Aug 6 2020 Reflection

Thursday 6 August 2020

First Reading: DN 7:9-10, 13-14
Responsorial Psalm:
The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
PS 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
Second Reading: 2 PT 1:16-19
Gospel Reading: MT 17:1-9

Today’s Note: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Gospel Reading:

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.”

Reflection:

We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven. (2 Peter 1:18)

Think of the number of times a court case has been won because of compelling eyewitness testimony. Or think about how someone’s personal story about their faith has stirred your own faith. Clearly, eyewitnesses carry a lot of weight!

In today’s second reading, Peter offers his eyewitness testimony about the Transfiguration so that his readers could deepen their belief that Jesus Christ is Lord. It wasn’t a “cleverly devised myth,” he assures them. No, Peter was there in person and saw Jesus, a flesh-and-blood person himself, appear in “majestic glory” on Mount Tabor (2 Peter 1:16, 17). 

Though Jesus isn’t with us in the same way he was with Peter, he is still revealing his glory to his people today—and you have experienced this reality. Every time you see the priest lifting up the Host at Mass, you are witnessing Jesus’ glory. Every time you hear the priest in Confession say, “I absolve you of your sins,” you are experiencing it. Every time you witness a child, or an adult for that matter, being baptized, Jesus’ glory shines through. It doesn’t usually involve flashing lights or a full-out vision of Elijah and Moses. It’s a veiled glory, but it’s just as real nonetheless. 

And that means that like Peter, you have a story to tell, a story of faith and a story of encounter with the Lord during Mass or Confession. That story could stir someone else to seek the Lord more deeply. 

So maybe you could observe this feast of the Transfiguration by recalling a situation in which you felt moved by God’s presence or his glory. Revisit that situation in your memory and ask if there’s anyone you could share it with. Maybe a friend or family member who has fallen away from the faith could be uplifted.

We won’t see the transfigured Christ until the day when we meet him face-to-face. But isn’t it amazing that day after day, Jesus continues to reveal his glory through the sacraments? 

“Jesus, open my eyes and help me to see your glory today!”