On Aug. 6, 1775, Daniel O’Connell, the great 19th century Irish nationalist leader, was born. It is fitting that a man who earned the name of “the Catholic Emancipator” for wrenching some rights from the Protestant English for the Irish should have as his birthday the feast of Christ’s Transfiguration.
In Matthew 17, Peter, James, and John see Jesus transfigured, when “his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow.” Moses and Elias (Elijah) appeared to symbolize the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New. They spoke of Christ’s Passion. Then God the Father told the three Apostles, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.”
Christ revealed his glory in the Transfiguration, but He also showed us His power to clothe any earthly substance with a glorious heavenly radiance. It showed the promise of the Resurrection, and not just His Resurrection, but ours.
And that is where I bring O’Connell back in, because he believed strongly in his Catholic faith regardless of persecution and injustice. His hope in the Resurrection was so strong that he would not give it up for any earthly consideration. O’Connell also believed in political transformation, that God could take even the centuries-old oppression of Ireland and transfigure it into a free and independent government.
The Transfiguration should inspire us with faith equally strong.
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