paul was beheaded, a Christian martyr. His remains are buried at the Basilica of Saint Paul, outside the walls of Rome. Recent scientific inquiry into the remains, at the behest of Pope Benedict XVI, has confirmed their authenticity.

Pope Benedict XVI, in a general audience, spoke of Saint Paul, saying, “Clement of Rome, my Predecessor to this Apostolic See, wrote of [Paul of Tarsus] in the last years of the first century: ‘Because of jealousy and discord, Paul was obliged to show us how one obtains the prize of patience.... After preaching justice to all in the world, and after having arrived at the limits of the West, he endured martyrdom before the political rulers; in this way he left this world and reached the holy place, thus becoming the greatest model of perseverance.’”

Saint Paul was a tireless preacher of the truth of Christ’s love, his letter beautiful and elegant instruction in the salvation of the Lord. But he is the same man, Saul, who ceaselessly persecuted Christians, prior to his meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. In considering that meeting, we are struck by his amazing conversion, his rebirth into life through the love and saving grace of Christ. No longer was redemption bound by the law, or acquired through works, but instead, assured through commitment to Christ and his loving forgiveness. We are left with the certainty that if the Lord can enable Saul to start anew as Saint Paul, He will change us for the better if we believe whole-heartedly and with conviction. Called to conversion on a daily basis, today we pause to examine what we could do better, and ask our Lord to change our hearts.



38 For I am certain that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor powers, 39 neither height nor depth nor any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)


O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

As today is the feast of the nativity of my confirmation saint, I am re-posting my thoughts from last year.  Saint John the Baptist, pray for each of us!

Today, June 24, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. For the Church, this is a special day—one of the only feast days of a saint falling on the date of birth, rather than the date on which the saint died (Of course, we also celebrate the beheading of Saint John the Baptist in August). Ordinarily the Church observes the day of a saint's death as his feast, because that day marks his entrance into heaven. To this rule there are two notable exceptions, the birthdays of Blessed Mary (celebrated on September 8) and of Saint John the Baptist. All other persons were stained with original sin at birth, preventing a liturgical celebration of the event. But through the grace of God—in preparation for her special role as Mother of God-- Mary, from the first moment of her existence, was free from original sin. Similarly, John was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother, jumping for joy at the greeting of Mary to Elizabeth during her visitation (the second Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary).


So, today, the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, is a special day for the Church. For me, this is also a special day, as Saint John is the saint I chose for my confirmation saint—due to his humility, his foresight, his contemplative nature, his tendencies toward penance, self-deprivation, and mortification, and his understanding of his place in the world (that his role was trivial in comparison to that of Christ). Saint Augustine explained the reason for today's observance—an event which heralds the coming of Jesus in anticipation of Christmas-- in the following words:

"Apart from the most holy solemnity commemorating our Savior's birth, the Church keeps the birthday of no other person except that of John the Baptist. (The feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin had not yet been introduced when he wrote this.) In the case of other saints or of God's chosen ones, the Church, as you know, solemnizes the day on which they were reborn to everlasting beatitude after ending the trials of this life and gloriously triumphing over the world.


"For all these the final day of their lives, the day on which they completed their earthly service is honored. But for John the day of his birth, the day on which he began this mortal life is likewise sacred. The reason for this is, of course, that the Lord willed to announce to men His own coming through the Baptist, lest if He appeared suddenly, they would fail to recognize Him. John represented the Old Covenant and the Law. Therefore he preceded the Redeemer, even as the Law preceded and heralded the new dispensation of grace." (For more from Saint Augustine on the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, click here.)


 Saint John the Baptist is, therefore, the Precursor of Christ, the forerunner of the Son of Justice, the minister of baptism of Jesus. His birth prepared the way for the coming of Our Lord and Savior, for the coming of salvation for all.
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1: 57-66, 80)


John was born to Elizabeth, the “cousin” of Mary, and Zechariah, an elderly man and priest at the Temple of Jerusalem. Elizabeth, also in advanced age, was childless and sterile, although both she and Zechariah very much wished to conceive. According to the Gospel of Luke, John’s birth was foretold by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah while he was at work in the Temple. However, he did not belief, and was struck mute until he named his son John. John, the cousin of Jesus, the infant who leapt in the presence of the Lord prior even to his birth in purity, grew and began his public ministry—one which prepared the way for Christ. In this way, his birth and life anticipated that of Jesus. Both births were foretold by message of an angel—one to a virgin, one to a woman unable to conceive. Both men brought all to faith—one through baptism by water, one by the Spirit.

