Death Is Not The End

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

August 6, 2021, Friday

Reading (Click here to read in full)
    Reading I: Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
    Responsorial Psalm:  Ps. 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
    Reading II:  2 Pt 1:16-19
    Gospel: Mk 9:2-10

Word count: 377

Reading speed

    Slow (100 wpm): 3.8 minutes

    Average (130 wpm): 2.9 minutes

    Fast (160 wpm): 2.4 minutes

Film companies promote new movies by showing movie trailers. They offer a glimpse of the movie. This glimpse evokes in moviegoers a sense of excitement in anticipation of a blockbuster movie. And when the movie is out, people go to see the movie they have been waiting for since they saw the trailer.

Jesus also had His "movie trailer," but with a much deeper purpose, through His Transfiguration. As Jesus was transfigured before His three disciples, He showed them a glimpse of His glory in the resurrection to come. This happened after Jesus told His disciples in the previous chapter, Mk 8, that the "Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days." At this, Peter rebuked Jesus because he would not like Him to suffer and die. However, he missed Jesus’ rising after three days, which was beyond his understanding. In the Transfiguration, Jesus manifested who He truly is in His glorious state, to show them, particularly to the three disciples, that suffering and death was not the end of life. This glory would only happen if Jesus would embrace the cross, be crucified and die on it. The Transfiguration shows that His glory will triumph over His death and that of His disciples and all Christians.

As human beings, our normal tendency is to fear suffering and death, especially in this time of pandemic. Yes, we value life, but let us also not lose sight of the future glory by being with Jesus through thick and thin, by listening to Him as the Voice from the cloud tells us, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Like the Apostles and the early Christians who drew their strength and courage in the face of every tribulation from the glory that was to come, we, amid difficulties, sufferings, persecutions, and even death, also ought to set our eyes on the future glory Jesus assures us of. If we do this, we will have enough strength and courage to face life's struggles. In these difficult times, as people grow more and more desperate to live, let us be a "movie trailer" to them, let us be Jesus’ Transfiguration to them.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

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