In the transfiguration Jesus becomes visible to Peter, James, and John as a transformed person. The vision anticipates Jesus’ resurrection. His divinity shines through his humanity.
There are many times when our view of the world needs transformation. The apostles’ view of Jesus is still limited when they suddenly see him transfigured, speaking with Elijah and Moses. For a moment Jesus’ appearance reveals a glimpse of his glory. The apostles see it and are themselves transformed. They carry with them a new openness to Jesus’ power and their own.
Jesus calls his followers to lifelong transformation, to listen and respond to the gospels in the way they live. Bridge Over Troubled Waters is in the business of helping youth transform their lives. Kalvin finds a way to finish high school with a one-to-one teacher and a quiet place to work. Malcolm chooses to change and deal with his anger issues by coming to Bridge.
The sacraments also reveal glimpses of God’s glory among us. Simple physical elements point to a larger reality. The signs of the Church’s sacraments come from the created world: batheing in water, soothing with oil, eating bread, sharing wine, laying on hands. These actions remember Jesus’ actions of healing and reaching out when he was on earth. Sacraments can’t package God; they celebrate our faith that God is always and everywhere among us. They point to the sacramentality of the whole world.
The baptismal washing celebrates the new life Jesus empowers us to live. Smearing a cross on people’s foreheads with sweet-smelling oil celebrates the unseen presence of the Spirit in us. Fragrance, which invisibly fills a whole room, hints the presence of God’s Spirit permeating our world.
When we come together to celebrate the sacrament of Eucharist, we bring with us the memory of love shared. The Eucharist says explicitly what we already suspected—that the Holy is present in the human.
For when his friends had all gathered, Jesus gave bread and wine to his followers saying, “This is my body and blood, myself. I am here; I am present for you. Eat this, and know the presence of the Holy in yourselves and in each other. You already know it; experience it again.” The Eucharist both celebrates and intensifies the sacramentality of all life.
We celebrate sacraments to become what we celebrate — signs of God’s presence to one another. As a human, Jesus makes God visible. He is the sacrament of God. The Church is the Body of Christ. The seven sacraments of our faith make Jesus visible in our world as do we who become the signs we celebrate — water of new life, fire of love, bread for the hungry.
God speaks to us through the visible creation. Our minds can read the traces of the Creator in the cosmos.
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1147