Transfiguration of Our Lord
August 6 - iBreviary
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The Roman liturgy was reading the Gospel passage refers to the episode of the transfiguration of Ember Saturdays of Lent, putting it in connection with this mystery of the passion. The same Evangelist Matthew begins the story with the words: "And after six days" (that is, after the solemn Peter's confession and the first announcement of the Passion), "Jesus took Peter, James and John, his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. And he was transfigured before them: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. " In this episode is a sharp contrast to the agony of the garden of Gethsemane. The Transfiguration, which is part of the mystery of salvation, is well worthy of a liturgical celebration that the Church, both in the West as in the East, it has celebrated in various ways and on different dates, until Pope Callistus III elevated grade party, extending it to the universal Church. (Avvenire) Martyrology: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, in which Jesus Christ, the only Son, the beloved of the Father, before the holy Apostles Peter, James and John, having as witnesses the law and the prophets, and manifested his glory, to reveal that our humble servants had been taken by him through grace and gloriously redeemed to proclaim to the ends of the earth that God's image, according to which man was created, although corrupted in Adam, He had been recreated in Christ.
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On August 6, the Church remembers the Transfiguration of Our Lord. Jesus chose to take with him the first pope and "the sons of thunder" ("Boanerges", Mk 3, 17) to climb Mount Tabor to pray. Six days before he had said to his disciples: "There are some here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Mt 16, 28) and here Peter, James and John were chosen to attend ineffable: Christ appeared in his glorious body. In fact, as he prayed, "his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white" (Lk 9, 29) and two men, also appeared in glory, spoke with him the fulfillment of his sacrifice in Jerusalem they were Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets. St. Augustine says, in the Sermon 78, that his clothes are his Church. "If the clothes are not kept tight by the wearer, they would fall. What's wrong if the dress very white is symbolized by the Church, since they hear to the prophet Isaiah: Though your sins be as scarlet, there'll be white as snow (Isaiah 1: 18)? ". So even if the sins committed by men of the Church were colored scarlet, his spouse would still have a white dress and bright thanks to the Sun, Christ. In this vision of Peter expresses feelings only human, not supernatural thoughts, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah, "and at this point, the Evangelist Luke explains:" He does not know what to say "; Peter, the rock on which Christ would build his Church, even at the beauty of the majesty of the Savior, using fees character grounds. St. Augustine explains: "It's good for us, O Lord - say - stay here. He was bothered by the crowd, he found the solitude on the mountain; there had Christ as food for the soul. Why would he go down to return to the labors and pains while there was full of feelings of holy love for God and that therefore a holy gl'ispiravano conduct? He wanted to feel good. " Faced with glorious Christ Peter had found happiness and would not want to move from that place. The answer came while he yet spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and from it came a voice: "This is my Son, my Chosen; Listen to him, "the same voice that was heard when John the Baptist had baptized Jesus at the Jordan:" You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased "(Mk 1,9-11). And when the voice had spoken Jesus was left alone. The Bishop of Tagaste says Peter tried three tents, but the answer came from Heaven showed instead that "we do have one, while the human mentality wanted to divide it. Christ is the Word of God, the Word of God in the law, the Word of God in the Prophets. Why, Peter, try to divide it? You must rather that you remain united to him.You try three tents have to understand who is one. " Always true, timeless words of this Father of the Church, the Pope is called to not divide Christ: "Come down, Peter; You wanted to rest on the mountain: come down preaching God's word, be urgent in season and out; reprove, exhort, give encouragement using all your patience and your ability to teach. Work, spend yourself, accept even sufferings and torments that, through the brightness and beauty of good works, you may possess in charity what is symbolized in the white garments of the Lord.Because in praise of charity, read the letter of the Apostle, we heard: Do not look for its own interests (1 Cor 13: 5). Do not look for its own interests because it gives what he has. " On that mountain the Father manifested itself in the voice, the Son in his flesh transfigured, the Holy Spirit in the luminous cloud. Peter wanted to make a tent for the king that he would not even have a stone on which to lay his head? The Savior did not come to make temporary homes in the logic of the world, but to prepare a beautiful and everlasting dwelling in His Kingdom, where the grain will wave in the Triune God. Author: Cristina Siccardi
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