Archbishop Elpidophoros of America delivered a homily on the 10th Sunday of Matthew (Apodosis of the Transfiguration) at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Whitestone, New York, on August 13, 2023.
“The connection of the Transfiguration with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is much more than a matter of numbers – although, the fact that it falls forty days before should clue us in to the mystery. The Transfiguration of our Savior upon Mount Tabor points to the Crucifixion, much in the same way that the Dormition points to the Resurrection,” the Archbishop of America said.
“It is truly a marvel of the Church’s genius. We see glory pointing to death, and death pointing to glory. The Transfiguration leads to Crucifixion, and the Dormition leads to Resurrection,” he proudly added.
Also, the Archbishop of America said: “We cannot be selective with the Gospel. Just as we cannot be selective with those we are called to love. In fact, it is the most unlovable people in our lives who need our love the most. And it is also a fact that as glorious as our Lord was on Mount Tabor, the glory of His Cross is our redemption.”
Finally, the Archbishop concluded: “As the Virgin Mother did in her Dormition, attain the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection and Eternal Life, through the grace, mercy and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is praised and glorified with His Eternal Father, and the All-Holy and Life-giving Spirit – One God, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”
Read the full homily of the Archbishop of America below:
My beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
I return once again to this wonderful parish – the Church of the Holy Cross – here at the close of the Dormition Fast, when we observe the Apodosis of the Feast of the Transfiguration.
The connection of the Transfiguration with the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is much more than a matter of numbers – although, the fact that it falls forty days before should clue us in to the mystery. The Transfiguration of our Savior upon Mount Tabor points to the Crucifixion, much in the same way that the Dormition points to the Resurrection.
In the former, the glory of the Lord shining forth in the presence of Moses and Elias, and dazzling Peter, Iakovos and John, is an assurance before His Passion and Cross, that there is purpose to His suffering and death. Therefore, the Church positions the Transfiguration in advance of the Exaltation of the Life-giving Cross. And in the latter, we behold in the Virgin’s Dormition the fruits of the Bodily Resurrection; for she becomes the first human being to share in the reality of the Anastasis.
It is truly a marvel of the Church’s genius. We see glory pointing to death, and death pointing to glory. The Transfiguration leads to Crucifixion, and the Dormition leads to Resurrection!
This, my beloved Christians, is how the Church teaches us the mysteries of the age to come. We see the glory of Mount Tabor, and yet see in the distance Golgotha. So that when you come to your Feastday – the Exaltation of the Cross – I pray you will remember the radiance of the Lord, and understand His message – one that His own Disciples struggled with. The Lord tried again and again to tell them what was to come, and its purpose. Listen again to the last sentence in the Gospel reading of today — these words come after the Lord and His Disciples had:
“The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”*
This is where today’s Gospel Reading ends. But if you look at the concluding words of this last verse, it says that the Disciples were exceedingly sad when the Lord told them of His coming sacrifice and death.
What does this reaction of the Disciples tell us about our own faith? For me, it is a constant reminder that I must embrace the entirety of the Gospel. I must always learn to appreciate how God works through our suffering to accomplish our happiness, and how God works even through death, to bring us into eternal life through the Resurrection.
My dear Christians,
We cannot be selective with the Gospel. Just as we cannot be selective with those we are called to love. In fact, it is the most unlovable people in our lives who need our love the most. And it is also a fact that as glorious as our Lord was on Mount Tabor, the glory of His Cross is our redemption.
Thus today, on this Apodosis – this “Giving Back” of the feast of the Transfiguration – as we bask in the waning glow of its glory, we look beyond this moment to behold the Holy Cross. Think of this when you gather for its Holy Exaltation. Think of the brilliant light of Tabor, and the eclipse of the Sun of Righteousness that covered the earth with darkness. One reveals. The other hides. But both sing of our redemption in Christ. And as we all know from the Church’s magnificent Pascha, the light of the Resurrection shines most brightly on the darkest night.
The light of Tabor is the same light as that of the Resurrection, for they both belong to the One Who said: “I am the light of the word!” †
May that same light burn brightly in your hearts and minds, and bring you all to the knowledge of the love of God. And, as the Virgin Mother did in her Dormition, attain the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection and Eternal Life, through the grace, mercy and love for humankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is praised and glorified with His Eternal Father, and the All-Holy and Life-giving Spirit – One God, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.
*Matthew 17:22-23
†John 8:12
Photos: Dimitrios Panagos
