Transfiguration and Assumption: Offering Hope of Our Eschatological Glory in Heaven

August can be a good month to reflect on our eschatological hope in our resurrection that Jesus has promised (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54), described in detail by Paul (1 Corinthians 15:35-58), because of the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on August 6 and the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15.  You also notice that Sunday Gospel readings begin to have an eschatological theme, signaling that this liturgical year is drawing near to its end.

The Transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:1-13//Mark 9:2-13//Luke 9:28-36) took place after he told his disciples about carrying the cross and self-denial as necessary conditions for the discipleship because Peter strongly protested a prospect of Christ’s death (i.e. Matthew 15:21-28). It is to show Peter, James, and John what Jesus meant by his words in Matthew 16:27, “For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done”. The brightness of the Transfiguration is the glory of the Father descending upon Christ, His beloved Son, on Mt. Tabor, eschatologically reflected in Matthew 24:30 and Revelation 19:11-12, ultimately leading into the glory in Revelation 21:19, 23, and 22:5. This glory that the Transfiguration gives a glimpse of is the glory not only of the Resurrection of Christ but the very glory that we are called to share at the eschaton as the ultimate reward of enduring all the tribulations because of our steadfast faith.  It is, indeed, our saintly glory at the end. 

The Assumption of Mary, on the other hand, offers an assurance of our eschatological hope that the Transfiguration of the Lord gives. It is because Mary represents us, the humans, as our mother upon Christ’s Crucifixion (John 19:27), and her entire body and soul were completely assumed into heaven to be reunited with her Son, Jesus Christ, and to be crowned as the Queen of Heaven and the Queen of All Saints, as well. For this reason, we hope that we are all be like Mary at her glorious Assumption when we are raised from the dead, clothed with the imperishable body (1 Corinthians 15:50-55) to be reunited with Christ and his mother, Mary, and All Saints. In the meantime, on earth, we are in communion with Christ and all the Saints, including Mary, and angels.  For this, Christ has offered his body and blood in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at Mass. 

Mary is the Saint above all the Saints in heaven. Thus, in heaven, she is the Queen of All Saints. Thus, she is the object of hyperdulia so that she can intercede for us, as Our Lady of Perpetual Help, on our spiritual Exodus from this world into heaven, while all other Saints can also intercede for us. Because Mary is also the Mother of the Church, as St. John Paul VI addressed in Signum Magnum (1967), we, as the Church, as well as the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27), her glorious Assumption into heaven assures us of our presence in the eschatological glory of the heavenly matrimony of Christ and the Church (Revelation 19:7-9, 21:1-2). Remember, we are always with our Mother, Mary, to remain united with her Son, Jesus, whether we are on earth or in heaven. After all, the Father in heaven, has brought His beloved and only begotten Son, Christ, to us, through Mary the Immaculate Conception.