John left his father’s home—giving up considerable honor and privilege (and even some riches, perhaps!)-- and went into the desert when he was just an adolescent (scholars estimate between 12 and 15 years old). There, in the desert near the river Jordan, he entered into a contemplative life of hermitude, communing with the Lord in silence. He began a life of mortification and penance, wearing a camel-hair shirt, and sustaining his body with locusts and honey. Soon, he gained notoriety as a pious and holy man, and people flocked to him for baptism in the river. He preached reformation of life.

John served the Lord until the age of 29, at which time the angel of the Lord appeared to him, instructing him to proclaim the coming of Christ, preach penance, and to continue baptizing the many. The angel also informed John that Jesus was the Savior of the World, whom John should baptize (the Second Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary), and upon whom the Holy Spirit would descend in the form of a dove.

Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him, saying: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John....” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28). Saint John lived the words “He must increase; I must decrease,” (John 3:30) believing them to the core of his being.  His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. The baptisms John performed were baptisms of repentance and reformation. But the baptisms that Jesus would bring to the world would be through the Holy Spirit and fire. John recognized his role, his insignificance in comparison to the greatness of Christ, and proclaimed himself unworthy to even carry the sandals of Jesus. He said:

31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3: 31-36)

Today is a special day for the Chuch, for all the faithful!  In the words of Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot, from his sermon on the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist:

"Rightly, then, did the birth of this child make many rejoice then and does make many rejoice today: born in the old age of his parents he was to preach the grace of rebirth to an aging world. Rightly does the Church solemnly venerate this birth, which is wonderfully brought about by grace and at which nature wonders. To me certainly the birth of the world's Lamp (John 5:35) brings fresh joy, for it enabled me to recognize the true Light shining in the darkness but not mastered by the darkness, (Jn1,5.9).


His birth brings me a joy utterly unspeakable, for so many outstanding benefits accrue to the world through it. He is the first to give the Church instruction, to initiate it by penance, to prepare it by baptism. When it is prepared he delivers it to Christ and unites it with him, (John 3:29). He both trains it to live temperately and, by his own death, gives it the strength to die with fortitude. In all these ways he prepares for the Lord a perfect people, (Luke 1:17).”


All powerful God,
help Your people to walk the path to salvation.
By following the teaching of St. John the Baptist,
may we come to your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Today, August 25, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Genesius of Rome (died 303), patron saint of actors. Genesius set out to mock and persecute Christians, and in the process, was brought to the light of Christ through baptism. So filled with joy, he proclaimed the Good News, and promptly received the crown of martyrdom. His life, conversion, and death remind us that our intentions are secondary to the plan that the Lord has in store for us.


According to the Acts, which chronicle the lives of the saints, Genesius was a gifted actor and comedian in Rome during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (late third century, early fourth century) who was actively persecuting Christians. As the leader of a local acting troupe, he had earned some local fame as an actor. However, actors were not considered to be respectable members of society at that time, given that the craft had declined into mime and comedy, and few classic works were performed. Not held in great regard, the only manner in which an actor could achieve respect was to be appointed to the imperial court of the emperor. Genesius, but all accounts, was ambitious, and had decided to attract the attention of the emperor to achieve such an appointment.

Emperor Diocletian hated Rome, and rarely visited there, preferring to reside in Nicodemia. However, in 303, he planned one summer trip to Rome, and Genesius seized upon this opportunity to impress him. As the leader of the acting troupe, it was his responsibility to create a comedic play that would entertain the powerful ruler. Given Diocletian’s hatred of Christians, Genesius decided to mock Christians, specifically the Rite of Baptism. It was sure to entertain!

