Above:
"The Transfiguration"
By Rene De Cramer
From the Roman Missal
"The Transfiguration"
By Rene De Cramer
From the Roman Missal
Jesus took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee up on a high mountain and was transfigured before them. His face became as bright as the Sun and his clothes became white as snow. Moses and Elijah, both typological prefigurements of Jesus, appeared and conversed with Him. The voice of God is heard proclaiming Jesus to be His only begotten son.
In this deceptively simple account, many Catholic Dogmas are referenced. The Trinity in God's assertion of Christ's identity, the Communion of Saints in the appearance of Moses and Elijah, the Tradition of Praying to the Saints demonstrated in Christ's willingness to converse with Moses and Elijah who were both long dead at the time. The event also demonstrates the paradoxically timeless effect of Christ's life, death and resurrection, that is to say that Moses and Elijah, both of whom died long before Christ's birth, appear here in glory, something that the Church teaches can only be the result of Christ's life, death and resurrection. Two of these events had not yet even happened at the time of the Transfiguration, supporting the notion already present in the Church before the gospels were written: that the Salvation of souls resultant to Christ's life, death and resurrection is not bound by time. This paradox also relates to the dogma of Mary's immaculate conception, which was possible only as a result of the life, death and resurrection of her Son, Jesus, who would not be born for many years. This is to name only a few of many Catholic concepts that are layered into this short, but pivotal passage.
This event has been celebrated on August 6th since the time of the Apostles themselves.
