“Lord, it is good for us to be here…” (Matt 17:4)

Today we visited Mount Tabor where Jesus was transfigured, and we had Mass at the Basilica of the Transfiguration. The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes the transfiguration as “the mysterious event in which Jesus…was transformed in appearance…as a moment of disclosure of his divine glory.” Matt 17:1-8 describes the scene where Jesus was transfigured, and Peter, as well as the other disciples who accompanied Him, were transformed by what they witnessed up on the mountain. Peter probably had just had the best experience of his life. He was enjoying a moment of heaven as he witnessed God's glory. In seeing Jesus’ transfiguration, Peter saw Jesus’ true divinity.

Our Holy Land pilgrimage has provided us with many experiences that we all, at some point in our journey just like Peter, have experienced brief moments of God’s glory. God is so good to us that He constantly gives us a taste of His heavenly glory. For us third year men, this Holy Land experience has been full of many transformative opportunities during our visits to the holy sites. Having all these experiences, we also think of those spiritual experiences in our lives that have transformed us. Those experiences when we have felt God’s presence shining upon us. Perhaps it was a spiritual experience when we first felt God’s call or during prayer when we felt so comfortable, just like Peter, and wanted to remain there experiencing God’s glory. It is precisely in those moments when we feel peace in our hearts or that burning feeling inside us that is difficult to explain. When we are in that state of blessedness and so close to God, we do not want to go down the mountain to our normal routine. All these moments of transformation are necessary in our lives because they give us a taste of how heaven is going to be. The presence of God’s glory is the final goal of our lives.  This past month in the Holy Land, God has been showering us with countless blessings. He has been giving us new insights and preparing us with new experiences to go back to seminary and be ready for our upcoming ordinations.

We must go back down the mountain, our Holy Land experience, and we must take all these spiritual experiences into our daily lives, to the seminary community, to our family, friends and to our future ministries. Our experiences in the Holy Land, on Mount Tabor, and all the holy sites with Jesus definitely strengthen our faith. Whenever Jesus invites us up to the mountain to be closer to Him, we must have the confidence that He has something beautiful awaiting for us. Thus, if we are faithful to the teaching and guidance of Jesus, He will be faithful to us, and at the end of our journey, we will make a tent that will last forever, enjoying God’s glory.