Meditations on the
Transfiguration
Richard Salbato
Before Each Hail Mary
1. In Caesarea Jesus asked, “Whom do people say that the Son of Man is?”
The Apostles answered that some say He is Elias and others that He is Jeremiahs
or one of the other prophets. All
“Blessed are you, Simon,” said Jesus. “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to
you, but my Father, who is in heaven, has revealed it to you. I say to
you: you are Peter (rock) and upon this rock I will build my Church (kingdom)
and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the
keys to the
2. It was time for Jesus to prepare for His death. He knew that the
Apostles would not understand this and would be scandalized that a man they
believed to be the Messiah could be arrested and killed. He told them
over and over that he would die and be raised from the dead but they did not
understand. He had passed His authority over to Peter promising to be with him
to the end of time, and now must prepare for his death on the cross.
3. Knowing that the Apostles would not understand why someone with so much
power over life and death, even over the elements of nature, could be put to
death by his enemies, Jesus resolved to strengthen their faith. He led the
Apostles to the foot of
4. It took two hours for the four people to climb the mountain
and by the time they reached the top the sun had set. It was now dark and
the stars were out. Suddenly, Christ began to become brighter and
brighter until His body lit up the top of the mountain. The three
Apostles could see that there were Angels around him. Little by little He
became so bright that He was transparent.
5. Christ’s face became as bright as the sun and his garments as white as
snow. Then there appeared with him both Moses and Elias, also bright and
transparent. The Apostles heard Moses say how pleased he was to see face to
face the man who lead him out of
6. When Peter saw this he said: “Lord, it is good for us to be here, let us
build three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elias.” Peter
still did not understand that Moses and Elias were nothing compared to the
living God, Christ.
6. Suddenly Moses and Elias disappeared, and the Apostles saw a great
light come down out of heaven upon Christ and at the top they could see a
vision of the Holy Trinity. Down the light they could see Angels ascending and
descending up and down the ladder. Peter remembered what Christ has said
to them earlier that day: “He who is ashamed of me and my words, of him the Son
of Man will be ashamed when He comes in his majesty, and that of the Father,
and the holy Angels. But I tell you that there are some standing here that will
not see death, until they see the
7. As the three Apostles watched this vision of the Trinity and the
Angels coming and going, a voice came out from Heaven; “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.” The Apostles hid
their faces and fell to the ground at the voice of the Father.
8. When they opened their eyes all the bright lights were gone and Jesus stood
there alone as a normal human. Coming down the mountain Jesus told them to tell
no one what they had seen until after the Son of man had risen from the
dead. But they still did not understand that He was to die and rise from
the dead.
9. The entire reason for Christ showing the three leading Apostles the
Transfiguration was to strengthen their faith before the passion and death of
the Messiah. They still expected Him to be an earthly king and not a suffering sacrificial lamb.
10. Now Jesus led his followers towards