Last week we saw that Jesus was tempted just like the rest of us are.

It was so human.

This week we will see him transfigured into dazzling light.

Not so human. More like a heavenly display. Which is the real Jesus? There are two Ignatian insights that shed light on this question and on Sunday’s readings.

First, sometimes in the spiritual life there is a flash of the future that gets displayed in the present. Example: some years ago your author was walking somewhat sadly along the streets of his neighborhood, unable to sleep, but wishing that he could still believe in God in a significant way. Suddenly without warning he found his insides coming out of him, so to speak, and he said out loud, Oh God, Oh Jesus, I love you. Who knows how long this experience lasted—maybe ten seconds or ten minutes—but suddenly it was over. he was back to his ordinary state, wishing he could know and love God better!

If you can envision that, you might see that your author had experienced a transfiguration. His usual and in this case, dull, fearful approach to the Father and the Son was transformed, transfigured, showing what was really there, but which he was not at that point able to receive fully. Why not? I do not know. It is just that we human beings have to wait and be stretched before we are ready to see God in a more personal way. But, lest we become discouraged and give up, God might give us a short vision of how things really are, at their core.

So insight number one is, sometimes God will give a person a sneak preview of what the relationship to him is really like, but the preview is only temporary because it is more than the person can realize for long

This Sunday’s feast of the Transfiguration provides a glimpse of how Jesus is unified with the God of the Trinity. Of course the second person was always unified with the Trinity and became human at the same time. But it was for Jesus a preview because the resurrection and glorification had not taken place yet. He and we have to wait.

Second, when a graced view occurs, you and I want very much to hang on to the gift because it is so wonderful. We tend to forget about the giver, who is the main point. We become attached to the feel-good part. Maybe that is why Jesus says in today’s reading, “do not tell this experience to anyone.” He does not want the transfiguration to be a carnival attraction (“hey, look how white his clothes are! Incredible!”). It is a “prefiguring” of the risen Jesus.

Our love relationship with Jesus/God is what counts, and particular feelings act as symbols of it. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Not “get a big kick out of it”). Look for the relation. Let everything else lead to it.

To summarize: one, sometimes God gives us glimpses of our relationship with Jesus that are too much for us, but that can encourage us. The Transfiguration may have been one of these for the two apostles. The purpose of the glimpse is to keep them or us involved in the relationship, to let those involved glimpse the real Jesus, not just to give them an individual thrill.

So, don't give up. Let us follow Lent along step by step. The encouragement this Sunday is great.