Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14
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.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
Reading 2 2 Pt 1:16-19
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.
Alleluia Mt 17:5c
R. Alleluia, alleluia.This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Lk 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and Jamesand 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.
THE TWO FACES ARE ONE
"His face changed in appearance." –Luke 9:29
Isaiah prophesied of the Messiah, the Suffering Servant: "Even as many were amazed at Him – so marred was His look beyond that of man, and His appearance beyond that of mortals" (Is 52:14). Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus' crucifixion and death. How could the severely altered face of the crucified Jesus be the face of God?
Jesus "was transfigured before their eyes and His clothes became dazzlingly white – whiter than the work of any bleacher could make them" (Mk 9:2-3). At the Transfiguration, Jesus' face was no longer emptied (see Phil 2:7) of His divine glory. His face was clearly recognizable as the face of God.
We must never look at the crucified face of Jesus without remembering His transfigured face. Jesus' cross is not a denial of His divinity but can be understood only in the light of His divinity.
We must never look at the transfigured face of Jesus without also picturing the thorn-crowned face of the crucified Christ. Jesus' crucifixion takes us into the mysterious depths of His divinity.
There is an ancient tradition which holds that the Transfiguration took place forty days before Jesus' crucifixion and death. Thus, in 1457, Pope Callistus III set the date for the feast of the transfiguration: forty days before the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, September 14. The Transfiguration and crucifixion go together. Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
| PRAYER: | Father, on this feast of the Transfiguration, plunge me into the mystery of the cross. |
| PROMISE: | "You, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods." –Ps 97:9 |
| PRAISE: | Praise the crucified, transfigured face of Jesus! |
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