His Face Shone Like the Sun
- Sr. Cinthya
- Mar 31
- 1 min read
In the Gospel for the second week of Lent, we find Jesus taking Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. We hear that Jesus’ “face shone like the sun” and a voice saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” These words and imagery remind me of a hidden gem located amidst the Southern California mountains, St. Michael’s Abbey. The Abbey, located in Orange County, was recently built due to an increase in growing vocations. To celebrate the 900th anniversary of the order’s founding, on May 4, 2021, the Norbertines dedicated their new abbey church.
As the rays of the sun penetrate through the stained glass windows in the abbey, they reveal the glory and beauty of Christ Crucified. The piercing sunlight reminds us of how the words “This is my beloved Son” pierced the hearts of the disciples, causing them to fall prostrate. The Father’s words remind us that beauty is not only seen, but spoken. In other words, though Jesus was transfigured, though his face shone like the sun, it isn’t until they hear the Father proclaim Jesus as His beloved Son that the disciples fall prostrate. This detail is made ever more evident since before the Transfigured Christ, Peter states, “it is good that we are here”, but at the words of the Father, he falls prostrate.
This photograph leads me to ponder even further. If Peter had remained with John before Christ Crucified, what would he have said? Had Peter been at the crucifixion, would he have also fallen prostrate?
