The Messiah Unveiled

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟏: 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝟏𝟐:𝟏-𝟒

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟑𝟑:𝟒-𝟓, 𝟏𝟖-𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟐 “𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.”

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐: 𝟐 𝐓𝐢𝐦 𝟏:𝟖-𝟏𝟎

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟏𝟕:𝟏-𝟗

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞:  “𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞…. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦.” (𝐯.𝟓) 

         Much of what has been written about the Transfiguration of the Lord at Mt. Hermon spoke of the appearance of Elijah and Moses and how our Lord Jesus was transfigured in the company of two of the greatest leaders the Jews have ever known.

         But there is more to this Gospel scenario than just the meeting between Our Lord, Elijah and Moses and to be able to understand this event deeper than what it suggests it is important that we try “to know” and get into the very character of Jesus.

         And for us to understand what transformation means, let me provide you with some words used to define what it is, and these include metamorphosis, conversion and transformation. I believe it is necessary for us to know what transfiguration means so that we will at least have an idea of what took place at Mt. Hermon that the Church describes as the Transfiguration of Our Lord.

        And most often we hear talks and sermons equating the Transfiguration of Our Lord with our own transformation especially for those who have been immersed in faith and have turned over their lives to Jesus. You will also notice that those whom God have transfigured have often been disfigured in the process meaning there was a radical change in their persona. 

        As we are getting deeper into the observance of the Lenten Season you might want to watch again the movie – The Passion of Christ – for you to get an idea of what Jesus went through on his way to the cross. Many of you I am sure will feel some degree of discomfort while watching the suffering and the passion of Christ whose image was disfigured as he bore the weight of our sins on his shoulders.

        Many of those who have been called to the renewal and went through the Life in the Spirit Seminar talked about having been transformed in many ways. How true indeed, for to be transformed like Christ is the exemplar of how we are to live our lives once we have accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.        

        It doesn’t mean that when we walk in his footsteps, we will also be scourged at the pillar and nailed to a cross. The transformation we will experience is something that we will go through over time. It comes in stages as the Holy Spirit removes our imperfections one by one, little by little and, as he lives in our hearts through time, the scars of our journey towards discipleship will leave an indelible mark in our lives as proof of our own disfigurement and transformation into a better version of ourselves.

         The fact that this event was depicted in all the Synoptic Gospels (𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟏𝟕:𝟏-𝟗; 𝐌𝐤 𝟗:𝟐-𝟏𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐤 𝟗:𝟐𝟖-𝟑𝟔) makes the Transfiguration one of the most significant events in the life of Jesus. Mark’s and Matthew’s account say that Jesus was transfigured while he was with Peter, James and John on a high mountain as his clothes turned into dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them (𝐯.𝟐) and before them appeared Elijah and Moses who talked to Jesus (𝐯.𝟑).

         There was also something peculiar and common to all these three major characters in this event and that is the mountain. We see in the Scriptures that Jesus always goes to a mountain or something higher especially at night where he stops for the night to pray.

         The same holds true for Moses who was given the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone on Mt. Sinai and Elijah encountered God in Mt. Horeb. There was no clear explanation for their choice of a mountain to pray, and the only plausible explanation could be that it brings them closer to heaven where God is supposed to be, and it could also be the stillness of the place that makes it conducive to prayer.                      

         The significance of this event is what was in the heart and mind of Jesus, but which has not yet been revealed to his Apostles, and this was the exact time and day of his impending sacrifice and death on the cross. We should remember that the Transfiguration happened after Jesus gave his Apostles in the previous chapter a prediction of his coming passion, death and resurrection. 

         But to Jesus he knew what lies ahead for him and his going up to Mt. Hermon was simply to pray and ask God what his Will was for him and whether he should now begin the salvific journey to finally bind the powers of Satan and the world with his death on the cross.

         And the appearance of Elijah and Moses was not a coincidence but part of God’s design so that the Apostles – at least the three of them Peter, James and John – can testify to the truth that Jesus indeed was the Son of God. The presence of Elijah and Moses affirmed this truth because the Jews in the olden times believed that Elijah was a prophet and will return to herald the coming of the Messiah while, Moses who was known as the greatest lawmaker who gave the people the Pentateuch will accompany the Messiah when he comes.

         What then is the correlation of this event in our own lives? As Jesus was transfigured into coming to grips with the mission entrusted to him by the Father at the cost of his own life, we also are asked to reflect on our own transfiguration when Jesus appeared before us and called us to a life of subservience. It doesn't matter how, when and where you and I heard the call. What matters is our response because such is inextricably related to our salvation.

         We must remember that those whom God have transfigured were disfigured in the process meaning our image is no longer the same after we have committed our lives to Jesus Christ. We will certainly experience pain and suffering as we go through our own transfiguration but the best part is that if we are willing to accept these trials and challenges that come our way and entrust these to God then we can be assured that in time the image of Christ as depicted in 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝟏:𝟐𝟔 will be reflected in our own image.

         In 𝐯.5, we find what I believe is the most important element that will lead us to our transfiguration. We hear the Father saying audibly: “𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞…. 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦.”  

         In other words, our mandate is the same as that given to the Apostles in that our preoccupation in life is to listen, listen and listen to Jesus through the Scriptures because it is only in listening that we can find our way through the chaotic and corrupt political and social environment that we live in. It is also when we acquire and develop a listening attitude that will lead us to live a life of humility and obedience. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 1, 2026)