To learn more about the Christian beliefs, Genesius befriended a group of covert Christians, entering the Catechumenate and “preparing for baptism” under the guidance of his instructor. There, he developed a keen interest in the faith, engaging in many long conversations with the Christians he encountered… but his heart was not moved. As soon as he had gathered enough information to organize his new play, he left the group.

The opening night of the play was a great success with Diocletian and much of his imperial court in attendance. The first act opened with Genesius playing a sick man confined to bed with his friends gathered around him. He said, “Oh my friends, I feel a great weight and would like to be enlightened.” This line would lead to many cruel and ribald remarks on the part of the other actors. One responded by saying, “If you want to be lighter, I can use my pruning knife!” At this point, Genesius was graced by visions of angels hovering around him, unseen to others, and he was touched by the Holy Spirit. Overcome with the teachings he had learned during his research, he could no longer resist the call of the Lord. No longer acting, but speaking from his heart, he said, “You fools, I am resolved to die a Christian that God may receive me as one who seeks His salvation by turning away from idolatry & superstition.” When the other actors asked him why, he said, “All my life I have been a fugitive, and only today have I found God.”

Everyone, especially the Emperor laughed as Genesius spoke, assuming his words to be comedic mockery.

Two actors then entered, one playing a priest and the other an exorcist. The actor-priest asked, “My child, why did you send for me?” Again, he repeated his heart’s true desire for baptism. He said, “I wish to receive the grace of Christ. I long to be reborn and set free from all the sin that lies around me.” The actor priest then baptized Genesius, and when the water flowed upon him, he was graced with new life in Christ.

The Emperor Diocletian could not stop laughing, and began to send small gifts of gold, food and wine up to the players. Genesius had earned the attention and admiration of the powerful leader, but he was no longer interested. His heart now belonged to Christ, and his ambitions of the world were distant memories.

For Act III, Genesius was dressed in white and led before an actor playing a Roman judge. As other actors played soldiers, Genesius was interrogated, mimicking an actual Roman trial of Christians. No longer acting, Genesius began to preach to the audience:

“Oh Emperor and his soldiers. Listen also people of Rome, especially if you have a mind of your own and know how to use it. Before today, whenever I heard the name Christian, it would make me sick and angry. I would make fun of them and encourage others to abuse them. Over and over I insulted them and encouraged others to be violent towards them. I so hated Christians, that I deserted my own family as a child when I realized that there were Christians among them. So much did I hate them, that I went secretly among them to learn their secrets.


O great Diocletian, I started this play as a way to deride the Christian mysteries in which I did not believe. Yet lying on that make believe sick bed and having an actor-priest, pour water over me, I found that the words I was speaking were true. I wrote this play, these are my words. But now they are the words of my heart. I believe and when I said these words today, I saw the very angels of God surround me. The angels told me that my sins were really forgiven and that water that washed over me, washed away all the evil I have done.

I came here today to please an earthly Emperor but what I have done is to please a heavenly King. I came here to give you laughter, but what I have done is to give joy to God and his angels. From this moment on, believe me, I will never mock these great mysteries again. I now know that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true God, the Light, the Truth and the Mercy of all who have received his gift of baptism. O great Emperor, believe in these mysteries! I will teach you, and you will know the Lord Jesus Christ is the true God.”

At the conclusion of his witness, the emperor was enraged. He stopped the play and had the troupe arrested. He ordered that they all be beaten. Genesius’ fellow actors cursed the name of Jesus and cried out that Genesius was the only Christian among them and that he was a mad man! Genesius was condemned to be tortured until he sacrificed to the gods. Upon the rack he was torn with iron hooks and burned with torches to force him to recant his Christian faith and sacrifice to the Roman gods. He refused, holding steadfastly to his faith, and crying out: "There is no other Lord beside Him whom I have seen. Him I worship. To Him I will cling should I suffer 1000 deaths. No torments will remove Jesus Christ from my mouth & my heart. Bitterly I regret the ridicule I performed while detesting His holy name.” Genesius earned the crown of martyrdom that same day by beheading.

Saint Genesius was buried in the cemetery of Saint Hippolytus on the Via Tiburtina in Rome. His relics are said to be divided between San Giovanni della Pigna, San Susanna di Termini, and the chapel of Saint Lawrence. He was venerated at Rome in the fourth century and a church was built in there in his honor.

