In order to strengthen the faith of His disciples when they
would see His suffering, Jesus Christ took three disciples, Peter, James and
John, and led them up on a high mountain to pray. According to ancient Church
Tradition, it was the beautiful Mount Tabor covered with luxurious growth from the foot to the summit.
As the Saviour was praying, the disciples slept
from fatigue. When they woke up, they saw Jesus Christ transfigured before
them. His face shone like the, sun and His garments became white as snow and
glistened as light. There, two prophets, Moses and Elijah, in heavenly glory
appeared with Him, and they were talking with Jesus about the suffering and
death which He would have to endure in Jerusalem. Extraordinary joy filled the hearts of the disciples
during this time. Peter exclaimed, "Lord, it is well that we are here. If
you wish, I will make three booths here: one for You,
and one for Moses, and one for Elijah," not understanding what He was
saying. Suddenly, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and they heard the voice of
God the Father saying, "This is My beloved
Son, in Whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him!"
When the disciples heard this, they fell on their
faces. Jesus Christ came to them, touched them, and said, "Rise, and have
no fear." When the disciples lifted up their eyes, they saw Jesus Christ
as He usually appeared.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus
Christ commanded them to tell no one about the vision until He was raised from
the dead.
The Holy Orthodox Church celebrates the glorious
Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, on August 6th
(August 19 NS). This day is one of the major feast days. By His
Transfiguration, the Saviour has showed us how people become in the future
life, in the Kingdom of Heaven, if they follow God’s Law and how the entire earthly world
would be transfigured. The Lord also reminds us that we can be transfigured
even now if we lead a truly Christian life.
On the Feast of Transfiguration, after the
Liturgy, fruit is brought to the church to be blessed for eating: grapes and,
in general, fruit from orchards such as apples, pears, and plums in order to
ask the Lord’s blessing on the fruits of the harvest.
Note: See
the Gospels of Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36.
Troparion of the Feast.
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God,
showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure; shine forth Thou
on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending through the prayers of the
Theotokos. O Light-giver, glory to Thee.
Kontakion of the Feast.
On the mount Thou was transfigured, and Thy disciples, as
much as they could bear, beheld Thy glory, O Christ our God; so that, when they
would see Thee crucified, they would know Thy passion to be willing and would
preach to the world that Thou, in truth, are the Effulgence of the Father.
The Most
Important Teaching: Love for God and Neighbour.
More than once people did ask Jesus Christ which
was His most important teaching in order to inherit eternal life in the Kingdom
of God. Some asked because they wanted to know and others did to
find a reason to accuse Him.
Thus one day, a Jewish lawyer (a man who studied
the Law of God) wishing to put Jesus Christ to the test asked Him,
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
Jesus Christ said to him, "You shall love
the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the
great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your
neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments rest all the law and the
prophets."
This means everything that the Law of God teaches
about which the prophets spoke is contained entirely in these two major laws.
That is, all the commandments of the law and its teachings speak to us about
love. If we had within ourselves such love, then all the remaining laws could
be abolished, for they are all subdivisions of the law about love. Thus, for
example, if we love our neighbour, then we would not be able to offend him or
cheat him, much less kill him, or envy him; and, in general, we would not wish
him any kind of evil. On the contrary, we would pity him, care for him, and be
ready to sacrifice everything for him. Therefore, Jesus Christ said,
"There are no other commandments greater than these" (Mark 12:31).
The lawyer said to Him, "You are right,
Teacher! You have truly said that to love God with all one’s being and to love
one’s neighbour as oneself is much more than all the whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices."
When Jesus Christ saw that he answered wisely, He
said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom
of God."
Note: See
the Gospels of Matthew 22:35-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28.
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