Feast of the TRANSFIGURATION
by Frank Savadera, SJ
I was just reflecting on the events of the
past days, our celebration of the feasts of Sts. Ignatius and John Vianney and
most especially, the death of and burial rites for the late president Corazon
Aquino. Many thoughts come to mind. The Gospel today on the transfiguration of the Lord, I think gives form to my many scattered reflections.
First: Peter, not knowing what to say to Jesus
after experiencing a great theophany (that is, the Lord appearing in all His
majesty and glorify, in all His shining and shimmering splendor), most awkwardly blurts out: “Rabbi, it is good that we are here!” And this was
exactly what I just texted a batchmate of mine the evening of our concert
to celebrate the feast of John Vianney.
Seeing all of you … with FULL ENERGY (with all
the singing and dancing) and with great promise to be future leaders of our
Church here in Mindanao … I told myself …
Wow! It’s great to be here. It’s great to be a part of this great work of
God for the Church in Mindanao. In my prayer, I was just telling myself … “Lord,
it’s simply good to be here.”
On the Aquino burial, I was initially
telling myself … if I was in Manila … I could have visited La
Salle, I could have marched … I could have sang … I could have joined my other brothers
sympathizing closely with the Aquino family. But I am here. But then I needed to be here to realize that
the effect and influence of this woman … Corazon … overflows out of the boundaries
of Manila and Luzon … to the Visayas, to
Mindanao, to Asia and the world. A friend of mine texted to say that she was
watching the ANC coverage of the mass, the procession and the burial yesterday
and she couldn’t understand why she kept on crying. Perhaps, just like myself … she was just
overwhelmed by how a people so influenced by GOODNESS can come out in the
streets once again … not to express indignation or defiance … but this time to
share stories of GOODNESS … to celebrate GOODNESS … knowing how in spite our
failings as a people … as a nation … we raise our hand to say … count me in … I
have received God’s goodness.
I think
this is what the events of the past days made possible: Filipinos once
again share the Goodness they find within them … the good within us. And thus we say… it truly felt good hearing
stories of how we have regained our democracy. It really feels good to share the HOPE of possible
reconciliation among our many warring political families. On TV, people were just glad posting pictures with Tita Cory … as if they were saying: it simply feels good
knowing that in my own lifetime, I had rubbed elbows and had taken photos
with a great icon of democracy … a beacon of light and hope for all of us. It’s good to think … that in our time now …
this time in our history … we have been granted the privilege to stand as witnesses
to how a Filipino … a president can live a GOOD and less blemished life.
And so, Peter in the Gospel today
summarizes for me … my predominant feeling the past days … I’m just glad to be
here. God placed me here. God had wanted all of us to be here … such
that in all reverence … we can proclaim … Lord, we are witnesses to your sheer
goodness … your great theophany … in the lives that we live together … here and
now.
Peter, James and John were privileged witnesses to the Lord’s transfiguration. They were great witnesses too to a cloud that
came and cast a shadow over them … to a voice that came saying: “This
is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him.” And truly … they listened to Jesus … and
what a surprise they got by listening to our Lord. Jesus was arrested and their listening to
Jesus brought them to an experience of Calvary. But then even the despair of Calvary manifests even for us the overpowering goodness
which the Lord shares with the world. Much
so after the Lord’s ascension … the disciples embarked on a great mission to
proclaim the GOODNESS that they have experienced.
Friends,
let’s remember the events of the past days … we remember our blessings as a
people … but then … may we listen constantly as well to the Lord’s message for
all of us. To WITNESS is to
PROCLAIM. The Goodness that we have
received is the same GOODNESS that we ought to share and manifest. And concretely … as we have witnessed the
theophanies of the Lord in our life as a nation … may we stand as witnesses as
well to such revelation of goodness. Can
all the work that we do … in our studies, in community, in our apostolate …
carry that mark of goodness. Can we …
with our lives defend goodness when goodness is threatened? Can we simply talk about goodness … and fill
our hearts with hope that each and everyone of us can perform a lot of good
things. And more good things … we can as
well accomplish as a people.
In
today’s mass, we say: Lord, it’s simply
good to be here ... to stand as witnesses to the great work that you continue to
perform in our lives and the lives of our country. May our witnessing your work … allow us also
to listen to you … follow the goodness that you exemplify … and more than anything
… may that goodness continue to reign in our hearts … in our land.
