August 6, 2026
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Lectionary: 614
Reading 1
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.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1a and 9a) The Lord is king, the Most High over
all the earth.
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
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.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080626.cfm
The Transfiguration of the Lord
(Note: The Transfiguration of the Lord commemorates an
event in the life of Jesus as recorded by the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark
and Luke. It is not recorded in John’s Gospel. It is also referred to in the
Second Letter of Peter, which is used as an alternate weekday reading or as the
Second Reading on a Sunday. One each of the three Gospel versions is read
according to the Liturgical cycle of Years A, B, and C. The three versions are
very similar, so this single reflection is given to cover all three years.)
Commentary on Daniel
7:9-10,13-14 or 2 Peter 1:16-19; Matthew 17:1-9 (Year A); Mark 9:2-10 (Year B);
Luke 9:28-36 (Year C)
In all three Synoptic Gospels the story of the
Transfiguration occurs in the same context, and that context is significant.
Today’s verses are in the middle of the Gospel account and things have been
building up to a climax. A previous reading describes how, as the disciples
spend more time with Jesus, as they hear what he is saying and see what he is
doing, they must have been asking, “Who is this Rabbi to whom we have attached
ourselves; who is this Jesus?” Strangely, the answer comes from their own
mouths.
One day, when Jesus was with them, he asked them:
Who do people say that the Son of Man is? (Matt
16:13)
Jesus was using this strange title of himself. Based on what
they must have been hearing from people around them, they said there were
various speculative answers—John the Baptist (resurrected from the dead),
Elijah (ditto) or some other of the prophets.
Jesus then pressed them further:
But who do you say that I am? (Luke 9:20)
It is then that Peter speaks up:
You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matt
16:16)
It was a peak moment in their relationship with Jesus, and
an exciting one. How their imaginations must have begun to work on what it
meant to be so closely associated with the Messiah, the King who would be the
Saviour and Liberator of Israel! What glories and privileges awaited them as
his disciples!
But almost immediately, Jesus begins to speak in a very
different way. For the first time (it will happen three times altogether), he
tells them what his future is going to be. And it must have come as a terrible
shock. Jesus told them he was going to suffer greatly, be rejected by the
leaders of their own people, be killed and then rise again after three days.
They could not believe their ears. How could this happen to the Messiah? How
could their own leaders do such a thing? And what would it mean for the
dazzling future they saw dangling before their eyes?
The impetuous Peter immediately stepped forward. He cried:
God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.
(Matt 16:22)
He can hardly have expected the reaction of Jesus:
Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not
on divine things but on human things. (Mark 8:33)
And while they are recovering from this, Jesus continues by
saying that not only will he himself suffer, but if they want to be his
disciples, they will have to be ready to walk the same road:
If any wish to come after me, let them deny themselves
and take up their cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)
It is after this depressing situation of disillusionment and
incomprehension that today’s reading describing the Transfiguration takes
place. We are told that six days later (eight days in Luke) Jesus took Peter,
James and his brother John up a high mountain by themselves. The identity of
the mountain is not given and it is not important. In the Scriptures, mountains
are holy places and special things always happen there—we think for instance of
Mount Sinai (Moses), Mount Carmel (Elijah), the Sermon on the Mountain, the
Feeding of the 5,000, and Calvary (Golgotha), a hill outside Jerusalem.
There before them, Jesus is suddenly transformed and is
dazzlingly bright. They can hardly look on him. Suddenly there appear with him
Moses and Elijah. They represent the whole Jewish tradition of the Law and the
Prophets. They are seen talking with Jesus. The message is clear. They fully
endorse what Jesus is doing and saying and the future he has foretold about
himself.
Peter becomes utterly confused. He suggests the building of
three shelters—one each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. As Mark comments:
He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.
(Mark 9:6)
But that was not all. Just then, a cloud came down and
covered them. This was not just a change in the weather. To the biblical mind
it spoke of only one thing—the presence of Yahweh himself. And then out of the
cloud came a voice; it could only be the voice of One Being:
This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased;
listen to him! (Matt 17:5)
Here now is the supreme endorsement of the Son by his
Father. “Listen to him!” Yes, listen, even when he says things that you don’t
like, things that you do not yet understand. It is a confirmation of all that
has gone on before—the real identity of who Jesus is and the reliability of
everything that he says will happen to him and what is expected of them.
It is a special moment of encouragement which will help
carry them through the difficult days ahead. They already have the answer to
the question, “Who is Jesus?” But now they have to learn the answer to a more
important question, “What kind of Messiah is Jesus going to be?” They will not
fully accept that until after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus when they
will boldly continue his mission and not hesitate to carry their cross in doing
so.
Let us follow in their footsteps. That is where true
happiness and fulfilment lie.
The First Reading (from the Book of Daniel) records a vision
that Daniel had of God in glory and it echoes the scene that is described in
the Gospel:
…an Ancient One took his throne;
his clothing was white as snow
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames,
and its wheels were burning fire.
The alternate First Reading (or the Second Reading in some
countries) is from the Second Letter of Peter in which he says he and his
companions are not dispensing clever myths, but rather he claims to be a
first-hand witness of the glory that was behind Jesus. Referring to the
Transfiguration experience, he says they had been “eyewitnesses of his
majesty”. He and his companions heard the words of confirmation coming from God
in his glory:
This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him! (Luke
9:35)
Peter says that they heard:
…this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on
the holy mountain.