The life of Saint Genesius is not one of flashy miracles and incredible works. Rather, it is a simple legend of the grace of the Lord overcoming a sinful man, purifying him, and prompting him to center his life around Christ—even to the point of death. Genesius, when confronted with the Holy Spirit, opened himself to the truth of the Gospel, and in doing so, changed his perspective, his ambitions, and his life. Through the Holy Spirit he was saved. Like us, all he had to do was accept the grace poured out upon him. We might pause today to remember our own baptismal vows. How faithful are we to our profession of faith? How might our lives be different with a new perspective, centered on Christ?



Dear Genesius, according to a very ancient story, when you were still a pagan, you once ridiculed Christ while acting on the stage. But, like Saul on the road to Damascus, you were floored by Christ's powerful grace. You rose bearing witness to Jesus and died a great martyr's death. Intercede for your fellow actors before God that they may faithfully and honestly perform their roles and so help others to understand their role in life and thus enabling them to attain their end in heaven. Amen.


Prayer to Saint Genesius for Actors
Holy Saint Genesius,
martyr for Christ,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit
through your acting
you came to discover
the truth of the Christian faith.

In your first profession of that faith
you were baptized through the shedding
of your blood,
offering your life for the praise and glory
of our Lord Jesus Christ.


Pray for those who dedicate their lives
to the theatrical and cinematic arts.
Like you may they find the presence
of the Lord in their work
and generously open their hearts
to his teaching,
living it in the midst of the challenges
and demands of their calling.


Eternal Father, in your love you call all men and women to come to know you and to share in your divine life. Through the intercession of your martyr, Genesius, who responded so generously to the grace of conversion, grant that the same grace may be given to those who as yet do not know you, and may be renewed in those who do. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today, August 9, we celebrate the feast of Edith Stein, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942), a Polish philosopher who converted to Catholicism and joined the Discalced Carmelite Order. Despite her noted philosophical writings, as well as her conversion and service to the Lord as a religious, Saint Teresa was killed at Auschwitz along with millions of other Jews during the second world war. Her life and writings remain, inspiring us to find hope in the Lord, even in times of great struggle and suffering. Among her final works was a poem in honor of the Holy Spirit of God, written in seven verses.



1. Who are you, sweet light, that fills me
And illumines the darkness of my heart?
You lead me like a mother's hand,
And should you let go of me,
I would not know how to take another step.
You are the space
That embraces my being and buries it in yourself.
Away from you it sinks into the abyss
Of nothingness, from which you raised it to the light.
You, nearer to me than I to myself
And more interior than my most interior
And still impalpable and intangible
And beyond any name:
Holy Spirit eternal love!


2. Are you not the sweet manna
That from the Son's heart
Overflows into my heart,
The food of angels and the blessed?
He who raised himself from death to life,
He has also awakened me to new life
From the sleep of death.
And he gives me new life from day to day,
And at some time his fullness is to stream through me,
Life of your life indeed, you yourself:
Holy Spirit eternal life!


3. Are you the ray
That flashes down from the eternal Judge's throne
And breaks into the night of the soul
That had never known itself?
Mercifully relentlessly
It penetrates hidden folds.
Alarmed at seeing itself,
The self makes space for holy fear,
The beginning of that wisdom
That comes from on high
And anchors us firmly in the heights,
Your action,
That creates us anew:
Holy Spirit ray that penetrates everything!


4. Are you the spirit's fullness and the power
By which the Lamb releases the seal
Of God's eternal decree?
Driven by you
The messengers of judgement ride through the world
And separate with a sharp sword
The kingdom of light from the kingdom of night.
Then heaven becomes new and new the earth,
And all finds its proper place
Through your breath:
Holy Spirit victorious power!


5. Are you the master who builds the eternal cathedral,
Which towers from the earth through the heavens?
Animated by you, the columns are raised high
And stand immovably firm.
Marked with the eternal name of God,
They stretch up to the light,
Bearing the dome,
Which crowns the holy cathedral,
Your work that encircles the world:
Holy Spirit God's molding hand!


