There was a baseball player, Brooks Robinson, former third baseman of the Baltimore Orioles. In his entire 23-year career, he is considered the greatest defensive third baseman in major league history. “It was often said of Brooks that he played third base as if he "came down from a higher league."1
Moses and Elijah were from the higher leagues of the heavenly realm, and with Jesus, they are “the heavenly three” of the Transfiguration.2
They were discussing, Luke 9:31 tells us, about the departure of Jesus: “by way of the cross in Jerusalem in order to “enter into his glory.” [Catechism, 555]
Note that everyone talking there, Jesus, Moses, and Elijah, had done a 40 day fast for purification at some point during their earthly lives, and we are on a 40-day purification of Lent.
As Father Thomas Keating says, “the Transfiguration… is the continuation of the invitation of Lent to undertake the inner purification that is required for divine union. By choosing this text for the second Sunday of Lent, the liturgy points to the fruit of struggling with the temptations arising from our conscious or unconscious emotional programming and of dying to…self.”3
While Jesus was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. Jesus is in a celestial state.
Regarding our holiness of body, in the book “Love and Responsibility,” written by Karol Wojtyla before he became Saint Pope John Paul II, it says that chastity is a virtue in need of rehabilitation and explains why by referring to “resentment” arising from an erroneous and distorted sense of values. It is a lack of objectivity of judgment and evaluation, and it has its origin in weakness of will.
So, to spare ourselves the effort to obtain this value, we can minimize its significance or even see it as in some way as evil, although objectivity requires us to recognize that it is a good.
2. Now, we consider “the earthly three” of the Transfiguration, Peter, John, and James.
The overwhelming glory and divine presence of the moment left them speechless. Then they are terrified when they tried to comprehend what was happening.
Then, Father’s voice said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” It silenced Peter. His proposal had been denied. One wonders if he wished he were already down the mountain.
Elizabeth Palmer said that she slid down the Transfiguration mountain months ago and that she hadn’t been able to find her back up. She contends that there is no "on the mountain" and "off the mountain," and she speaks of good examples of finding grace in trials.4
While it’s true that we are called to give thanks in all circumstances, with equanimity, trusting that grace will be there, but if we don’t get back up the mountain daily by deep prayer, we can slip and find ourselves back to the parking lot which is the first stage of the spiritual life called the purgative way.
The parking lot at the base of the mountain: “There, once again, to confront the basic framework of the human condition: the emotional programs for happiness that develop around the instinctual needs of early childhood and eventually grow into [egoistic] motivations that drive our energ[ies]…”We continue to react, think, feel and act out of these centers of motivation unless we take ourselves in hand and try to change them” with God’s grace.5
While its demoralizing to slide down the mountain: we are never done with the purgative way, even as one seeks to enter into the illuminative.
Willfully sliding down the mountain is symbolic for grace-substitutes as Aldous Huxley says in the “The Devils of Loudun,” especially drugs, [sinful] sexuality, and herd-intoxication [or a spiritual worldliness], rather than listening to the voice of Jesus, “This my beloved son, listen to him.”
The return trip to the top is made daily. Otherwise, the weight of the bright glory cloud will fade away completely like it did for Peter, who slept during the darkness of Gethsemane.
“If you really want to be a penitent soul — both penitent and cheerful — you must above all stick to your daily periods of prayer, which should be intimate, generous, and not cut short. And you must make sure that those minutes of prayer are not done only when you feel the need, but at fixed times, whenever it is possible. Don’t neglect these details,” says Saint Josemaria Escriva.6
At the end of the vision, they experienced the reassurance of Jesus' presence and touch.7
That is, once “the earthly three” had their senses calmed and integrated into the spiritual experience which their intuitive faculties had perceived, peace was established throughout their whole being. 8
“The Eternal Word of God has always been speaking to us interiorly, but we have not been able to hear his voice. When we are adequately prepared, [by deep prayer] the interior Word begins to be heard, as in Eucharistic Adoration] which produces gradually what the voice in the vision produced instantly: the capacity to listen. It withdraws us from self-centeredness and allows [more holiness] to emerge.9
We continue climbing daily in the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith.
1. Elliot Johnson and Al Schierbaum, OUR GREAT AND AWESOME SAVIOR (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc., 1991), p. 35, cited in Swimming with the Sharks by King Duncan
2. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 86, 2024, p. 294, regarding the expressions “the heavenly three” and “the earthly three”: from Lee, “Jesus’ Transfiguration and the Believers’ Transformation, 11
3. Thomas Keating, O.C.S.O, The Mystery of Christ: The Liturgy as Spiritual Experience, January 1, 1988
4. Elizabeth Palmer, The Transfiguration sermon I need (Matthew 17:1-9), the Christian Century, Feb. 24, 2017
5. Ibid; Keating
6. Josemaria Escriva, Furrow, January 1, 1992, pg. 994
8,9. Ibid; Keating
