“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him” – Mark 9:7

The Gospel verse today comes from Mark’s recounting of the Transfiguration of Christ. Mark describes the Transfiguration as a literal metamorphosis, a “going beyond the form that he had.” Bishop Robert Barron uses Paul’s language to speak of the Transfiguration as “the knowledge of the glory of God on the face of Jesus Christ.” In and through his humble humanity, his divinity shines forth. The proximity of his divinity in no way compromises the integrity of his humanity but instead makes it shine in greater beauty. This is the New Testament version of the burning bush. The Jesus who is both divine and human is the Jesus who is evangelically compelling. If Jesus is only divine, he doesn’t touch us; if he is only human, he can’t save us. Jesus’ splendor consists of the coming together of his two natures.

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