Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

In the Feast of the Transfiguration, we commemorate of the occasion Jesus Christ took three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John, up on a mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared and Jesus was transfigured, his face and clothes becoming dazzlingly bright (Mark 9:2–13; Matthew 17:1–13; Luke 9:28–36). The festival celebrates the revelation of the eternal glory of the Second Person of the Trinity, which was normally veiled during Christ’s life on earth. According to tradition, the event took place on Mount Tabor.

The first reading is from the book of Daniel (7: 9.10, 13-14).  In it we hear of  someone “coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence. On him was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship, and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants. His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed.”

In the second reading from the second letter of Peter (1:16-19) we hear Peter’s words “It was not any cleverly invented myths that we were repeating when we brought you the knowledge of the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; we had seen his majesty for ourselves. He was honoured and glorified by God the Father, when the Sublime Glory itself spoke to him and said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour’. We heard this ourselves, spoken from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain.”

There are different Gospels for Years A, B & C.  In each of the accounts we hear the story of the Transfiguration. In Year A we hear the Gospel of Matthew (17:1-9).  In Year B the Gospel is Mark (9:2-10) and in Year C it is Luke (9:28-36).  In all three accounts we hear the words of the Father “This is my Son, the Beloved.  Listen to him.”