FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:

When the renaissance artist Raphael walked into the newly painted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, it took his breath away. Michelangelo had created a masterpiece of human genius through the stroke of a brush. Never before had man brought into being such astonishing beauty on a large scale.  Raphael was utterly amazed, he felt embarrassed by his own painting he had just finished in what is now in the Vatican Museum. Yet, Raphael was no slouch himself. He is arguably one of the greatest painters of all time. Michelangelo was a freak of nature. What these Renaissance artists strived to do was capture the beauty of Catholic teaching through paint and sculptured stone. They sought to bring spiritual truths to the senses of our eyes, touch, smell, and ears. They wanted to follow the logic of Jesus’ own Incarnation, where the invisible God took on our human flesh, in order that we may see him.

In April, 1520, Raphael was lying on his deathbed. He knew that the end of his life was near. It is here at the moment the Christian teaching about life after death, comes to the forefront of one’s mind. Let’s be honest, death can be terrifying. It’s the great unknown. For Raphael the same fear must have struck him to his bones as he laid on that bed waiting for the final sleep. It was then that he asked for one of the paintings he made a few years prior to brought into his room. Out of all the paintings he made over his career, he specifically asked for the one entitled “The Transfiguration”. It depicts the famous scene that we will hear about in this Sunday’s Gospel: “Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.” (Cf. Matthew 17:1-2)

Here at this moment, Jesus removes the veil from their eyes and reveals his true identity. Jesus is truly God in the flesh. If Jesus is truly God, then suddenly every word that comes from his mouth must be taken seriously. We cannot simply blow them off because they are inconvenient for us to hear. If Jesus is truly God, I must faithfully follow him in all his commandments, for he tells us directly in the Gospel of John, “If you love Me, keep My commandments … He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me … If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (Cf. John 14:15-24). I want to be with Jesus forever. How can anything else compare to him? Why would I choose something else?

If Jesus is indeed God, then I know I am made for eternal life in Heaven. Life is short here and is over in a flash of light, even if I live to be 100 years old. My heart must belong to him, not to the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. If I take the divinity of Jesus to heart, I must be reminded of this every single day, otherwise I will easily become distracted by the world. Raphael, the great artist, knew this. That is why he wanted that painting in his room to be the last thing he saw with his earthly eyes. 

A Servant of Jesus Christ,

Fr. Brian J. Soliven