Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Mt 17:1-9
August 6, 2023

In his farewell address to the people of the Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen (1921-2018) is quoted as saying: What is a pilgrimage? Isn’t it a group of people, in the company of one another, who are traveling together for a holy purpose? Our journey is a pilgrimage that has Jesus Christ as both its origin and its destination.

In a way, this Feast of the Transfiguration celebrates a pilgrimage which Jesus arranged for Peter, James, and John. The “holy purpose” of their journey up to a mountaintop was to enjoy a better view of The Kingdom. What they witnessed was the power of God’s love, changing Jesus of Nazareth in such a complete and dramatic way, that, for a brief moment…they enjoyed a glimpse of the Risen, glorified, Eternal Christ…His face, shining like the sun, and His clothes white as light!

Another pilgrimage comes to mind. In fact, and very appropriately, it concludes on this Feast of the Transfiguration.

Young people from all around the world met in Portugal, for a holy purpose…World Youth Day. With Jesus Christ as both the origin and the destination of their journey, in the company of one another, they (hopefully) have enjoyed a mountaintop experience that strengthened their faith and deepened their understanding of the Incarnation.

The INCARNATION…Jesus, God’s Eternal Word made flesh, came into this world to live among us in order to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

Obviously, these young disciples can’t remain on the mountaintop forever. Today, they will come back down from the spiritual mountaintop and return to their homes. When they resume their ordinary lives, like St. Peter in our Second Reading, they will be eager to tell their stories and share their experiences. And their families and friends will listen. But while the travelers will be able to tell their stories, they really won’t be able to actually “share” what they felt in their heart of hearts during their time on the mountaintop.

We can, and definitely will, listen with interest…and look at the pictures…and read their texts and emails and Facebook postings. We will see for ourselves the excitement in their faces and take notice of the changes that have come over them. But what they’ve witnessed on the mountaintop really isn’t something that can be shared. What they can pass onto us, however, is the desire to see for ourselves what they saw.

Now, here is the Good News. We can!

We can have our own mountaintop experience, and we don’t have to leave home to enjoy it. Think about it.

What is a pilgrimage?

Isn’t it a group of people, in the company of one another…people like us, when we gather in our home parish to celebrate Eucharist?

What is a pilgrimage?

Isn’t it people like us, gathered together for a holy purpose? There is no holier purpose than to do as Jesus commanded…breaking The Bread of Life and sharing The Cup of our salvation in His memory.

What is a pilgrimage?

A pilgrimage is a journey that has Jesus Christ as both its origin and its destination…very much the same as the short journey we make from our seat to the Communion Table. And when we step forward with our hands out…we are on a mountaintop. Through the celebration of Eucharist and in the company of one another…we experience firsthand the power of God’s love…which changes us…transfigures us…so that we are better able to recognize in ourselves…and in each other…the truth that we are beloved children of our heavenly Father.

Through their pilgrimage, these young disciples were offered a view of The Kingdom of heaven. Through the Eucharist we share, that same view is available to us.