O, That Beauty!

“There in their presence he was transfigured:

his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.”

–Matthew 17: 2

“O, that beauty!” (Grabe! Angganda!) That word comes out of my mouth whenever I see the person who makes my heart beat faster and the temperature of my body higher. I know that I’m not alone; you also do. Am I right? But what more if we see before us the source of Beauty himself? It will be eye-popping expressions of “O, MY GOD!” for sure.

Of course it does not end there! We do our best to know the person better. It will start from smiling at each other, acquaintance, sharing of stories, revelation of interests, friendship, intimacy and once you know each other very well it will be up to you if you want to pursue that lovely lady or gentleman who was once a wallflower. Same goes to our friends and brothers. We dig deeper to discover who they really are as we listen to them and accept them.

The transfiguration of the Lord revealed his Divine Nature to His apostles Peter, James and John. Have you asked yourselves why there are only three out of the twelve? Aside from Jesus does not want to show a lot of people whom he knows will be surprised, it is because He chooses people who would open themselves up to witness this beatific vision. He knew these three very well and so he made them witnesses. For Christ, he knew that it’s time for them to see Him not in his human flesh but in his Glorified Body as God. “O, that beauty!” [Even if those apostles cannot fully comprehend.]

We can relate to the Lord’s transfiguration in our everyday lives as well. Have you realized how you are growing as a better and nicer person? Have you discovered talents or gifts which you’ve never expected that were in you? Have you seen Jesus in every person, both rich and poor, whom you rise up for just to serve them each day? If all these, you can say “yes”, you are friends with Jesus and are witnesses of the Transfiguration yourselves because you are changing. O, my God, that Beauty!

“If you, yourselves, have realized how you are growing as a better and nicer person, have discovered your core gifts that you never expected in you, and have seen Jesus in every person, both rich and poor, to whom you rise up for to serve each day, you are friends with Jesus and are witnesses of the Transfiguration yourselves because you are changing.

O, that Beauty!”