Our Holy Orthodox Church is not just a tradition we inherit — it is a living, breathing encounter with Jesus, The Truth, a radiant light shining in the confusion of our modern world. While the noise of our culture tries to distract and disconnect us with temporary pleasures and self-focused goals, the Church lovingly and boldly calls us back to what truly matters: to become radiant with the light of Christ, to become Christlike, to be transfigured!

Every August 6th, we are invited to pause and gaze with the eyes of faith on the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, a moment that offers far more than a historical memory — it offers a vision of who we are called to become.

The Mystery of the Transfiguration is not just Christ’s, but ours as well.  On Mount Tabor, Christ revealed His uncreated glory to Peter, James, and John, not to impress them, but to awaken them. And He longs to do the same for us. The Apolytikion of the feast proclaims: “You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, revealing Your glory to Your disciples as far as they could bear.”

What if we allowed ourselves to climb that mountain with Him today? What if, in a culture of screens and scrolling, we dared to pause, to be still, and experience the glory of Christ shining within our own hearts?

Saint John tells us, “This is eternal life: to know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).  Eternal life isn’t just something waiting for us after we die, it begins today in this moment! After all yesterday is gone and tomorrow is yet to come so our Lord is inviting us into this Holy relationship today. And the closer we come to Him, the more we begin to see, to see Him, to see ourselves, and to see one another with clarity and love.

The Transfiguration reveals that we were never meant to live in darkness, confusion, or fear. You and I are created in the image and likeness of God. We were meant to be radiant, not with our own strength or beauty, but with His divine light!  St. Paul reminds us: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).

That same Light that shone on the mountain dwells in you!!  Do you get that?!! Elder Thaddeus said, "We humans were created in the image of God… God’s energy, His life and light, is within us yet we don’t realize this." But it’s time to discover it, realize it and honor it. It’s time to live as people of the Light!!

Becoming Like Christ — From Photosynthesis to Theosis.  Think of how a tree transforms carbon dioxide and light into oxygen. That’s photosynthesis, the miracle of life at work. The tree does what it was created to do. In the same way, we were created to receive God’s light through prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and the beauty of the Church, and to be changed by it.

And we offer that light back to the world, through love, forgiveness, hope, and mercy. We are not passive spectators in this life. We are co-creators with God, called to be partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). That’s not poetry. That’s our calling.  Jesus said, "You are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16)

So how do we live this transfigured life in 2025, in a world overwhelmed with anxiety, division, and digital disconnection? By desiring this and making it our daily prayer and our daily practice!

• Lord, let me be open to Your grace.
• Make me an instrument of Your peace where there is hatred.
• Let me sow faith where there is doubt, hope where there is despair, and light where there is darkness.

Elder Thaddeus also reminds us that: "Our thoughts reflect our whole life. If our thoughts are peaceful, loving, kind, and pure then we will experience peace, and that peace will radiate from us." Our peace can calm a storm. Our love can heal a wound. Our light, His light in us, can change the world!!!!

Let us remember the powerful words from a sermon by St. Anastasios of Sinai:

“To be baptized is not an obligation. To go to church is not an obligation. To pray, to fast, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ — none of these are obligations. They are gifts. They are opportunities to become real, to be transfigured, to be united with God.”

"We are not required to do any of these things... these are all gifts for us...they are opportunities to change, to become whole to become real, to become transformed. They are opportunities to 'be transfigured, they are opportunities to 'become' Christ like and ‘be' united and closer to God! They are opportunities to satisfy our thirst and to return to the Garden of Eden giving us the power to live in peace...

This is not about religious duty. It is about divine opportunity. We are offered the path back to the Garden, a life of communion, healing, and peace with Jesus.

Let's make it our goal and desire to be open to God's grace! Let's make it our aim to become partakers of divine nature thirsting to become transfigured into instruments of His peace. Let us all strive to be willing to sow love when there is hatred. Let's offer faith when there is doubt. Let us demand from ourselves to be bearers of hope in the midst of despair. And finally let us shine light in the midst of the darkness?

The world needs transfigured people! This August and the rest of our life, let us climb the mountain with Christ. Let us be willing to see, to receive, and to radiate His light. Because the world doesn’t need more noise, more opinion, more distraction.

A blessed feast of the Transfiguration to you all!