Nebab #66 Transfiguration

 NEBAB #66

The Orthodox Tewahedo Magazine

FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION

   

The Spiritual Education Unit

Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Archdiocese of the Caribbean and Latin America


In this issue:

    1. Tabor and Hermon Rejoice in Your Name

    2. Perfect God and Perfect Man

    3. Faith and works

    4. “Ask Abba/Kes”

    5. Miracle of the Virgin Mary

    6. Children’s corner

    7.ይበል ግዕዝ 

    8. Orthodox Q&A


Tabor and Hermon Rejoice in Your Name


Psalm 89:12

The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is one of the 9 major feasts of Our Lord celebrated in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This feast falls on August 19 or Nehase 13 every year. It is a fixed feast meaning the date of this feast does not change but remains the same every year. This feast also falls within the Fast of Filseta and is a theologically rich and grounded reality of the mystery divinity and humanity of Our Lord Jesus Christ who is fully God and fully Man

We can read about this event in the book of Matthew 17:1-9


After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and
John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There
he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes
became as white as the light. 3 Just then there
appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is
good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you,
one for Moses and one for Elijah.”5 While he was still speaking, a
bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son,
whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they
fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus
came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When
they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the
mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have
seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”


Within these 9 verses the church has chosen to focus, highlight and magnify on this day the eternal sonship of Jesus Christ with the Father while remaining God in the flesh. It is a festival of the eternal light that shone as He was transfigured before his disciples, as His face shone and His clothes became white. St Jerome says that Christ's body at that point became a spiritual body.

It is clear that the three disciples saw Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the God Man in His glorified state

Previously, before, this encounter, in Matthew 16, Peter declares the truth about Jesus’ identity when he asked them “Who do men say that I am?” Peter responded “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ also spoke saying that there were some standing among them who would not taste death until they saw the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom and then Moses and Elijah appeared to them and spoke with Jesus. They came so that all people might know that He is the Lord of Moses, the One who raised Moses from the dead, and the Creator of Elijah, the one who took Elijah up and who also has authority to bring him down!

Therefore Peter said to Our Lord: “Lord, do you wish us to remain here? Let us make three shelters: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” In these words of St Peter, there is both a sign of human weakness and humility. The weakness is shown in Peter’s desire that our Lord should cease the work for which He had come down from heaven and remain on the mountain, where Peter could build Him a dwelling in which He might hide Himself.


The humility is shown in the fact that Peter did not think of building a dwelling for himself and his fellow apostles. He regarded himself and the other apostles as servants, while thinking of the prophets as masters.


We should not be surprised at the apostles’ lack of understanding, for at that time they had not yet reached spiritual perfection. When Peter spoke these words, our Lord showed him that He does not need a dwelling made by human hands.


Then a cloud overshadowed them, a voice came from the cloud, declaring the Lord’s divine authority and strengthening the faith of the apostles “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”


Moses and Elijah were also heard speaking with Him. Through His graciousness, He confirmed the prophecies they had spoken concerning His coming. By ascending the mountain, the prophets and the apostles rejoiced


On Mt Tabor, Christ's divinity was not revealed to everyone at this time but to the  disciples who were present at the transfiguration

As it is written in 2 Peter 1:16 "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of His Majesty"




Perfect God and Perfect Man

When the Apostles heard the Father’s voice, they came to understand what had previously been hidden from them: that the Son, the Word, had truly become man. At that moment, the glory of His divinity was revealed. The apostles understood that He is perfect God and perfect man; that He was the One who raised Moses from the grave and the One who had taken Elijah up and could also bring him down. For no one other than God knows the place of Moses’ grave. And no one except the Lord, who possesses authority over heaven and earth, can save the dead and raise them to life.

Mount Tabor thus became an image of the Church, for within it the Old Covenant and the New Covenant were brought together. When the Apostles heard the Father’s voice, they fell on their faces upon the ground and became as though dead. The Father bore witness to the Son, declaring that the Son existed with Him before the creation of the world. Immediately afterward, Moses returned to his grave and Elijah returned to the place from which he had been taken

 When the Apostles were awakened, they saw no one except Jesus alone. Through this, the apostles were taught that He is perfect God, united with our humanity and clothed in our flesh

Our Father St Cyril sees this part of the incarnate transaction as the key of redemption. For although God experiences suffering and death, just as he experiences all other human factors, he does not become dominated by suffering or death. It is the same with his deity as with his humanity: the conditions of the one do not wipe out the distinct realities of the other, even though there is a dynamic mutual experience passing between the two. He argued passionately that on the basis of this direct personal mutuality of experience founded on the single divine personality of the Logos who enjoyed both conditions or lifeforms, it was permissible to attribute the experiences of both natures to one and the same person always understanding that one's language referred to the incarnate condition" Whenever St Cyril insist on phrases like the Mother of God it is this wider theological construct he is invoking

This is why as has often been said, Cyril's robust defence of the title of Theotokos was at heart a christological and soteriological statement rather than a statement about Mariology per se

 If Jesus Christ were not truly man, how could the Holy Archangel St Gabriel, when announcing the good news to Our Lady, the Virgin Mary, say “The Lord is with you?” And if He were not God, how could St Gabriel say that His Kingdom would have no end?”

