Reading 1
Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
As I watched:
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
his throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Reading 2
2 Pt 1:16-19
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
“This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Gospel
Lk 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up a mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.
Meditation: 2 Peter 1:16-19
The Transfiguration of the Lord
He received honor and glory from God the Father. (2 Peter 1:17)
Suppose you had been around to hear Peter tell the story of Jesus’ transfiguration. Wouldn’t you want all the colorful details that we read in Mark, Luke, and Matthew? Wouldn’t you expect even more inside information—like maybe what Moses looked like or what Elijah said? But here Peter focuses only on the voice from heaven that said: “This is my beloved Son.” What a disappointment!
We have to remember why Peter wrote this letter. He wanted to exhort believers to persevere in their faith, and he knew that simply recounting spectacular events from the past was insufficient. Peter sought to highlight who Jesus is, not necessarily all the wonders he performed. What’s more, the voice that Peter heard didn’t say: “Hey, look at what my Son can do!” No, God simply said that he loved his Son and was pleased with him. In other words, the relationship was more important than the miracles.
Why was God so pleased with his Son? Because Jesus was completely faithful to his mission. He let nothing—not the disciples’ misunderstanding, not the opposition of some Pharisees, not even the occasionally misguided accolades of his simple followers—deter him from proclaiming the gospel. He even knew what lay ahead of him—not just persecution but even death— and still he held firm. He surely had a sense of how much easier his life could be if he were to water down his message. But he couldn’t stand the thought of turning away from his Father or abandoning us.
This kind of devotion moved his Father deeply. And so on the Mount of Transfiguration, he gave Jesus a glimpse of the glory that awaited him—the glory, in fact, that awaits everyone who strives to remain faithful to God.
Today’s feast urges us, then, to hold fast to the Lord and to the calling he has given us. It tells us that there is something more important than spectacular miracles—our relationship with the Lord. Today, may we all hear God say to us: “You are my beloved child. I am glad to call you my own.”
“Lord, show me your glory! Let me hear your voice in my heart today, so that I can become more like you.”
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