Dear Parishioners of St. James:
Praised be Jesus Christ!
When Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor, the appearance of His face changed, and His sacred Body exuded brilliant light. Saints Peter, James, and John saw the miraculous manifestation of the divinity of Jesus and testified to it so that we might believe through their eyewitness accounts. What is the significance of the Transfiguration of Jesus?
Jesus reveals what is hidden. His sacred Body is not just a veil that conceals His divinity, but his humanity is substantially united to His divinity. Similarly, when we are united to Jesus by His grace, we share God’s divine life. Jesus once told His disciples (and us, by extension), “You are the light of the world; let your light shine before men” (Mt 5:14,16). When a human soul is in the state of grace, it shares in God’s own light and life. Within us is a power and a beauty beyond description.
The Transfiguration of Jesus is also a sign of our future resurrection. If we persevere in our faith, and pass from this world in God’s friendship, we will rise from the dead. This lowly body of ours will be conformed to the glorified Body of Jesus Christ (cf. Phil. 3:21). We await a glorious transformation! As our bodies age and we endure hardships, one day we will rise and be changed forever by God. Our glorious resurrection on high is worth all the pain and sorrow we may have to endure here below.
God bless you,
Fr. Geary
Saint James Catholic Church 