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What is the significance of the Transfiguration of Jesus?

Two months ago I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and one of the stops was Mount Tabor, the traditional place of the Transfiguration of Jesus. While the gospels do not identify the location of the “high mountain”, the early Church sites Mount Tabor as the likely place (not far from Nazareth). There is also a strong argument that the Transfiguration miracle may have occurred at Mount Hermon, about 50 miles northwest in the region of Caesarea Philippi. This location ties closer to the site of Peter’s confession. However, early on our Byzantine brothers and sisters began making pilgrimages to Mount Tabor. They erected a church to commemorate the site as “the place” of the Transfiguration and the rest is tourism history. Regardless of the exact location, the Transfiguration of Jesus did happen, but why?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains how the transfiguration bolstered the faith of the core apostles, the ones who would lead the Church after Jesus’ death.

For a moment Jesus discloses his divine glory, confirming Peter’s confession. (CCC 555) Christ’s Transfiguration aims at strengthening the apostles’ faith in anticipation of his Passion: the ascent on to the “high mountain” prepares for the ascent to Calvary. Christ, Head of the Church, manifests what his Body contains and radiates in the sacraments: “the hope of glory.” (CCC 568)

The reason why this would strengthen the faith of the apostles is that they were able to glimpse the glory being prepared for them in Heaven.

St. Thomas Aquinas echoes this reasoning in his Summa Theologiae.

To which glory He brings those who follow the footsteps of His Passion, according to Acts 14:21: “Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.” Therefore, it was fitting that He should show His disciples the glory of His clarity (which is to be transfigured), to which He will configure those who are His…”Hence Bede says on Mark 8:39: ‘By His loving foresight He allowed them to taste for a short time the contemplation of eternal joy, so that they might bear persecution bravely.’“

Similarly, Jesus’ transfiguration was not only meant for Peter, James, and John, but was to be shared with all of Jesus’ disciples; to be an encouragement for all Christians.

The Transfiguration gives us a foretaste of Christ’s glorious coming, when he “will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” But it also recalls that “it is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God.” (CCC 556)

Everything about Jesus’ life had great purpose, and the transfiguration can help us even today look forward to the glory that awaits us after the passion of this life.

Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn