40: Transfiguration (2/4) and Mass

Continuation of 39: Transfiguration (1/4) according to the Greek Fathers

The Byzantine tradition tells us that the Transfiguration is that important that it encompasses all the mystery of “christian prayer”.

It is only by willing to enter in this mystery (the Transfiguration's one) that one starts to discover how wide it is. Let us explore one of its aspects.

Transfiguration and Mass

The Transfiguration could be seen as a spiritual summary of the Mass.

1- First: the Mass used to be mainly celebrated on Sunday, where all the Christians used to gather to meet the Risen Lord. The most early accounts of that gathering could be found in s John 20, with the Apostle gathered in the upper room, the door closed; see as well Luke 24, the structure of the apparition to the two disciples of Emmaus.

The Three accounts of the Transfiguration give us a hint about the relationship between: the Resurrection (happening the 7^th or 8^th day) and the weekly Gathering (the Sunday Mass): “6 days later” (Mt, Mk), or “8 days later” (Luke).

2- Second: we enter in the Mass by climbing to that High Mountain of the Action of God (the “Divine Liturgy” that God will deploy). Notice that we have to receive a special grace in order to climb. The same greek verb is used in the Transfiguration and in the Mass: anapherei (“Anaphore” = “Eucharistic Prayer”). Jesus is the one who “grabs” them by His Grace and makes them climb with him.

We start the Mass (Kyrie) by asking forgiveness, preparing us to be put in the Hands of the Mercy of God. This is an act of purification and surrender (offering ourselves in the Hands of Jesus). Later in the Mass, will elevate our hearts (“lift up your hearts”), and He will put them in Him (or “under the shadow of the Cloud”).

3- Third: the early Church kept the readings of the sabath liturgy of the Synagogue: one reading from the Thorah (Pentateuk) and one reading from the Prophets (check that even now with the Jewish Liturgy) and added to it the reading of the Gospels and some reading from the Apostles (and Acts).

In the early Church Christians used to have a very special experience of seeing Jesus in the Old Testament (see Luke 24, 1Co 10). So what used to happen is that Jesus would “appear” in the Text of the Liturgy of the Old Testament.

In the Transfiguration we have Moses (Thorah) and Elijah (Prophets) and the fact that Jesus' cloths and face are transformed, transfigured. The letter of the text (the clothes of the text) of the Old Testament is transfigured and shows the Presence of Jesus. Jesus appears, and sheds a light over the Old Testament (Moses and Elijah). This is the first part of the Mass and the first part of the Transfiguration. The Power of the Light of the Gospel and the presence of Jesus in the Proclamation of the Gospel, sheds a light over the two readings from the old Testament.

4- Fourth: we then enter in the second part of the Mass, the Eucharistic part. We enter as well in the second part of the Transfiguration: where the Cloud (symbol of the Presence of God) will overshadow everybody, like the Eucharist will overshadow everybody, everybody will receive the Body and the Blood of Jesus, and then only Jesus will remain (as the text of the Transfiguration will state in Luke 9:36). This is “the vision” par excellence.

5- Fifth: the Transfiguration is about seeing, having a vision: it starts with a promise of seeing the Son of God coming (see this Promise before the Transfiguration), and ends (while coming down the mountain) with Jesus saying “don't say anything bout what you saw”.

Receiving the Eucharist is about seeing Jesus, the True Light. This is what everybody sings right after Communion in the Byzantine Rite: “We have seen the True Light, and we received the Heavenly Spirit”. We are truly overshadowed by the Heavenly Spirit as were the Apostles on the Sacred Mountain.

The parallel between the Transfiguration and the Divine Liturgy is tricking. For me, this shows that Jesus was entrusting to the 3 Apostles, as heads of liturgical traditions, the Divine Liturgy itself, so, through this unique experience on Mount Thabor, they can understand, enter, and measure the greatness of the one single Mass.

He asked them not to reveal what happened during the Transfiguration until He rises from the dead, until He is capable of delivering, on a weekly basis, the “apparition”, that “transfiguration”.

This is why we gather each Sunday.

Each Sunday we are invited to climb the Hight Mountain of the Glory of God, to listen to His Word, to see Him transfiguring the Old Testament text, each Sunday, with His Light, as “the Risen Lord”.

We then are invited to enter under the Divine Cloud (the second part of the Mass where the catechumens were excluded, and the doors shut (see John 20 and the doors shut)), and receive the Communion that makes all of us One in Him, that make us “one Jesus” only.

Do we really enter in the Mystery of the Divine Liturgy? Do we really enter in the Mystery of the Transfiguration? Do we understand that the Transfiguration (seeing the Lord's Glory) it is given to all of us?

We sing in the Byzantine rite, during Communion and say that we won't betray the secret of our Lord like Judas, with a kiss. The “secret” is what we see, what we experience during Communion.

Come on great people, be aware of your greatness, of the greatness of What God is offering you weekly (or daily)!

With the great intercession of the Mother of God, we thank You Jesus-God for your indescribable Gift. Amen.

(Continues in 41:  Transfiguration and St John's Gospel)

28: Understanding “Spiritual Theology”

The Blog's line

In this Blog, the policy is to remain faithful to one simple line: presenting and explaining “Spiritual Theology”.

“Spiritual Theology” being a fundamental tool at the service of our “spiritual life”, a fundamental place in the Church for a deeper understanding of the Gospel. I won't wonder out of that “frame” or out of that "line", and, trust me, if I write, daily, for three years, it won't be enough: there is a lot to be done. Practical topics are in huge number.

Another point: I wouldn't really like to remain alone. So, please, do come and join with your ideas, and mainly with your “spiritual study”. Even if knowledge doesn't make us saints (that would be the wrong “gnosticism”), study, done under the Light and Love of God, can be source of many graces, especially if we do care to put it into practice. You won't find me talking badly about science, I mean never about “Spiritual Theology”. You won't find me either forgetting the practical side of almost everything we find in “Spiritual Theology”.

“Sand man”

Despite many good and positive things in the earthly side of the Catholic Church, there is an ongoing deep crisis coming from many factors. One main positive one (that very few do mention) is that the “modern” (I should say: “post modern”, or “sand age time”) man (and women, don't worry) is really very demanding, much more than his ancestors. His container is bigger. Bigger than his grand pa's... or his great grand pa's. He needs more, requires more from God, from Jesus, from the Church, from the Priest, from the Monk, and mainly from the "Spiritual Master". He wants proofs, he wants experience, he can't be fooled with two or three good words, he can't be fooled with just a “moral law”, or “good will”. This is why bombarding him (and her) with words that start with: “you have to believe”, “you have to attend this service”, “you have to act this way”, “you have to go and do this” don't really work today. They did work in a more traditionally christian world. It is not the case today. He needs experience. He wants to try God. There is a deep thirst for experience. On top of that, the market is very challenging: not only we are not the centre of the “civilised world”, we are simply a minority. Plus, how many meditation classes or gurus are around today? They got the point, we (catholics) didn't really yet. In a way it is a bit late. But, never mind, the work is still here, in front of us, but just hugely accumulated. Piles and piles and piles. Just: let us work.

I love the challenge that “sand man” offers to Jesus' Message. I feel that much more can come out, and slightly different. The “capacity”, the “container” is just bigger. Mind you, I am not “praising” mister “sand age man”. I am just mentioning what I find very positive in him/her.

The starting point

Remember: my starting point is simple, but huge, humongous (I learned “humongous” when I first visited the States in 1996, and they told me it was more of 60s expression. I don't have a problem with the 60s. Sandman was emerging at that moment.): there are tons and tons and tons of Graces that Jesus wants to pour in us.

This is not “a philosophy”, or “an abstract concept”, or “a fashion”. It is a reality. Jesus wants to give Himself to us. But we sort of:

1- don't really know that enough

2- and, mostly, we are sort of lost when it comes to practicality: how can we receive of that amount of Love and Graces? What are we supposed to do in order to receive it?

So, this is my starting point, and this is “my philosophy”. By the grace of God, I won't get sidetracked from that line.

Remember the grace that saint Thérèse received the 9^th of June 1895: God makes her discover how much He wants to love her, how much He still wants to give her. “This year, the 9^th of Jun, feast of the Holy Trinity, I received the grace of understanding more than ever how much Jesus desires to be loved.” (“Cette année le 9 Juin fête de la Sainte Trinité, j'ai reçu la grâce de comprendre plus que jamais combien Jésus désire être aimé.”) (saint Thérèse, Autobiography, Manuscript A, end)

Or, if you prefer, I am standing beside the Apostles (hiding behind the curtains) during the moment they are gathered in the Upper-room with Mary, and they receive the Holy Spirit. I am watching the effects of the Action of the Holy Spirit, and trying to follow the trail of the Holy Spirit during 20 centuries. The Torrents of Love, that God wants to give us, and how we received them in the past, and what we learned (an accumulated huge experience, knowledge and wisdom).

Change of scenery

Today, if a catholic monk, having lived hidden for 30 years, comes out of his monastery, and starts to wonder in the world and condemns his fellow catholics, and say that they will go to Hell, I am sure you might find that a bit “too much”, a bit “politically incorrect”. Wouldn't you? How can he send the Church of Christ to Hell? 

Of course many of the sins of today's christians would send them to hell, but I am sure that you would find that this “politically incorrect” behaviour is a bit too much and that he should tone his voice and way, in order to remember love, mercy, and acceptance…

If yourself have many griefs against many members of the Church, I am sure you can imagine that the collegiality of the Bishops wont let this monk be “free”, in the outside world, for long time. They'll bring him back to his monastery, quite rapidly, under obedience, or out of any strategical "threat".

Too much of a violent preaching

Would we try to understand why is he speaking so violently, and condemning his fellow brothers? Can't he just speak about the Love of God and His Mercy, and stop condemning people? A bit rough. But monks can sometimes be rough. Especially if they are the kind of “spiritual” ones.

Can't this preaching be coming out of love? Well, you would say: "well rightly so, but he should speak more about the Love of God". - Well he is rightly saying that people are not making any effort to receive that Love.

Well I'll get you out of your misery because you must be wondering: - what is he trying to say? - Well, frankly I find today's Gospel (Matthew 8:5-17) very “politically incorrect” or, if you prefer, I find that the world we live in is simply dying out of “political correctness”.

In today's Gospel, Jesus, has just finished his great Sermon of the Mountain, and just healed one man from his leper and now is healing a non-jewish person. Like, if you prefer, put in today's terms: healing a Hindu, or a Muslim or an Atheist. He finds that this “Atheist” (a Roman soldier of some sort) has more faith than the catholics (just to put it into perspective). So, with no warning at all: Jesus starts to send all the Catholics to Hell. So you wonder: why? What happened? No warning?

This is too violent! Please don't try to turn a blind eye onto that. It is too obvious, and please just: face it. Jesus is extremely violent with Catholics. Just imagine Him saying the same today: "Amen, I say to you, in no one in the Catholic Church have I found such faith. 
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven,
 but the children of the kingdom (the Catholics) will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." (see Mt 8:5-17)

Put this way: it is a bit too much, isn't it?

We are very calmly sure that “all is fine” and, suddenly, a huge final storm comes and sends us to Hell (the “outer darkness”). You can't dilute this violent statement, and its violent contents. Please don't try to find excuses. The matter is serious. Jesus' contemporary Jews were what we are today: people who received everything: all the Promises, all the Prophets, all the Graces in order to receive their Messiah. Well, we are worse: we have Him amongst us. So our condemnation should be immensely bigger.

Are Jesus' contemporary Jews worse than us? Not sure about that. Why would God treat people worse than others? Is He unjust?

But the thing is that you'll read today's Gospel, and feel fine, untouched, (you are the "caste of the untouchables") and you'll sleep well. Amazing isn't it? You'll continue to go to Sunday Mass, and feel fine.

Spiritual Theology

Now, how this relates to “Spiritual Theology”?

“Spiritual Theology” tells us about the “tons and tons” of graces Jesus wants to pour in us. It shows us what to do in order to receive them. It explains to us what will happen, the transformation that will occur in us. Great no?

In today's Gospel Jesus is commenting on the quality and characteristics of the faith of a non-jewish Roman soldier.

"When he entered Capernaum, a Centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west, and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be driven out into the outer darkness, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."

