The Transfiguration reveals the relationship between the “humanity” and the “divinity” of Jesus. One of the reasons it’s such an important feast is because it is the one time in the Gospels that Jesus’ divine nature - which is normally hidden under His human nature - His divine appearance is made visible to Peter, James and John.
It is a kind of anticipation, really, of when we will see God as He truly is. Moses and Elijah are there too to see God as He truly is because during their lifetimes they both wanted to see Him, they followed His commands and did His will, but they could not see Him, they could only see Him veiled or partially, but now they get to see Him face to face. Their anticipation was over.
We have this anticipation too. We want to see God, or at least I do and that is my assumption about all of you as well. We want to go to Heaven and see God face to face. My question or concern is how we go about that - do we take a minimalist approach?
This week we hosted Totus Tuus. There were about 45 students in the day program, so 1st thru 6th graders, and then about 22 students in the evening program, so 7th thru 12th graders. And during the day program, on the last day, one of the team members was talking to those 5th and 6th graders and they were asking questions about the faith and one of them really struck me, they asked “What is the minimum I have to do to get to Heaven?”
I was shocked by this minimalist attitude from such young children and I responded, “That’s like a boy asking a girl ‘what is the minimum I have to do to marry you and stay married to you?’” What girl would want to jump into that marriage? “What is the minimum?!” But we seem to do that all of the time, and this is what we have to remember, this is a relationship, like a marriage, a very important relationship where ‘the minimum’ just isn’t good enough.
We hear Peter say in our second reading, “Beloved: We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.” What we do here, what the Church asks of us, is not based on “cleverly devised myths” - it is real, i have been to Mt. Tabor where the Transfiguration happened and all of the other sites in the Holy Land, it all truly happened in space and time.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God made man for our sake came to earth to be one with us in all things but sin. He became man so man could have a relationship with Him, a relationship of love, not based on the minimum, but listening to Him and walking in His footsteps as best we can as disciples, striving for the maximum, trying for the best relationship possible.
What is the attitude of our own heart? Do we settle for the minimum or do we strive for the maximum?
Oftentimes we get into this contract mentality, we just have to do the bare minimum to meet the required terms of the contract. But the problem is, we are not living our life with God as a contract, we are living as a covenant. This word is used often during Mass, and in fact each Mass is a renewal of this covenant. I say it every time when consecrating the wine into the Blood of Jesus in fact.
A covenant is a relationship that requires 100%. Marriages are covenants too. I tell couples preparing for marriage, “you aren’t just giving 50-50 and calling it good enough, you each need to give 100% to each other and to your children.” That is what makes a good relationship, a marriage or otherwise. Jesus Christ gave 100% for us. He poured out His blood for us. He gave His whole life for the forgiveness of our sins. And what He asks is that, if we want to see Him face to face in Heaven, we give 100% as well.
Oftentimes we have settled for the minimum, but we need to approach this like we approach sports. St. Paul talks about that frequently too, he says in his First letter to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
As Christians it might seem like we are just playing the game for a participation prize, thinking, “as long as I can just sneak into Heaven that will be good enough for me.” But why? Jesus said about the Kingdom of Heaven, “For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.” God is merciful yes, but He is also just, and we will get what we deserve, our first reading even depicted a court in Heaven saying "The court was convened and the books were opened." Also, there is a hierarchy of Saints in Heaven, just like we have Nine Choirs of Angels who have a hierarchy, some being closer to God, some being farther away, Saints have different levels too, more joy and better rewards, and I don’t want to spend eternity reflecting on why I didn’t give 100% when I had the chance. (Matthew 5:11-12; 6:1-6, 16-18, 20; 16:27; 19:28-39, 25:14-30)
In closing, don’t settle for being mediocre, just barely made it, just good enough, just the minimum Saint. Strive to be a great Saint, strive for the maximum. Live in anticipation of that moment when you too will see God face to face and be proud that you gave it 100% in the race.