From: Luke 9:28b-36
The Transfiguration
***********************************************************************
Commentary:
28-36. By His transfiguration Jesus strengthens His disciples’ faith, revealing a
trace of the glory His body will have after the Resurrection. He wants them to
realize that His passion will not be the end but rather the route He will take to
reach His glorification. “For a person to go straight along the road, he must have
some knowledge of the end—just as an archer will not shoot an arrow straight
unless he first sees the target [...]. This is particularly necessary if the road is
hard and rough, the going heavy, and the end delightful” (St. Thomas Aquinas,
“Summa Theologiae”, III, q. 45, a. 1).
Through the miracle of the Transfiguration Jesus shows one of the qualities of
glorified bodies—brightness, “by which the bodies of the saints shall shine like
the sun, according to the words of our Lord recorded in the Gospel of St.
Matthew: `The righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father’
(Matthew 13:43). To remove the possibility of doubt on the subject, He exemp-
lifies this in His transfiguration. This quality the Apostle (St. Paul) sometimes
calls glory, sometimes brightness: `He will change our lowly body to be like
His glorious body’ (Philippians 3:21); and again, `It is sown in dishonor, it is
raised in glory’ (1 Corinthians 15:43). Of this glory the Israelites beheld some
image in the desert, when the face of Moses, after he had enjoyed the presence
and conversation of God, shone with such luster that they could not look on it
(Exodus 34:29; 2 Corinthians 3:7). This brightness is a sort of radiance reflec-
ted by the body from the supreme happiness of the soul. It is a participation in
that bliss which the soul enjoys [...]. This quality is not common to all in the
same degree. All the bodies of the saints will be equally impassible; but the
brightness of all will not be the same, for, according to the Apostle, `There is
one glory of the sun, and another of the moon, and another glory of the stars;
for star differs from star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead’ (1
Corinthians 15:4f)” (”St. Pius V Catechism”, I, 12, 13). See also the notes on
Matthew 17:1-13; 17:5; 17:10-13; and Mark 9:2-10; 9:7.
31. “And spoke of His departure”: that is, His departure from this world, in other
words, His death. It can also be understood as meaning our Lord’s Ascension.
35. “Listen to Him!”: everything God wishes to say to mankind He has said
through Christ, now that the fullness of time has come (cf. Hebrews 1:1).
Therefore,” St. John of the Cross explains, “if any now should question God or
desire a vision or revelation, not only would he be acting foolishly but he would
be committing an offense against God, by not fixing his gaze on Christ with no
desire for any new thing. For God could reply to him in this way: `If I have spo-
ken all things to you in My Word, which is My Son, and I have no greater word,
what answer can I give you now, or what can I reveal to you that is greater than
this? Fix your eyes on Him alone, for in Him I have spoken and revealed to you
all things, and in Him you will find even more than what you ask for and desire
[...]. Hear Him, for I have no more faith to reveal, nor have I any more things to
declare’” (”Ascent of Mount Carmel”, Book 2, Chapter 22, 5).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States
|
First reading |
Daniel 7:9-10,13-14 © |
As I watched:
Thrones were set in place
and one of great age took his seat.
His robe was white as snow,
the hair of his head as pure as wool.
His throne was a blaze of flames,
its wheels were a burning fire.
A stream of fire poured out,
issuing from his presence.
A thousand thousand waited on him,
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
A court was held
and the books were opened.
And I saw, 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.
|
Psalm |
Psalm 96:1-2,5-6,9 © |
The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.
The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.
The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
For you indeed are the Lord
most high above all the earth,
exalted far above all spirits.
The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
|
Second reading |
2 Peter 1:16-19 © |
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.
So we have confirmation of what was said in prophecies; and you will be right to depend on prophecy and take it as a lamp for lighting a way through the dark until the dawn comes and the morning star rises in your minds.
|
Gospel Acclamation |
Mt17:5 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
This is my Son, the Beloved:
he enjoys my favour.
Listen to him.
Alleluia!
|
Gospel |
Luke 9:28-36 © |
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ – He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.’ And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.
““Listen to Him!”: everything God wishes to say to mankind He has said
through Christ, now that the fullness of time has come (cf. Hebrews 1:1).
Therefore,” St. John of the Cross explains, “if any now should question God or
desire a vision or revelation, not only would he be acting foolishly but he would
be committing an offense against God, by not fixing his gaze on Christ with no
desire for any new thing. For God could reply to him in this way: `If I have spo-
ken all things to you in My Word, which is My Son, and I have no greater word,
what answer can I give you now, or what can I reveal to you that is greater than
this? Fix your eyes on Him alone, for in Him I have spoken and revealed to you
all things, and in Him you will find even more than what you ask for and desire
[...]. Hear Him, for I have no more faith to reveal, nor have I any more things to
declare’” (”Ascent of Mount Carmel”, Book 2, Chapter 22, 5).”
Powerful stuff!