August 6 2024 - Transfiguration and the Cross

 Today, August 6, is the feast of the transfiguration of the Lord. But why August 6? No where in scripture are there any hints regarding the date Jesus was transfigured.

This liturgical feast is not quite as ancient as others. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, was adopted in the liturgy in about the tenth century in many dioceses, and was celebrated mostly on 6 August. In 1456, Pope Callixtus III extended the feast to the Universal Church in memory of a victory over the Ottoman Turks in Belgrade on August 6, 1456.

Many have noted that August 6 is 40 days prior to the feast of the Exultation of the Cross, which is a much older feast, going back to Constantine’s dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in 335. 

And that explanation makes sense to me, as there is a very strong theological connection between the transfiguration and the cross. 

The Transfiguration occurs in Luke’s Gospel directly after Christ calls His followers to pick up their Cross and follow Him: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.”

In St. Luke’s account of the Transfiguration, Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah about the exodus—the deliverance—that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem, namely his saving death on the cross. 

The Transfiguration cannot really be understood apart from the cross. The liturgy itself makes this connection. In the Eucharistic preface, we will hear that Jesus “revealed his glory in the presence of chosen witnesses and filled with the greatest splendor his bodily form which he shares with all humanity, that the scandal of the Cross might be removed from the hearts of his disciples”.

Not long after the Transfiguration, Christ and His Apostles had to leave the mountain in order to endure the Cross. But he provided this glimpse of glory as a consolation, to strengthen them, for the dark road ahead. 

Likewise, God provides us with beautiful consolations—even the ability to come into a beautiful church like this every week—or every day if we want—is a consolation that strengthens us. We climb the summit of the altar—to be consoled with bread from heaven—so that we might have the strength to bear our own crosses, which again, the Lord teaches us, that each of us must take up our crosses daily, or we will lose the life God desires for us.

In our sufferings, challenges, crosses, temptations and trials of faith may the hope of glory, the hope of heavenly life, sustain us, that we may merit to become coheirs with the beloved Son of the Father, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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For the Church, that she may always be a beacon of Christ's light in the world, illuminating the path of faith for all believers. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all Christians, that we may have the courage to take up our crosses daily, inspired by the glimpse of glory revealed in Christ's Transfiguration. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish community, that our participation in the Eucharist may transfigure us, giving us the strength to bear witness to Christ in our daily lives. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those facing trials and sufferings, that they may find strength and consolation in the promise of Christ's glory, just as the apostles were strengthened for the journey ahead. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have died, that they may share in the fullness of Christ's glory in heaven, which was glimpsed on Mount Tabor, especially N, for whom this mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our personal intentions, that we may offer them to God with trust, knowing that He who was transfigured before His disciples hears our prayers. (Pause for silent prayer) Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, You revealed the glory of Your Son on Mount Tabor, strengthening the disciples for the journey ahead. As we bring these petitions before You, transfigure our hearts with Your grace, that we may faithfully bear our crosses and reflect Your light in the world.

November 9 2021 - Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica - Focal Point of Faith

 The feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran is always a special feast for us here at St. Ignatius, because it is also the anniversary of the dedication of our Church. 91 years ago today, Bishop Joseph Schrembs, the fifth bishop of the diocese of Cleveland, consecrated this building as a Temple dedicated to the worship of God.

Bishop Schrembs no doubt chose this date to coincide with the feast of the dedication of John Lateran, the major basilica of Rome which is known as “the mother and head of all the churches in Rome and around the world.” 

During the first three hundred years, Christianity suffered wave after wave of violent persecution, because Christians refused to worship the false pagan gods of the Roman Empire.  As a result, throughout the empire, Christians were arrested, imprisoned, interrogated, tortured, and killed.  Because of the persecutions, Christians couldn’t risk building permanent church buildings. They would celebrate Mass in private homes or in the catacombs. 

Things changed only when Emperor Constantine, the son of St Helen, issued the Edict of Milan in 313, legalizing Christianity and bringing the age of state sponsored persecution to a close.

The first church built in this new era of Christianity was St. John Lateran.  It’s the oldest church building in the world.

After Christianity was legalized in 313, St. John Lateran was the domicile of the Pope for a 1000 years--the place from which he taught and guided the Church for a millennia. 

Throughout the centuries, St John Lateran has survived fires, earthquakes, barbarian invasions, and world wars; she is the oldest church in Europe, and in a sense is symbolic of the universal Church, who has survived schisms, heresies, corruption, and government persecution—the storms and chaos of nearly two thousand years.

We know, deep down that the Church is bigger than our buildings. After all, the Church worshiped underground for our first three hundred years, and the Church has been forced back underground in many places around the world over the centuries. We don’t need church buildings.

But they are a focal point. They symbolize our highest aspirations and God’s desire to gather his flock together. Just as this building is important for us and this neighborhood, St. John Lateran is important for the whole Church.

The Lateran Basilica stands as a reminder, of how the tiny, poor, non-military religion of Christianity withstood the force of the great Roman Empire; it reminds us of the heroic virtues of the martyrs and the grace of God that sustained them in their sufferings; that the Church will withstand all of the attacks of hell until the end of time.

And this feast reminds of us the need to continue to work for the flourishing of the faith in our own day, that to keep this building going, souls need to come here, be baptized here, encounter the Lord here. This building was constructed by hands other than ours, parishioners who would come and carve stone and wood after working 8 hours, families who mortgaged their homes to finance its construction, but now our hands, time, talent, and treasure, are required for its continued existence.

May we be faithful to all the Lord asks of us in our own day for the building up of the Church, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the purification of Holy Church, and for all Bishops and clergy, that they may always lead us in fidelity to the saving Gospel of Christ.

For the parish of St. Ignatius of Antioch on this anniversary of its dedication, for continued blessing upon the people of the parish in continuing our Gospel mission.

That the Christian faithful may continue to nurture and discover their spiritual gifts for the building up of the Church.

For those who have left the Church, for those who have grown lukewarm, for those in mortal sin, for their conversion and the conversion of all hearts.

For the healing of all those afflicted with physical, mental, emotional illness, for those in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, those struggling with addictions, for those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today.

In a special way during this month of November we pray For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.