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From: 2 Peter 1:16-19

The Transfiguration, an Earnest of the Second Coming

[16] For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were
eyewitnesses of His majesty. [17] For when He received honor and glory
from God the Father and the voice was borne to Him by the Majestic
Glory, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," [18] we
heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy
mountain.

Prophecy and the Second Coming

[19] And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well
to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until
the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Commentary:

16-18. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ, at which the voice of God
the Father was heard (verses 16-18), and the testimony of the Old
Testament prophets (verses 19-21) are a guarantee of the doctrine of
Christ's second coming.

"The power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ": this phrase sums up
the purpose of apostolic preaching: "power" indicates that Jesus Christ
is God and is almighty like the Father; the "coming (literally
"Parousia") means the same as His manifestation in glory at the end of
time. This is not a matter of "myth"; it will be as real as His
sojourn on this earth, of which the Apostles are "eyewitnesses". When
speaking of the Transfiguration, the sacred writer refers to the
"majesty" of Jesus Christ (an attribute which He always possesses,
because He is God) and the "voice" of the Father confirming Christ's
divine nature (cf. Matthew 17:5). The simple line of argument is that
if Jesus Christ allowed His divinity to be glimpsed just for a moment,
He will also be able to manifest it in its fullness and forever at the
end of time.

"On the holy mountain": this wording indicates that he is referring to
the transfiguration and not to the baptism of our Lord (Matthew
3:16-17). The mountain is described as "holy" because a theophany
occurred there; similarly, in the Old Testament Zion is called a
"holy mountain" because God revealed Himself there (cf. Psalm 2:6;
Isaiah 11:9).

19-21. "The prophetic word" finds its complete fulfillment in Jesus
Christ (cf. Hebrews 1:1). This does not refer to a particular
prophecy; at that time "the prophetic word" meant the messianic
prophecies or (more usually) all the Old Testament insofar as it
proclaims the enduring salvation to come.

These verses encapsulate the whole notion of biblical prophecy--its
value, interpretation and divine origin. They also show the close
connection between the Old and the New Testaments. "The books of the
Old Testament, all of them caught up into the Gospel message, attain
and show forth their full meaning in the New Testament (cf. Matthew
5:17; Luke 24:27; Romans 16:25-26; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16) and, in their
turn, shed light on it and explain it" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 16).

By reaching their fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Old Testament
prophecies confirm the truthfulness of what Jesus said and did.
Together with the Transfiguration they constitute a guarantee of the
second coming of the Lord.

The comparison of prophecy to the morning star is a very good one, for
that star is designed to bring light and announce the coming of day.
Similarly, the fullness of Revelation which begins with the earthly
life of Christ will reach its climax when He comes in glory.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 17:1-9

The Transfiguration

[1] And after six days Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John,
his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart. [2] And He was
transfigured before them, and His face shone like the sun, and His
garments became white as light. [3] And behold, there appeared to them
Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. [4] And Peter said to Jesus,
"Lord, it is well that we are here; if You wish, I will make three
booths here, one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah." [5] He
was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a
voice from the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well
pleased; listen to Him." [6] When the disciples heard this, they fell
on their faces, and were filled with awe. [7] But Jesus came and
touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." [8] And when they lifted up
their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

[9] And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them,
"Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead."

Commentary:

1-13. Realizing that His death will demoralize His disciples, Jesus
forewarns them and strengthens their faith. Not content with telling
them in advance about His death and resurrection on the third day, He
wants two of the three future pillars of the Church (cf. Galatians 2:9)
to see His transfiguration and thereby glimpse the glory and majesty
with which His holy human nature will be endowed in Heaven.

The Father's testimony (verse 5), expressed in the same words as He
used at Christ's baptism (cf. Matthew 3:17), reveals to the three
Apostles that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the beloved, God
Himself. To these words--also spoken at Christ's baptism--He adds,
"Listen to Him", as if to indicate that Jesus is also the supreme
prophet foretold by Moses (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15-18).

3. Moses and Elijah are the two most prominent representatives of the
Old Testament--the Law and the Prophets. The fact that Christ occupies
the central position points up His pre-eminence over them, and the
superiority of the New Testament over the Old.

This dazzling glimpse of divine glory is enough to send the Apostles
into a rapture; so happy are they that Peter cannot contain his desire
to prolong this experience.

5. In Christ God speaks to all men; through the Church His voice
resounds in all ages: "The Church does not cease to listen to His
words. She rereads them continually. With the greatest devotion she
reconstructs every detail of His life. These words are listened to
also by non-Christians. The life of Christ speaks, also, to many who
are not capable of repeating with Peter, `You are the Christ, the Son
of the living God' (Matthew 16:16). He, the Son of the living God,
speaks to people also as Man: it is His life that speaks, His humanity,
His fidelity to the truth, His all-embracing love. Furthermore, His
death on the Cross speaks--that is to say the inscrutable depth of His
suffering and abandonment. The Church never ceases to relive His death
on the Cross and His resurrection, which constitute the content of the
Church's daily life [...]. The Church lives His mystery, draws
unwearingly from it and continually seeks ways of bringing this mystery
of her Master and Lord to humanity--to the peoples, the nations, the
succeeding generations, and every individual human being" ([Pope] John
Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 7).