Transfiguration Moments

Have you ever had a Transfiguration moment? A moment where we see God in dazzling brilliance. Whether through prayer experiences, retreats, Sacraments, miracles, or times of deep joy and inner peace, these are moments of blinding light and we see the glory of God in them. Something touched us profoundly and we’ve never been the same in our walk of faith.

The Transfiguration occurred before the Crucifixion. It was a glimpse of the glory to be revealed later. That mountaintop spiritual high was meant to sustain the disciples through the difficult times ahead including the stations of the cross. It would give them vision that they would need to weather the cross. They could hold onto that vision of glory and the promise of resurrection until they saw it again.

There was a time in my life where I had many Transfiguration moments, and then afterwards, God led me back down the mountain to the real work of everyday discipleship. I still look back on those moments fondly. They were foundational and the spiritual bread I needed to nourish the life of Christ inside of me even when many of my own stations of the cross came along. I still get Transfiguration moments here or there that do the same.

Our spiritual highs are meant to do that. We can’t forget those mountaintop experiences. They keep us drawn to Christ, sustain the vision of the glory to come, and give us the nourishment we need to keep going. They give us hope in resurrection power before we see it come to pass.

If we haven’t had one of those spiritual highs, we can take a few lessons from how it happened. Notice that the disciples had to walk up a high mountain for that spiritual high, and how they had to be set apart from the others and alone with Jesus to receive that special gift. He only gave that experience to a few of them - Peter, James and John. That’s how the spiritual life works even today. Those who stay close to Jesus and walk up those mountains with Him get to see the vision of glory He gives them. Often, it comes when they are alone with Jesus.

While Transfiguration moments are always gifts from God, they do take on a similar nature that we can foster in our prayer life: Walk with Jesus consistently and be His trusted friend. Set yourself apart - get away from the crowds and be alone with Him. Be willing to go where He calls - even if it’s up a mountain that you'd rather not climb.

May we all experience Transfiguration moments that sustain us in the walk of faith and through our own stations of the cross.