The Transfiguration is my favorite feast day because it emphasizes the Lord’s divinity and gives us a taste of Heaven. Life on Earth can get discouraging at times and the journey to Heaven is long and arduous, but on this feast day, we are reminded that the Lord calls us to live in hope because one day, it will be Him that we will see face to face.
We can never fully avoid the Cross in our human lives, but the Transfiguration reminds us that God’s glory is bigger than any of our fears, problems, and disappointments. Peter, James, and John were given a glimpse of Jesus’ heavenly glory and we can share in this moment by praying with the Scripture (see Mark 9:2–13; Matthew 17:1–13; Luke 9:28–36) and by visiting the Lord in His Real Presence in the Eucharist in Adoration. When we take the time to gaze at the Eucharist and allow ourselves to be seen by our Creator, we can absorb some of His radiance and reflect it into the parts of our lives that need His goodness.
Here are seven ways to celebrate this remarkable feast day:
Wear White //
Even though this is a simple action and only involves wearing the same color as the priests, never underestimate the small power that dressing according to liturgical colors has on your experience that day. There’s something about being in union with the priest during Mass, even if it is something as small as the color they are wearing. It helps us unite our own offerings at Mass to those that the priest is offering in the Person of Christ. And on this day, the liturgical colors actually match those of Christ in the Scripture: “And his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them” (Mark 9:3). Wearing white will help get you into the spirit of today’s feast day.
Pray the Litany of Transfiguration //
You’ve probably heard of the Litany of Humility and the Litany of Trust, but one of the best hidden gems is the Litany of Transfiguration. You can pray it at any life stage and what I love about this prayer is that it lists out each of the struggles that humans face, and after that we pray, “Let me see only Jesus.” There is a lot of noise in this world and especially in times of trial, it can be tempting to carry our crosses with ungodly self-reliance, but this prayer reminds us to fix our gaze on one Being: Jesus.
Eat Grapes //
It’s a feast day so that means food! After doing some research, I found that blessing grapes and other fruits is a common tradition that churches partake in as a form of thanksgiving. If you want to take it a step further, go all out with a charcuterie board and a bottle of fermented grapes (wine). Just make sure you don’t forget those grapes!
Pray the Luminous Mysteries //
We are invited to pray the mysteries of the Rosary, meditatively, on all days of the year, but give a little bit more attention to the fourth decade of the Luminous Mysteries today—the Transfiguration—whether that’s offering specific intentions for each bead or whatever else your heart calls you to do! (See here for How to Pray the Rosary.)
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Listen to “I Don’t Wanna Go” By Chris Renzema //
If you have not heard this song already, you should give it a listen, especially today. Specifically focus on the lyrics that sing about the Transfiguration from the perspective of Peter. One thing I love about praying with Scripture is that I can see myself in the shoes (or in this case, the feet) of the disciples. This song highlights Peter’s awe, but at the same time it demonstrates his inability to fully grasp what the Lord is trying to tell him. Haven’t we all been there?
Spend some time in nature //
Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain and that was when He intimately revealed His face to them. Christ is found everywhere, but He is especially present in the natural beauty of this earth. Go on a hike by yourself or with some friends and remind yourself that one day, it will be you that God is revealing His full face to after the long and arduous spiritual hike known as our earthly life.
Pray With The Transfiguration Moments In Your Life //
For those who do not know what a Transfiguration moment is, it is a moment in which Christ’s glory is revealed to you in a big way. For example, when I woke up from my four-hour surgery/amputation, I felt a lightness that I was not expecting to feel—lightness that I knew came from Jesus Christ—and, in my groggy state, I saw white. Christ’s glory and His love for me was fully revealed on that day of November 8, 2013, after I had my amputation. No matter how much I try to simplify or explain that moment, it does not compare to what occurred between me and God on that day. When life gets discouraging, I go back to this Transfiguration moment and remind myself that if God’s power can overcome the heartbreak of losing a leg, with Him by my side, I can overcome anything.
Patricia Valderrama hails from the big state of Texas with a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Texas at Austin (hook 'em horns). When she was a freshman in college, she started her own personal blog, All Things Patricia. It has since grown as a way for her to connect with others and share the Catholic faith from the perspective of a college student and now a young professional. She often calls herself the "biggest liturgical year B fan" and when she's not working, she's planning her next trip. She credits the friendships she made in college as the anchor for her growing deeper in her faith, especially their emphasis on the Holy Hour/Eucharistic Adoration.
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