(Mt. 17:1-13/Mk. 9:1-13)
Read and pray over very attentively
the Biblical passage of the Transfiguration—the 4th Luminous
Mystery. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you in a very special way. Be docile,
open and willing to listen to the Word of God. Our Lady pondered meditated deeply
the Word of God and she can help you to do the same!
Jesus willingly came to earth to
share our human condition. Jesus has two natures: the Divine (He is God), the
Human (He is man). The union of the two natures is the Incarnation. It was
through Our Lady’s “Yes” that Jesus came down from heaven to earth and took on
a human body.(Lk. 26-38)
FORMATION OF JESUS’ BODY. It was Our Lady, Mary most holy, who formed
the sacred Body of Jesus within her womb during the course of nine months. Our
Lady formed Jesus, giving to Him from her own body and substance His Blood,
veins, arteries, eyes, lungs, and even His most Sacred Heart.
SACRED HEART OF JESUS. It was Our
Lady who formed the most Sacred heart of Jesus within her most pure womb for
nine months. Turn to Our Lady and beg her to form your heart. Beg Our Lady to
intercede for you with her most powerful prayers to purify, to mold, to
recreate your heart so that it can become more and more like the Sacred Heart
of Jesus. May we be able to say the words of Saint Paul, as a result of the
intercession of Our Lady: “No longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in
me.”
FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS. One of the many lessons that flow spontaneously
from the TRANSFIGURATION of Jesus is that of human friendship. Jesus ardently desired to enter into deep
friendship with these men who chose—especially Peter, James and John. These
were the three that accompanied Jesus as he ascended the mount of the
Transfiguration. At the Last Supper Jesus will call them FRIENDS!
WALK AND TALK WITH JESUS. Jesus walked and talked to His Friends.
Jesus wants to walk and to talk to you right now. Jesus wants to enter into a
very deep friendship with you right now.
MARY AND FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS. There was nobody on earth, nor even in
heaven, aside from God Himself, that ever had a deeper friendship with Jesus
than His Mother Mary most holy.
MARY KNEW JESUS IN THE WOMB. Nobody knew Jesus better than Mary. As
mentioned earlier Mary formed Jesus within her womb during the course of nine
months. No greater intimacy exists in this world, on a human level, than a baby
being formed in the womb of his own mother.
MARY KNEW JESUS AS A CHILD. Jesus spent most of His life on earth with
both St. Joseph and Mary in their home of Nazareth. Mary watched Jesus,
contemplated Jesus, talked to Jesus, listened to Jesus, contemplated His face
and His very eyes. This happened for thirty long years. Turn to Mary, as you
strive to enter into deeper Friendship with Jesus, and beg her to help you to
get to know Jesus better and better. Stop and talk to Our Lady now with total
confidence. She is your mother and you are her child.
OUR LADY OF THE WAY/ SANTA MARIA DEL
CAMINO. There is a very well-known song in both Italian and Spanish with the
title: “Santa Maria del camino”—Our Lady
of the way! As Jesus climbed the Mount
of the Transfiguration and made His way to the top, to the summit, the Apostles
walked with Him side by side. In your travels in life beg Our Lady to accompany
you, to be with you, to never abandon you. Mary will always point you to Jesus.
Mary will help you to climb with Jesus and enter into deep union with Him.
CALVARY AND MARY. Jesus climbing is symbolic of our climbing
our own CALVARY. We should never presume to have the strength to carry our
cross by ourselves. Our Lady can help you every step along the way. Life without Jesus and Mary can be very sad,
depressed and even bitter. That is why we cry out to Mary in the prayer the
Hail Holy Queen… “Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and
our hope.”
PILGRIM PEOPLE. We are pilgrim people heading towards our
eternal destiny—which is heaven. As we
climb the mountain towards our eternal destiny—heaven—Mary can guide us, help
us encourage us, and comfort us. Spend some time now to talk to Mary about your
past journey of life… Talk now to Mary about your present journey… Talk to Mary
about your future journey—your future pilgrimage in life.
STAR OF THE SEA. The great Marian Doctor Saint Bernard depicts
this powerful image. The SHIP at sea is being assaulted by constant waves. The
wind is beating mercilessly against its rudder. The waters are starting to
enter in with a real danger of losing the ship, of the ship capsizing and eventually
sinking. Then all of a sudden a beautiful star breaks through the night clouds
and glimmers forth. This star seems to be pointing towards the shore. The
captain, with great confidence, looks deep into the star and decides to follow
it. The waves subside, the storm calms down, the winds abate. With almost
unspeakable peace and swiftness the ship is already arriving safely at the
shore. The ship, captain and all the members are saved! Thanks to the STAR OF
THE SEA.
LIFE AND THE STAR OF THE SEA—OUR LADY
STAR OF THE SEA. In the midst of the tempests, storms, afflictions, trials,
temptations constantly present in life, we must lift our gaze to Our Lady, star
of the sea. She will safely direct us to the port of salvation, to our eternal home
which is heaven.
MOUNTAIN TOP/SHORE. Both the mountain top of the Transfiguration
as well as the shore are symbolic for heavenly rest at the end of the journey,
by sea or by land. Jesus wants to walk with us, talk with us, be with us and to
accompany us the whole way. Our Lady
also wants to keep us close to her on this perilous journey.
DISTRACTIONS AND TEMPTATIONS. It is
all too easy to give up the climb of the high and challenging mountain; it is
all too easy to sink in the waves of our own sensuality and selfishness and to
give up the fight. For that reason we want to call out to Mary who will always
lead us to Jesus. The devil has a mortal
fear of Mary and even her Holy Name. Why not in moments of temptation to call
upon the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.
TRANSFIGURATION’S MANY MESSAGES. The mystery of the Transfiguration has many
powerful and deeply spiritual messages. The one that we have chosen is
FRIENDSHIP WITH JESUS AND MARY!!!
IGNATIAN NOTE. The Virgin that Saint Ignatius of Loyola had special devotion
to was “La Madonna de la Strada”—literally translated: “Our Lady of the street”,
loosely translated: “Our Lady of the way.” In the Jesuit Mother House in Rome this
beautiful image can be found!
JESUS AND MARY: YOUR BEST FRIENDS. In
concluding your journey, your climb, your sea-journey with Jesus and Mary,
spend some closing moments opening up your heart to its very depths and talk to
Mary. Tell her all that is going on right now in your life. Ask her to be with
you always, every step along the way until your reach heaven. The quickest path
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.