Gospel for August 6, Feast: The Transfiguration of the Lord

Old Calendar: Transfiguration of Our Lord

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."
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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. Gal 2:9) to see his transfiguration and thereby glimpse the glory and majesty with which is holy human nature will be endowed in heaven.

The Father's testimony (v. 5), expressed in the same words as he used at Christ's baptism (cf. Mt 3: 17), reveals to the three Apostles that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the beloved Son, 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. Deut 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' (Mt 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 unwearyingly 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" (John Paul II, "Redemptor Hominis", 7).
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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. Reprinted with permission from Four Courts Press and Scepter Publishers, the U.S. publisher.