LIVING ORTHODOX

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Brothers and sisters, what a beautiful day to celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord: a magnificent feast which is referred to as the summer Pascha. To this day, a great dome-like cloud still descends upon Mount Tabor on this very day—a sign from God of the eternal and timeless reality of His Kingdom. 

What does this magnificent feast reveal to us? The terrifying and awesome event in which only a glimpse of the Heavenly Kingdom and our Lord’s glory is revealed to His disciples. But what this reveals to us is how, by communing with our Lord, we too can become transfigured. We too can attain the holy light, the uncreated light of God. 

We see in our saints how the Transfiguration of our Lord is more than an event that happened some couple of thousand years ago. It is an imminent and immediate reality that can permeate our lives, our very flesh. You, dear ones, can become filled with light.

In another part of the Gospel, our Lord describes how if our eye must be light, then our whole body will be light. This is because we must set our sights on Him. On Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through our struggle, through prayer, fasting, and, of course, repentance of our sins.  This culminates in our work to acquire the Holy Spirit, as taught by St. Seraphim of Sarov, whose spiritual son saw him shining with divine light. Ultimately this is because St. Seraphim set his eyes—his spiritual eyes—on Christ. Dear ones, be sure to do the same. Be diligent in prayer and the reading of the Gospels. 

Pray often. As much as you can. Let the prayer of Jesus be one of your greatest tools in pursuing holiness, in fighting against the passions. In doing this we come closer to our great saints, the holy hesychast, who sought silence and prayer, the inner stillness and watchfulness that we should be pursuing during every fast. 

So dear ones, seek to have a transfigured life. Be transformed by the renewing of your minds (nous), and always keep your sights set on what the mark is we are aiming for: and that is our Lord, who on this day was transfigured upon Mount Tabor. 

Amen. 

Fr. Mikhail