by: The Workshop Team, August 7, 2025
The gospel reading for our reflection today is taken from the Feast of the Transfiguration that can be found in Luke 9:28-36 at https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%209%3A28-36&version=NIV
The Transfiguration of the Lord not only gave the 3 apostles who were with him in Mt. Tabor a glimpse of his Divine nature, but also gave us a sneak peek of the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship. Salvation is just the beginning, and discipleship (life of discipline) is not an end in itself, but a road leading to a greater goal. Let us briefly review the 3 important stages of the process. The 3 "Trans" of the spiritual life. We will leave the 4th "Trans" for another reflective entry: Transition to the After-life.
𝟭. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻- this starts with our conscious decision to leave our old life and make a 180-degree turn around resolution to live a life in the Spirit and with Christ as the center of our life. This cannot be done by human effort alone, but by the 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱. Forgiveness is an act of Mercy and the provision of Grace by our Creator. Only through his power can we be transformed into a newly born soul (John 3:3; Romans 3:24). Transformation is a Divine intervention, but it works gradually. We may still be living in the same context, but we see things from a new light. The Holy Spirit initially reconnected us to Christ and provided us with a renewed mind as a tool to begin our spiritual journey towards our transfiguration (Romans 12:2).
𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗺𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻- this stage is the 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 and the part we have to work for in the deal. We have to work hard to maintain the initial connection with Christ as the Lord of our lives. However, simply attending Sunday worship, receiving the Holy Eucharist, and warming the church pews will not cut it; as Christ himself instructed us, they help us achieve eternal life (John 6:54), but it is not the "be all and end all" of our spiritual journey. There should be a conscious effort on our part to avoid sin and follow His commandments and directly hear his words (John 15:26). Transmutation is changing the essence of our bodies from a sinful state to a holy state (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Our body includes our emotions and our minds that should be purified and made holy little by little (1 John 5:4; Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 1:3-4; Hebrews 12:14; 1 John 3:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). This can be done by deep prayer, contemplation, and worship. A renewed emotions and mind will bring about new habits and behavior that are pleasing to God, and loving & serving our neighbors will be easier (John 13:34-35). But the good news is we are not alone in this sanctification process. Christ sent us a helper, the Holy Spirit to guide us along the way (John 14:16); and that is if we will allow the Spirit to make our lives his workshop (Titus 3:5; 2 Thess. 2:13).
𝟯. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻- This is the final goal of our journey, and the outcome of the transformative (justification) and transmutative (sanctification) process. This is the stage when we become - 𝗢𝗻𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁 (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 8: 29 –30; Genesis 1:26-27). Salvation is not the end goal, but is just the beginning. Being children of God, we can share His Divinity and likeness, and we will be made perfect through His Grace (Matthew 5:48; Hebrews 10:14; John 10:30-35; Psalm 82:6).
To recap the reflection, Transformation is a Grace coming from the Lord to reconnect us to Him and turn us 180* from our old life to our new spiritual life with Christ. Transmutation is doing our part to maintain that connection and turn our gross animal or sinful self by purifying it and making it holy for the Lord's use. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀. Transfiguration is transfiguring our nature into a Divine nature, that is, being in the image and likeness of Christ, the ultimate goal of Christian discipleship.
Thanks be to the Lord Christ.