Hence, the message that he and his companions are now
proclaiming is “completely reliable” and we should take it very seriously. Because,
he says in a lovely phrase, this message is:
…a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and
the morning star rises in your hearts.
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Thursday,
August 6, 2026
Transfiguration of the Lord
Opening Prayer
Father of everlasting goodness,
our origin and guide, be close to us and hear the prayers of all who praise
you.
Forgive our sins and restore us to life.
Keep us safe in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Reading - Matthew 17: 1-9
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his
brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There in their
presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes
became as dazzling as light. And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them;
they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. 'Lord,' he said, 'it is
wonderful for us to be here; if you want me to, I will make three shelters
here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He was still speaking
when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the
cloud there came a voice which said, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my
favor. Listen to him.'
When they
heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus
came up and touched them, saying, 'Stand up, do not be afraid.' And when they
raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus. As they came down from the
mountain Jesus gave them this order, 'Tell no one about this vision until the
Son of man has risen from the dead.'
Reflection
Today is the Feast of the
Transfiguration of Jesus. The Transfiguration takes place after the first
announcement of the Death of Jesus (Mt 16: 21). This announcement disturbs the
head of the Disciples, especially Peter (Mt 16: 22-23). They were living among
the poor, but the head was lost in the dominating ideology of that time. They
were expecting a glorious Messiah. The cross was an impediment to believe in
Jesus. The Transfiguration, where Jesus appears glorious on the top of the
mountain, was for them a help to overcome the trauma of the Cross and to
discover the true Messiah in Jesus. But even with this, many years afterwards,
when the Good News was already diffused in Asia Minor and in Greece, the Cross
continued to be for the Jews and for the gentiles a great impediment to accept
Jesus as Messiah. “The Cross is foolishness and scandal!”, as it was said (1 Co
1: 23). One of the greatest efforts of the first Christians was to help people
to become aware that the cross was not a scandal, nor foolishness, but rather
the most beautiful and strongest expression of the wisdom of God (1 Co 1:
22-31). Today’s Gospel contributes to this effort. It shows that Jesus saw
realized the prophecy and that the Cross was the way to Glory. There is no
other way.
•
Matthew 17: 1-3: Jesus changes aspect. Jesus goes up to the top of the mountain.
Luke adds that he goes there to pray (Lk 9: 28). There, on the top of the
mountain, Jesus appears in the glory, before Peter, James and John. Together
with Jesus Moses and Elijah also appear. The high mountain evokes Mount Sinai,
where, in the past, God had manifested his will to the people, giving them the
Tables of the Law. The white clothes recall Moses who was radiant with light
when he was speaking with God on the Mountain and received the Law from God,
(Ex 34: 29-35). Elijah and Moses, the two maximum authorities of the Old
Testament, speak with Jesus. Moses represents the Law, Elijah, the prophecy.
Luke tells us that the conversation was on the “Exodus” (the death) of Jesus in
Jerusalem (Lk 9: 31). Thus, it is clear that the Old Testament, that is the Law
as well as the Prophets, already taught that for the Messiah, the way to Glory
had to go through the Cross. There is no other way.
•
Matthew 17: 4: It pleases Peter, but he does not understand. It pleases Peter and
he wants to stop that pleasant moment on the Mountain. He offers himself to
build three tents. Mark says that Peter was afraid, and did not know what he
was saying (Mk 9: 6), and Luke adds that the Disciples were sleepy (Lk 9: 32).
They were like we are: it is difficult for them to understand the Cross!
•
Matthew 17: 5-8: The voice from Heaven clarifies the facts. When Jesus is enveloped
by the glory, there was a voice from Heaven which said: “This is my Son, the Beloved, he enjoys my favor. Listen to Him”. The
expression “Beloved son” evokes the person of the Messiah Servant, announced by
the Prophet Isaiah (cf. Is 42: 1). The expression “Listen to Him” evokes the prophecy which promised the coming of a
new Moses (cf. Dt 18: 15). In Jesus the prophecies of the Old Testament are
being fulfilled, the disciples can no longer doubt. Jesus is truly the glorious Messiah and the way to arrive
to the glory passes through the cross, according to everything announced in the
prophecy of the Messiah Servant (Is 53: 3-9). The glory of the Transfiguration
proves this. Moses and Elijah confirm it. The Father guarantees it. Jesus
accepts it. Before everything which was taking place the Disciples are afraid
and fall on their faces. Jesus gets close to them, touches them and says: “Stand up, do not be afraid”. The
Disciples raised their eyes and saw only Jesus and nobody else. From now on,
Jesus is the only revelation of God for us! Jesus, and he alone, is the key to
be able to understand Scripture and Life.
•
Matthew 17: 9: To know how to keep silence. Jesus asks the disciples to tell no
one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. Mark says
that they did not know what it meant to rise from the dead (Mk 9: 10). In fact,
the one who does not join suffering to the resurrection will not understand the
significance of the Cross. The Cross of Jesus is the proof that life is
stronger than death. The full understanding of the following of Jesus is not
obtained by theoretical instruction, but by practical commitment, walking with him along the road of service,
of Galilee until Jerusalem.
Personal Questions
•
Has your faith in Jesus given you some moment of
transfiguration and of profound joy? How have these moments of joy given you
strength in difficult moments?
•
Today, how can you transfigure both your
personal and your family life, and the community life of your neighborhood?
Concluding Prayer
The mountains melt like wax, before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his saving justice, all nations see his
glory. (Ps 97: 5-6)
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