 We believe that without change and without division, He became one Person and one nature, perfect God and perfect man. "One Incarnate Nature of God the Word"

He is always one in being with the Father and the Holy Spirit, today, always and forever, Amen



Faith and Works: "This is My Beloved Son!"

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 
  — Matthew 17:5 (NIV)

Jesus is truly the beloved Son of the Father, united in divinity and begotten of the Father, even before the creation of the world!

List, what are the three things that you can do before the end of the fast to listen to him

1.
2.
3.


Ask Abba/Kes


What is Debre Tabor celebration all about?

First, the disciples encountered the Christ in His glorified form and heard the voice of the Father. This is an allusion to the trinitarian fellowship we will enjoy with God in heaven. Second, that fellowship is extended to the living saints, represented here by Elijah and Moses. So, although Elijah and Moses were dead in the body hundreds of years before, they are always alive in the spirit. Also, the mountain represents the Church. There are many Old Testament references that depict the Church as a mountain. Isaiah Chp 2-3. This is a message that within the Church, although on earth, the kingdom of God is accessible. Fellowship with the Holy Trinity and the heavenly Church is possible.


A Miracle of the Holy Virgin Mary



Now there was a certain monk called Damianus who dwelt in the city of Philippi, and he loved our holy Lady, the Virgin Mary, from the depth of his heart, and he served her with all his power and strength, and he kept vigil in her church by day and by night. And that monk was a scribe, and it came to pass that, as he was copying the manuscripts [cf her His tory], every time he had to make mention [of the name] of the Lady MARY he magnified her and paid honour unto her. Now he did not write her name with common water of lampblack (i.e. black ink), but he wrote it with ink made of gold and silver, and with rose coloured paint, and with divers splendid colours that were like unto them in beauty and in value. And when that scribe fell ill, and was nigh unto death, before his soul departed from his body our holy Lady, the Virgin MARY, appeared unto him, and said unto him: "O my faithful servant, art not thou he who instead of writing my name in common black ink hath done so with ink of gold and silver, and hath painted it with divers splendid colours that are like unto them in beauty and value, and hath decorated it and made it glorious with the best of thine ability? Come now with me, that thou mayest see thy name inscribed with ornamental letters upon a pillar of gold in the kingdom of heaven. Fear not death to this transitory world, for behold, I will give thee everlasting life, and the joy that never cometh to an end." And it came to pass that when she had spoken these words unto him his soul went forth from his body without pain and without suffering; and this miracle became known in all the country. 

May her prayer and the mercy of her beloved Son be with our King David for ever and ever! Amen.

For Damianus who served thee as on a high mountain with deep devotion.

Thou didst write his name upon the pillar of red gold. O shining East, O MARY, O thou Morning, Write thou my name upon thy holy garments and upon the apparel of thy Son which is sprinkled with blood. 

In the Ethiopic text the name of the scribe is given as Damianus, and he is said to have written the Virgin's name in gold, and silver, and nazward, which word I have rendered by “rosecoloured paint." In return for this devotion to her the Virgin takes him to heaven.


O Holy Virgin Mary, pray for us!


LIJOCH! The Children's Corner

Which of the disciples were with Jesus on the Mount of Tabor?

a) Adam and Eve
b) St Isaac the Patriarch
c) Peter, James and John the brother of James
d) Moses and David


ይበል:ግዕዝ (yibel Ge’ez)
Let's reclaim our forefathers’ language

Today's vocabulary word:
ተወለጠ
tewelet'e
to be transfigured

The verb ወለጠ welet'e, not to be confused with ወለተ welete - daughter, means to change, alter or transform, and can also mean to exchange or barter. መወልጥ mewelit, literally one who exchanges, is a merchant. In the passive form, the verb becomes ተወለጠ tewelet'e - to be changed or transfigured, as in ወተወለጠ ራዕዩ wetewelet'e ra'iyu His face (appearance) was transfigured.

ORTHODOX Q&A

" Did the events Debre Tabor and Debre Zeit happen at the same time?"

No. They occurred at different times. During the time of Jesus' earthly ministry, the two events happened at different stages and in different locations. Debre Tabor, the transfiguration occurred around the middle period of Christ's teaching ministry and proclamation of the Kingdom of God and Debre Zeit was where Christs taught the disciples about the end times which occurred a few days before Christ's crucifixion during the period leading up to Holy Week. Therefore, there was a significant time interval between the two historical events. The mystery of Debre Tabor occurred earlier, while the teaching associated with Debre Zeit took place shortly before the crucifixion

Send us your questions at: seu.eotccarla@gmail.com



Short message on behalf the Spiritual Education Unit:

His Grace Abune Thaddaeus, Head Administrator Archimandrite Abba Gebreyesus, and all clergy and faithful- thank you for the opportunity to share this labour of love with you. Thanks also to the team of the Spiritual Education Unit for their hard work.
-Liqe Teghuan Tekle Mariam Greene


References
CONTACT US:
Archdiocese headquarters: Medhane Alem (Saviour of the World), Old Golden Grove Rd. Arouca, Trinidad and Tobago.
Tel. 868-642-4230.
e-mail: eotc.arch.carla@gmail.com


                                                    









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