Prayer Transfigures, Prayer Transforms

Homily of His Eminence, Pablo Virgilio S. Cardinal David, D.D.

Bishop of Kalookan and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines

Cardinal-Priest of Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo

August 05, 2025| Vigil Mass of the Solemnity of the Lord’s Transfiguration

The Lord's Transfiguration Parish, Angeles City

“How good it is to be here.” That is what St. Peter said to Jesus, when he saw the Lord, transfigured.

“How good it is that we are here.” That is how I feel this evening; but I assure you that I will not propose to build three tenths. It is not necessary with such a beautiful church.

Prologue

Do you know? Today is a very special feast for me. Well, this is a Vigil Mass. So, this is already actually part of the Fiesta for August 6. Father Deo Galang invited me to celebrate Mass for the Fiesta, and I felt very sorry that I could not make it for the Fiesta. Because I've committed to the Santa Clara, the Poor Clare Sisters Monastery in Betis; but I was hoping that he would ask or request me again. I am glad he requested me again. He said, “What about a Vigil Mass?” Then I immediately said “yes.” I did not explain to him why I was really eager to celebrate Mass with you.

Well, transfiguration is a special feast for me, not just liturgically, but personally. As you know already, last December, the late Holy Father, Pope Francis, assigned me to be a titular Cardinal-Priest of a small but beautiful church in Rome. Did you know the name of that church? The Church of the Transfiguration (Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo).

So, I said, “If Father Deo invites me at the Transfiguration Parish Church, I will declare your Church to be the Sister Church of the Transfiguration Church in Rome.”

I will be leaving for Rome again on October 17, in order to be installed in the Transfiguration Church in Rome as their Titular Bishop on October 19. I'll be joining the Jubilee for Synodal Teams, and we will be having our meeting again with Pope Leo, in the Global Synodal Council

Did you also know that August 6 is also memorable, because it is the day when the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, August 6, 1945? It's a different kind of transfiguration. It was a disfiguration. That for a moment, we saw humanity at its worst—100,000 people instantly were decimated. So, on the day of Transfiguration, we should be able to say, “Never, ever again.”

Entering a Meaningful Conversation

There is something beautifully Filipino about the word “pakikipag-usap”. It does not just mean “talking”, but “entering into a meaningful conversation.” That is what the Gospel today (Luke 9:28b-36) is really about. Jesus is going up to the mountain to pray, according to Saint Luke. While He was praying, His face was changed, His clothes became dazzling white, and suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared, talking with Him. They are having a conversation.

The story of the Transfiguration is found in the three gospels: Matthew (17:1-8); Mark (9:2-8); and Luke, but Luke tells the story differently. St. Luke alone recorded the subject of their conversation. “They were speaking about His exodus, which He was going to accomplish in Jerusalem” (verse 31). 

Exodus. That is a very powerful word for the Jewish people. It means liberation, their way out from slavery in Egypt. Now, Jesus is discerning His own exodus, His journey through suffering, death, and resurrection, for the fulfillment of His mission of redemption for all humankind. He is praying all throughout that experience on Mount Tabor. He was in a deep conversation with His Father, with the help of the Scriptures. That is the reason why He was conversing with Moses and Elijah. 

Minsan binibiro ako ni Father Deo sa aming mga kwentuhan sa Men of Light. Ang sabi niya, kapag daw kinukwento ko ang mga Biblical characters, para daw bang buddy-buddy ko lang sila. Well, ginagaya ko lang naman ang ating Master, si Jesus, kapag binabasa Niya ang Book of the Law and the Book of the Prophets, parang buddy-buddy Niya sina Moses at Elijah. That only means that while He was praying, He was seeking guidance from the Scriptures, trying to understand God's will.

I am sure that when you come to Church, that is what you want to accomplish. That is why you are attentive when the Word of God is being proclaimed to you. I often say in different congregations, that when the priest stands on the ambo, what is important is not what he says, but what God wanted to say, through him. Because on this ambo, there is only one word that must be proclaimed: God’s Word. What we elaborate should be God’s word.