6. Are you the one who created
the unclouded mirror
Next to the Almighty's throne,
Like a crystal sea,
In which Divinity lovingly looks at itself?
You bend over the fairest work of your creation,
And radiantly your own gaze
Is illumined in return.
And of all creatures the pure beauty
Is joined in one in the dear form
Of the Virgin, your immaculate bride:
Holy Spirit Creator of all!


7. Are you the sweet song of love
And of holy awe
That eternally resounds around the triune throne,
That weds in itself the clear chimes
of each and every being?
The harmony,
That joins together the members to the Head,
In which each one
Finds the mysterious meaning of his being blessed
And joyously surges forth,
Freely dissolved in your surging:
Holy Spirit eternal jubilation!

Today, August 6, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, an event Pope Saint Leo the Great called, “Law through Moses, Grace and Truth through Jesus Christ.” The Transfiguration is the fourth Luminous Mystery, or Mystery of Light.  Below, a is an excerpt from a sermon on the on the feast of the Transfiguration, delivered by Saint Anastasius of Sinai, Bishop, and Early Father of the Church. Entitled, “It is Good for Us to be Here,” Saint Anastasius, echoing the words of Peter upon Mount Tabor, reminds us of the goodness and depth of our relationships with Jesus Christ



Upon Mount Tabor, Jesus revealed to his disciples a heavenly mystery. While living among them he had spoken of the kingdom and of his second coming in glory, but to banish from their hearts any possible doubt concerning the kingdom and to confirm their faith in what lay in the future by its prefiguration in the present, he gave them on Mount Tabor a wonderful vision of his glory, a foreshadowing of the kingdom of heaven. It was as if he said to them: “As time goes by you may be in danger of losing your faith. To save you from this I tell you now that some standing here listening to me will not taste death until they have seen the Son of Man coming in the glory of his Father. “Moreover, in order to assure us that Christ could command such power when he wished, the evangelist continues: Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain where they were alone. There, before their eyes, he was transfigured. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. Then the disciples saw Moses and Elijah appear, and they were talking to Jesus.


These are the divine wonders we celebrate today; this is the saving revelation given us upon the mountain; this is the festival of Christ that has drawn us here. Let us listen, then, to the sacred voice of God so compellingly calling us from on high, from the summit of the mountain, so that with the Lord’s chosen disciples we may penetrate the deep meaning of these holy mysteries, so far beyond our capacity to express. Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven, and - I speak boldly - it is for us now to follow him with all speed, yearning for the heavenly vision that will give us a share in his radiance, renew our spiritual nature and transform us into his own likeness, making us for ever sharers in his Godhead and raising us to heights as yet undreamed of.


Let us run with confidence and joy to enter into the cloud like Moses and Elijah, or like James and John. Let us be caught up like Peter to behold the divine vision and to be transfigured by that glorious transfiguration. Let us retire from the world, stand aloof from the earth, rise above the body, detach ourselves from creatures and turn to the creator, to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed: Lord, it is good for us to be here.


It is indeed good to be here, as you have said, Peter. It is good to be with Jesus and to remain here for ever. What greater happiness or higher honor could we have than to be with God, to be made like him and to live in his light?


Therefore, since each of us possesses God in his heart and is being transformed into his divine image, we also should cry out with joy: It is good for us to be here - here where all things shine with divine radiance, where there is joy and gladness and exultation; where there is nothing in our hearts but peace, serenity and stillness; where God is seen. For here, in our hearts, Christ takes up his abode together with the Father, saying as he enters: Today salvation has come to this house. With Christ, our hearts receive all the wealth of his eternal blessings, and there where they are stored up for us in him, we see reflected as in a mirror both the first fruits and the whole of the world to come.

