From the Friars: Listen to Him

There is a very important prophecy in Deuteronomy where Moses says: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, … him you shall heed.” (Dt 18:15) Hence the Jewish people were expecting a prophet like Moses to appear. When the Jews sent priests and Levites to find out about John the Baptist they asked him, “’Are you the prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’” (Jn 1:21) On Pentecost, St. Peter quotes this prophecy as being fulfilled in Jesus. (Acts 3:22)

St. Matthew in his Gospel especially shows Our Lord to be the new Moses. There are many clear parallels. They were both threatened with death by tyrants during their infancy and saved by a family member. Both fled into exile and were called back to their birthplace. Both spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness. The sermon on the mount clearly depicts Jesus as fulfilling the role of the great patriarch, proclaiming the law of the new covenant as Moses had done on Mount Sinai.

In the Transfiguration that we celebrate today, Our Lord is glorified and hears the voice of the Father in a similar but surpassing way as Moses had experienced on Mount Sinai. Moses’ presence at this great miracle and the words, “listen to him,” seal the clarity of the fulfillment of the great prophecy. This is indeed the new Moses that all must heed and follow. How amazing and mysterious it is that God has written the entire story of Salvation History, but it unfolds in time by the actions of free and rational creatures.

Let us heed the words of the Father. Each day we should be listening attentively to His Beloved Son in prayer. His words are pure truth and light to guide and shape our lives. How appropriate that St. John Paul II made the Transfiguration the fourth Luminous Mystery of the Rosary.

His face shown like the sun because Jesus is truly the new Moses, the Light of the World.

God bless you.
— Fr. Peter