It is a very humbling experience because we are aware that we are mere human beings, and we know only human language. That is why we need to pray, so that what we say will really be God’s word. So that we can also facilitate your own conversations with God.

I am sure, maraming beses nakikipag-usap din kayo kay God. In order to understand yung mga pangyayari sa buhay ninyo. Iyon ang silbi ng Salita ng Diyos—to give light to the many things that you are struggling with in your daily lives. Kasi, ‘yun ang prayer.

I know, when you pray, you talk to God; but the more important thing in prayer is not just talking to God. It is listening to God. Before you talk, you listen; and whatever you say to God should be in response to what you hear God speaking, what He is saying to you.

May nagsabi sa akin, sabi niya, “Cardinal, hindi ba ang prayer, parang monologue din yan? Sabi ko, “Alam mo ba ang ibig sabihin ng monologue? Ang monologue ay kausapin mo ang sarili mo. Let me see, kapag nagdadasal ka ba, sarili mo lang ang kausap mo?” Napatahimik siya. If you don't believe that God is a real person, if you think God is only a figment of your imagination, talagang nagmo-monologue ka lang sa pagdarasal. Prayer is a dialogue. It involves a lot of listening and discerning, and entering into a relationship, a covenant with God.

Well, what about the disciples? Do you remember in Luke 11:1-13, this is the Gospel a few Sundays ago [on the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time]. The disciples were observing Jesus while He was praying. One time they waited for Him to finish praying, then one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…” Maybe they were attracted because while He was praying, something is happening to Him, that something beautiful was happening to Him.

Well, kayo rin. You probably don't notice it. Na kayo rin, when you learn to pray, something beautiful happens to you. Minsan hindi kayo ang makapapansin, kung ‘di yung asawa n’yo, anak n’yo, mga kamag-anak n’yo, and they’ll say, “Akala ko ba marami kang problema? Mukhang payapang-payapa naman ang mukha mo.” Well, it's because you pray. Something beautiful happens to prayerful people.

Peter, James and John

Peter, James and John, they were very sleepy. Lika many of us do. Don't worry. It’s okay, when sometimes we fall asleep while praying, but try your best to keep awake. The Transfiguration story is like a different version of the Gethsemane story. Because Peter, James, and John were also with Jesus, and Jesus was saying to them, “Would you please stay awake with me?” (Mk. 14:34). Did they stay awake? No, they fell asleep. This time, on Mt. Tabor, they managed to stay awake, and just in time to witness His glory. They saw the glory of the resurrection. Then, Peter was so overwhelmed. He did not know what to say. Ganito tuloy ang nasabi niya, “How good it is to be here.”

I'm sure many, many times you've felt like saying, “How good it is to be here.” Parang yung sa song, “How lovely is your dwelling place. Oh, Lord God of hosts.” “How good it is to be here.”

Pero ang sabi niya, “Dito nalang tayo.” “Let us build three tents. One for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Then the Lord covered them with a cloud. It was the Lord's way of saying, “If you do not know what you are saying, shut up.” Kapag masyado tayong, madaldal sa dasal natin, at hindi na tayo marunong makinig sa kalooban ng Diyos, tatakpan din ng ulap ng Panginoon ang ating kamalayan. Sometimes the Lord also wants to say, “Shut up.”

When you pray, you don't have to do anything.

What is most important is that you are there, present.

The intention is good but it’s wrong. They do not want Jesus’ prayer to be disturbed by Moses and Elijah. That is why they did not say, “Lord, let us build one tent.” Rather, they said, “Let us build three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” If Jesus enters one of the tents, then Moses to another tent, and Elijah to another, how can they have a conversation? We call that kind of proposal a “conversation stopper”. He misunderstood it all. What is important is the conversation that builds communion and bonding. It's very important.

Importance of Conversation in the Family

Sa panahon natin ngayon, minsan, may mga pamilya na hindi na kumakain nang sama-sama. Paano tayo magbo-bonding as a family? Hindi lahat ng pinagsama-sama sa ilalim ng isang bubong ay nagiging pamilya. Kapag naging tau-tauhan tayo sa isa’t-isa, you don’t have a family. Lalo na kapag kailangan pang i-text [o i-chat] para kumain. Tapos sasabihin niya, “Nand’yan na ako.” Bababa siya, kukuha ng pagkain, tapos kakainin sa kwarto. Ano ba yan? How do you become family, if you cannot relish the spiritual food of your bonding?

