God, Give Me the Courage to be All I Can Be . . .

The famous convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism John Henry Cardinal Newman once said that, 'To change is to grow; to change often is to grow holy.'  Of course we know all too well that change usually does not come easily; it can be an uphill battle all the way. 

In St Luke's Gospel for the second Sunday of Lent, Jesus changes His appearance.  He allows His divine splendour to shine even through His human nature which He assumed at the moment he first existed in the womb of Mary, the moment of His fertilization.  In the Church, we refer to this change as the 'Transfiguration.'

It is interesting to note, however, that the original Greek word used by St Luke is the very same word from which we derive the English word 'metamorphis.'  I recall first learning this marvellous word 'metamorphis' in science class.  We were learning how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly through a process called 'metamorphis.'  Part of the lesson was that the change was organic meaning that the caterpillar did not become a different creature.  It was the same creature changed by this natural process we call 'metamorphis.'  In fact, the caterpillar realized the fullness of its being only after this change—which was not without its risks and difficulties.

But what has all this to do with our Catholic faith?

Actually, the natural process of 'metamorphis' teaches us something about the supernatural process of 'transfiguration' highlighted in St Luke's Gospel. St Paul teaches us that God bestows upon us 'grace upon grace' and that we are transformed 'from glory to glory.'  In essence, Christ's faithful are all being slowly 'transfigured' by grace in order to radiate the splendour of Jesus.

There are at least three things we can glean from the Gospel account of the Transfiguration.  The first is that Peter, James and John saw Jesus speaking with Moses (representing the law) and Elijah (representing the prophets).  They discussed Jesus' Passion which was in fulfilment of the law and the prophets.  In a certain sense, Jesus was 'bound' to the law and the prophets.  There was no other way ordained by the Father by which Jesus and humanity could come to the glory of the Resurrection except by the darkness of the Cross.  This is not unlike the caterpillar that has to be bound up in a cocoon and experience a season of darkness if it is to become the butterfly it is meant to be.  So too for Christ's faithful, it may be difficult to 'bind' ourselves to the law and the prophets otherwise known as Church teaching.  We even endure seasons of darkness along the way.  The challenge however is to believe that these are ultimately seasons of grace helping us to become holy.

Next, the Jesus of the Transfiguration is the same Jesus of the Passion, not unlike the butterfly's being organically the same caterpillar in the cocoon.  For us, grace builds upon nature, but never replaces it.  In other words, by changing often, by becoming holy, we do not cease being who we are.  Rather we become ourselves in the best way possible.  It is no exaggeration to say that the more we become who we are meant to be, the more we radiate the splendour of Jesus.

Finally, Jesus climbed a high mountain.  No doubt for us it will be an uphill battle all the way!  Again, St Paul consoles us with the words, 'My grace is enough for you.'

Fr. Sylvester CFR

Gospel reading can be found at Catholic Ireland.net