MK 9-2-13 Syro-Malabar I Sunday of Eliya Sleeva Moosa

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s Gospel takes us up Mount Tabor, where Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John. His face shines like the sun, His garments become dazzling white, and the Father’s voice thunders from the cloud: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” The Joke: It reminds me of a little story. An elderly Irish parishioner named Sean went up to his pastor after Mass, looking deeply troubled. "Father," Sean said, "I've got a terrible problem. Every Sunday, right after the Consecration, I feel like I'm caught up to the third heaven. I see a blinding white light, my heart is pounding with heavenly joy, and I think I'm experiencing the beatific vision!" The priest adjusted his glasses, looked kindly at Sean, and replied, "Sean, that’s not the Transfiguration. That’s the midday sun reflecting off the stained-glass window onto your bald head and your blood pressure acting up because you skipped breakfast." Even in our humor, we see the truth: the glory of God is not always what we imagine—it is revealed in Christ, and often hidden in ordinary signs. The Story: The St. Thérèse Glimpse In the late 19th century, before entering the Carmel of Lisieux, a young Thérèse Martin was taken by her father to the Swiss Alps. Standing on the heights, looking at the snow-capped summits reaching into the azure sky, she was overwhelmed by the majesty of God. She wrote in her autobiography, Story of a Soul, that the beauty of those peaks gave her a foretaste of heaven, a glimpse of the glory that awaits the soul. Yet, Thérèse knew she could not live on the Swiss peaks. Her true sanctity was not forged on a literal mountain, but within the hidden, cold, everyday confines of a cloistered convent, scrubbing laundry in freezing water and bearing with difficult sisters. The beauty of the summit was given to her as fuel for the valley. It was the memory of divine beauty that kept her faithful when her life later descended into spiritual dryness and severe physical illness. Scriptural Lessons (Mark 9:2–13) * The Divine Theophany and the Trinity: The Transfiguration is a profound revelation of the Holy Trinity. The Father speaks from the cloud, the Son is revealed in the uncreated light of His divinity, and the Holy Spirit overshadows them in the luminous cloud, reminiscent of the Shekinah glory that filled the Tabernacle in the Old Testament. * Christ, the Fullness of Revelation: Moses represents the Torah (the Law) and Elijah represents the Nevi'im (the Prophets). Their presence alongside Christ testifies that the entire Old Covenant finds its fulfillment in Him. When the cloud lifts, Moses and Elijah fade away, and the disciples see "Jesus only." The Law and Prophets yield to the Living Word. * The Father’s Command to Hear the Son: The Father gives a single imperative: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him" (Mk 9:7). In the context of Mark's Gospel, Jesus had just told the disciples that He must suffer, die, and rise. To "listen to Him" means to accept not only His miracles and glory, but also His hard teaching on the Cross. * The Descent and the Mystery of Suffering: As they descend Mount Tabor, Jesus discusses Elijah's return, identifying the forerunner as John the Baptist, who suffered martyrdom (Mk 9:11–13). Christ makes it clear that the path to Easter Sunday passes inevitably through Good Friday. Practical Implications for Catholic Life * The Holy Mass as Our Mount Tabor: Every time we attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we ascend our own mountain. In the Holy Eucharist, the same glorified Christ reveals Himself under the humble veils of bread and wine. We receive a foretaste of the heavenly banquet so that we have the strength to return to our daily duties. * Moving from Consolation to Mission: Like St. Peter crying out, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents," we often want to cling to emotional spiritual highs and retreat experiences. Spiritual theology warns against "spiritual gluttony." God gives us spiritual consolations not so we build a tent and hide, but to fortify us for the valley of daily sacrifice, family responsibilities, and charity toward our neighbour. * Listening to Christ in the Sacraments and Silence: To obey the Father’s command to "Listen to Him," we must deliberately carve out silence from our hyper-connected lives. We practice this listening through the daily reading of Scripture (Lectio Divina), fidelity to the teachings of the Church, and silent Eucharistic Adoration. Questions for Personal & Small-Group Reflection * Recognizing the Mountaintops: When in your life have you experienced a profound sense of God’s presence, peace, or clarity (your personal "Mount Tabor")? How does the memory of that grace sustain you when you find yourself walking through spiritual dryness, doubt, or difficulty in the valley? * "Listen to Him": The Father commands us to listen to His beloved Son, especially when Christ speaks of self-denial and the Cross. In what specific area of your life right now—your family, your career, your private habits, or your prayer life—is Christ asking you to listen more closely and follow Him through a challenging situation? * From Mass to Mission: Just as the disciples could not stay on the mountain in their tents, we are sent forth at the end of every Mass ("Ite, missa est"). How can you carry the grace and presence of the Eucharist you receive into the everyday, unglamorous "valleys" of your week to serve those around you? Closing Prayer Deliver us from the temptation of spiritual complacency. When You grant us glimpses of Your heavenly glory in prayer and the Holy Eucharist, let those consolations fuel our charity. Send us down from the mountain into our homes, workplaces, and communities as radiant witnesses of Your love, eager to serve the poor, the suffering, and the lost. Keep our eyes fixed on You, Lord Jesus, so that through the trials of this earthly valley, we may one day come to behold the eternal radiance of Your resurrection in the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.