And Jesus said to the centurion, "You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you." And at that very hour (his) servant was healed." (Mt 8:5-17)

The soldier is actually a Centurion, he has subalterns under his orders. He explains to Jesus how he understands order and execution. And in God, "order" and "execution" are immediate. There is no distance in God between "saying something" and "having the capacity to realise it". When God says something, He can do it, immediately. The soldier said to Jesus that he believes that it works like that for Jesus. The soldier is totally opened to the fact that Jesus is capable of "saying/wanting something" and "putting it into practice" immediately.

The act of faith is not about just a mere general concept of the existence of God (Like: "I believe in God"). The act of faith here is about the fact that Jesus is capable of doing what He wants; that if He wants it now, He can do it. He has the capacity to do it.

The Centurion is opened to the Power that is enclosed in Jesus. He is opened to the Action of this Power.

One must add: it is a Power of Healing, a power orientated toward Salvation, toward changing the human being body, soul and spirit. Or if you prefer: spirit, soul, and body.

I like the Pope John Paul IIs definition of faith: “faith, in its deepest essence, is the openness of the human heart to the gift: to God's self-communication in the Holy Spirit.” ("Dominum et vivificantem", 51). If you wonder what is “Dominum et vivificantem”? well it is Pope John Paul II Encyclical Letter on the Holy Spirit. (You can find it here)

“the openness of the human heart to the […] Holy Spirit”.

Jesus praises the quality of the faith of that Centurion. The quality. The openness of that man to the Action of the Holy Spirit. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit. He is called: “Messiah” because He is full of the Holy Spirit, and He is the Giver of the Holy Spirit ("He breathed on them" (John 20:22)). When you see a picture like the following one, please do think that these Rays that come out of Jesus' Heart are nothing but the Holy Spirit Himself. (remember to ask for the Holy Spirit)

The mission of “Spiritual Theology” is to understand the transformative Action of the Holy Spirit in us.

So, when you say: "I do believe in such and such", or, “I don't believe in such and such”, just remember that believing means: to open my heart, to open myself (and ask for it) to the Action of the Holy Spirit. Our main study should be: understanding, according to the Mystics, what He wants to realise in us. Step by step.

Back to square one

Now, back to that “violence”. Why would one has to be violent when he preaches the Kingdom of God?

You can have all the interpretations you want, the nice soft ones, and the rought and tough ones. In the end of the day, when you visit your dear friend for his/her birthday, and offer your gift that you carefully prepared from weeks and he or she rejects your gift, and loves his other friends ones, what would you do?? I leave you free to express your feelings in that very moment, to understand your feelings. But remember: that was Jesus' Case... He prepared His Gift, He came to give it to you... and you went after other people's gifts.

Today, His violence wouldn't work in our "correct world". Would that change anything to our final destination (the "outer darkness")? The person who doesn't receive the Gift of God, as the mystics describe it, aren't they politically, correctly, in the "outer", correct, political, "darkness"? Hell....

Let us be fair, He tries all the tools in the box and people don't want. He didn't put them in Hell... By not receiving His Gift, they are out of the reach of His Action. They don't want to receive his Gift, so, as a consequence: they don't know what is His Gift... they have no experience of it. Heaven or Hell are not God's arbitrary last minute decision: they are simply ours, during our lifetime on earth. You don't want His Gift? He won't force you to have it (as dramatic as it sounds). As a consequence: you don't have it. He won't impose it on you last minute. It can't even be imposed, it requires your will, your desire.

Simple physics! "Simple...!"

(How many christians today don't have a clue of “what is the Holy Spirit?”, “what is His Action in us”, “what are the graces that saint Theresa of Avila describes”, for instance... they just put their conscience in sleep mode, thinking that “Sunday Mass is enough”. Hell... no. Many pastors do lead them as well to this conclusion. (well, sprinkled with a bit of a moral theology, or of some biblical lucubrations)

In today's Gospel, Jesus used the word “hell”... he called it: the "outer darkness"...

Let us leave the “outer darkness” and learn about His Gift and what we are supposed to do in order to receive it. "Spiritual Theology".... yes please...

(The Journey  Continues...)