YOUCAT Question n. 93 - Part III. Why was Christ transfigured on the mountain?
(Youcat
answer - repeated) The Father wanted to reveal the divine glory of his Son even
during Jesus’ earthly life. Christ’s Transfiguration was meant to help the
disciples later to understand his death and Resurrection.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 556 a) On the threshold of the public
life: the baptism; on the threshold of the Passover: the Transfiguration.
Jesus' baptism proclaimed "the mystery of the first regeneration",
namely, our Baptism; the Transfiguration "is the sacrament of the second
regeneration": our own Resurrection (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III, 45, 4, ad 2). From now on we
share in the Lord's Resurrection through the Spirit who acts in the sacraments
of the Body of Christ. The Transfiguration gives us a foretaste of Christ's
glorious coming, when he "will change our lowly body to be like his
glorious body" (Phil 3:21).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment) Three Gospels
relate how Jesus, on the mountaintop, begins to shine (is “transfigured”)
before the eyes of his disciples. The voice of his heavenly Father calls Jesus
his “beloved Son”, to whom they are supposed to listen. Peter would like to
“make three booths” and capture the moment. Jesus, however, is on the way that
leads to suffering. The vision of glory is only to strengthen his disciples.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 556 b)
But it also recalls that "it is through many persecutions that we must
enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22): Peter did not yet understand this
when he wanted to remain with Christ on the mountain. It has been reserved for
you, Peter, but for after death. For now, Jesus says: "Go down to toil on
earth, to serve on earth, to be scorned and crucified on earth. Life goes down
to be killed; Bread goes down to suffer hunger; the Way goes down to be exhausted
on his journey; the Spring goes down to suffer thirst; and you refuse to
suffer?" (St. Augustine, Sermo
78, 6: PL 38, 492-493; cf. Lk 9:33).
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