The word "transfigured" is an interesting word. It is defined as “to transform, literally or figuratively to metamorphose, or to change.” It means to change into another form. But it also means to change the outside to match the inside. In the case of Jesus Christ, the Transfiguration provides a glimpse of the glory of heaven, here in the reality of earth. The glory of God incarnate is revealed, and we literally see the majesty of heaven shining forth like a brilliant sun. In that moment, the light of Christ overcomes that of Moses and Elijah—two figured highly revered by the Jews. We can imagine from Peter’s response that he was ecstatic. His master had reached the same level as Moses and Elijah. Despite only days before having proclaimed Jesus the “Christ of God,” Peter equates Him to Moses and Elijah, and in doing so loses sight of his true Godliness. Rather than place Jesus in the Holy Trinity with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, Peter suggests that tents be erected, in homage to a more earthly trinity present in the minds’ of the Jews. He is quickly corrected by the proclamation from Our Father in Heaven: “This is my Son, who I have chosen. Listen to Him.” The cloud overtakes Moses and Elijah, and only Jesus remains, reminding us that while Moses represents the law of the Old Testament and Elias represents the prophets, Jesus is the consummation of the Old Testament. He is the new Law and the fulfillment of all the prophets.

St. Cyril of Alexandria wrote of the Transfiguration in terms of the connection between suffering and glory, between the Law and the Prophets, between the foreshadowing of the Old Testament and the prophesies fulfilled in the Jesus. He wrote in 444: "I say to you, there are some of those standing here who shall not taste of death until they have seen the kingdom of God." ... By the "kingdom of God" He means the sight of the glory in which He will appear at His revelation to the inhabitants of earth. He will come in the glory of God the Father and not in a humble condition like ours. How did He make those who received the promise spectators of a thing so wonderful? He goes up into the mountain taking three chosen disciples with Him. He is transformed to such a surpassing and godlike brightness that His garments even glittered with rays of fire and seemed to flash like lightning. Besides, Moses and Elijah stood at Jesus’ side and spoke with one another about His departure that He was about, it says, to accomplish at Jerusalem. This meant the mystery of the dispensation in the flesh and of His precious suffering upon the Cross. It is also true that the law of Moses and the word of the holy prophets foreshadowed the mystery of Christ. The law of Moses foreshadowed it by types and shadows, painting it as in a picture. The holy prophets in different ways declared beforehand that in due time He would appear in our likeness and for the salvation and life of us all, agree to suffer death on the tree. Moses and Elijah standing before Him and talking with one another was a sort of representation. It excellently displayed our Lord Jesus Christ as having the law and the prophets for His bodyguard. It displayed Christ as being the Lord of the Law and the Prophets, as foretold in them by those things that they proclaimed in mutual agreement beforehand. The words of the prophets are not different from the teachings of the law.”

For Jesus, we can only imagine what He prayed about on the mountain prior to the Transfiguration. Given the pain and Passion that lied in store for Him, we can guess that He was contemplating His earthly sacrifice and death. The Transfiguration was a message from above, preparing the disciples for the pain and suffering that was growing near. As Jesus descends from the mountain, He sets His sights firmly and resolutely on Jerusalem, on His death, on our redemption.

The Transfiguration makes us stop and think for a moment. Jesus revealed His sanctity to the disciples present, and then walked graciously to His death for us. But what of our own transfiguration? How has the sacrifice of Jesus changed us? We only need look to the Eucharist for our answer. For us, we are able to experience moments of profound Transfiguration in the Eucharist, when we receive Holy Communion. This experience of the Eucharist is more than a symbol, it is the physical manifestation of the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ. It is for us, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, “a pledge of future glory, containing in Itself all delight.” The celebration of the Eucharist is our transfiguration on earth to allowing us to endure the agony of our daily passion in preparation for the glorious joy of our Resurrection!



Dear Jesus,


Thou didst appear to Thy three disciples in all Thy glory.


I know that Thou art now in Heaven seated at the right hand of the Father in the same glorious state Thou revealed Thyself in on Mount Tabor.


I am truly thankful that Thou hast suffered, died and risen so as to conquer death so that I may be saved from the it's power.


I know that I will one day be risen with a glorified body when Thou come to judge the living and the dead.


I am sorry for the many times that I have offended Thee by not striving for holiness and by being lazy in my prayer life.


Please send me the graces I need to truly desire holiness and to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve it so that I may live my life always mindful that one day I will stand before Thee and be held accountable for all my action and lack thereof.


Amen.