August 6, 2019

The Transfiguration as the Fruit of Obedience


By St. Theophan the Recluse

On the Transfiguration a voice from heaven uttered: "Only hear ye Him" (Matt. 17:5). Why is this so? Because the fruit of obedience was being shown to them. It was as if the Heavenly Father were saying: "Do you want to attain this? Hear what He will suggest and command you. If you go on His path, you will undoubtedly enter into the realm of light, which will embrace you not from without, but will come forth from within, and always keep you in a state in which all of your bones will utter: 'It is good for us to be this way.' You will be filled with the light of joy, the light of good will, the light of knowledge; all sorrows will pass by, the dissonance of the passions will disappear, falsehood and delusion will disperse. On the earth you will become heavenly; from among the earthly-born, you will become Godly-born; from amidst the perishable you will become eternally blessed. Then all will be yours, because you yourselves will become Christ’s." Those who love Christ the Lord are beloved of the heavenly Father, and Both come to them and make their abode with them. This is the light of the Transfiguration!