Transfiguration - Turning to God's Word

Transfiguration and transubstantiation are two words with the same prefix. Both describe religious mysteries that are difficult for us to understand. The Transfiguration of Jesus occurs on a mountain where Moses and Elijah also put in appearances. There are a couple of related words deriving from Latin that are especially interesting in the context of the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ Transfiguration.

The Latin word figura means “form” or “appearance.” The prefix trans– means “across,” so as part of a compound word trans- typically indicates change. In this case, Transfiguration literally means “changing form or appearance.” Jesus changed his appearance on the mountain and seemed glorified, though only his appearance was changed. Jesus’ underlying substance or being remained the same the whole time. His Transfiguration allowed his disciples to see him as he really is. All three of the synoptic writers record Jesus’ Transfiguration. You can read their accounts in the Gospel According to Matthew 17:1–8, the Gospel According to Mark 9:2–8, and the Gospel According to Luke 9:28–36. (All three links are to the New American Bible Revised Edition [NABRE].)

By contrast, we describe what happens when bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ by using the word “transubstantiation.” This word describes a change in the underlying substance of a thing regardless of its appearance. The bread and wine actually become something other than they appear, and so while they continue to look like ordinary bread and wine, they are in fact the body and blood of Christ.

These two concepts together concern form and appearance, and highlight that God often chooses to appear in a capacity much more lowly than he actually is. Why do you think God might choose to do this? Consider why Jesus chose to allow some of his disciples to witness him glorified in the Transfiguration.

you also may like our two-part study of the psalms
Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church provides an in-depth look at all 150 psalms based on The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, a translation prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). This translation is being included in new Liturgy of the Hours books. Volume I currently is available only in a digital format. Click on these links to view a sample first lesson from Volume I and another from Volume II.

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