For this week’s homily please watch the video below.

The glorious transfiguration of Jesus before his disciples on the mountain came after he predicted his suffering and death. He told them then that they must follow him.
” If anyone wishes to come after me he must renounce self, take up his cross and follow me.”

They found those words hard to hear, as we do. Peter, reacting for the others, protested “Heaven forbid! No, Lord, this shall never happen to you.” Most likely he was also thinking: “Nor should it happen to me, either.”

In answer to their fears, Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain and was transfigured before them. They saw his face shining like the sun and his garments brilliant white. Moses and Elijah. were at his side. A voice from heaven confirmed that “He is my chosen Son.”

Luke notes in his gospel that the disciples Jesus took up the mountain with him were at first unaware of the vision. They were asleep and had to be awakened, but even awake they can hardly take it in. They were filled with awe.

How hard it is to realize the promise made in the mystery of the Transfiguration, a promise we hear in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.

Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

The glorious promises of God are as hard to understand as the mystery of the Cross.