Gospel Reflection for the Feast of Transfiguration, Year A.

The Lord is King, the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 96)

This wonderful feast falls on a Sunday this year which would otherwise be the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

There is such rich meaning and significance in Jesus' heavenly revelation to his three chosen  disciples that we can be inspired by just a small part of it.

The Church Fathers saw it as a heavenly means of preparing the disciples for the terrible realities of Jesus' Passion and Death which lay ahead. This, we know, it failed to do as their courage, if not their faith, was deeply shaken. I like to think, learning from this, that in the midst of a most painful sorrow that the glory of Jesus, his Lordship, his teachings and his sacramental presence are the absolute reality. Our present sadness will pass, but Jesus' presence in our lives will not pass away. He has given us a religion of joy, a reason for hope, promises we can trust and above all, his own abiding presence in our lives. He is closer to us than we are to ourselves.

His transfigured presence to his disciples is a gift and promise to all his disciples down through the ages.