Hindi naman lahat ng pagkain, ay ‘yung pagkain lang na pinapasok sa tiyan. Your conversation is spiritual food also. Kaya ‘wag tayong magkakanya-kanya. Please, kung minsan, magkakasama na, nakasindi pa yung television. Ang focus doon sa TV, not to each other. No time to listen to one another's stories.

We will not be transfigured, if we isolate or alienate from each other. When there are no more shared stories, no more shared meals, there will be no more conversations as well.

Spiritual Conversation

Kaya nga pinauso ni Pope Francis ang “Conversations in the Spirit”. Yan ang pinakadiwa ng synodality. That we can enter into meaningful conversations in the light of the Word of God. Then we can build consensus, points of convergence around common decisions, after listening not just to each other, but listening to the Holy Spirit speaking through each other.

Mahalagang makinig sa isa’t-isa, pero mas mahalagang makinig sa Espirito Santong nagsasalita sa pamamagitan din ng isa’t-isa. Huwag kayong maniniwala na ang pari, siya lang pwedeng magsalita ng Salita ng Dios. You received the same Holy Spirit at baptism. That's why it's important that your nourishment is not just coming from us. You have to learn to nourish each other also, by allowing the same Holy Spirit that you received, to speak through you.

So, I know, you know, we risk the same mistake in spiritual life. May mga taong magsasabing, “Bakit pa ako magsisimba, eh pwede naman akong magdasal nalang sa bahay. Sa kwarto ko nalang.” Minsan ang attitude pa nila ay “Ayoko ngang didisplay-display lang doon.” Well, if your real motive is to display yourself there, that is wrong. Why would you think that the people who come to church, dumidisplay lang? Not necessarily.

Christian prayer is not meant to isolate us from each other. It is meant to unite us. First of all, with God, and also with one another.

Ang nakikipagkaisa sa Diyos sa panalangin, ay sabay na natututo rin na makipagkaisa sa bayan ng Diyos sa pagsamba.

Prayer Transfigures, Prayer Transforms

In prayer, the message of God is only this (thunder strikes*): “You are my beloved child.” “You are my beloved child.” That is faith. It all starts when you learn how much God loves you. Because you cannot love God unless you believe that God loves you; and your love for God is only your response to God’s love for you. That's the essence of prayer. Transformation happens, and you probably don't even realize it. Prayer transfigures. Prayer transforms you.

While receiving the Word of God, many things are changing in your mind, in your heart, in your soul; When you receive Communion, you don't digest the Lord. You don't change the substance of the Body of Christ. When you eat the Body of Christ, Christ changes you. Pwede mo bang tanggapin ang Panginoon nang walang nagbabago sa pagkatao mo? He will transform you to become part of His Body, the Church, the community of disciples, participant in the life of Christ, and in the mission of Christ.

Conclusion and Final Exhortation

I do hope and pray, especially now that you're celebrating the fiesta, the Feast of the Lord's Transfiguration, that you get used to listening to the voice of God. After the voice fades, the cloud lifts, and Moses and Elijah are not there anymore, but only Jesus remains, because in Jesus, both the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled.

This is the invitation of this Feast of the Transfiguration: that we learn to enter into conversations with God and with each other. Let your prayers be more than just words. Let it be an occasion to enter into a meaningful, personal, intimate relationship. Let it transform not just your mood, but your mind, your will, your heart, your soul, your whole life, your family, society, and the whole world.

Kapag natutunan natin ang ganitong panalangin: ang making, ang magnilay, ang kumilatis, ang makipag-usap, I tell you, gaganda ang pakatao Ninyo. Hindi man kuminang ang ating mga mukha, kikislap naman ang ating mga puso sa pananampalataya, sa pag-asa, at sa pag-ibig.

Amen?

Transcribed by Joel V. Ocampo

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*Literally, thunder strikes at this moment, as heavy rain showers with lightning and strong winds cast over Pampanga.