THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD

1st Reading    Daniel 7:9-10. 13-14

Psalm            Ps. 97: 1-2. 5-6.9 (R. cf. 1a. 9a) 

2nd Reading   2 Peter 1: 16-19

Gospel              Matthew 17: 1b-9

Happy feast day. We celebrate the Transfiguration of the Lord. This particular feast recounts Jesus' encounter with Moses and Elijah. This event helps us to remember Jesus' revelation of his Glory to his Apostles; Peter, James and John. The event, in a joyful setting, amazed the apostles to the extent that Peter suggested the erection of three tents. 

Clearly, the Gospel mentions a mountain. The mention of a mountain as a place for divine encounter is not new to us. We remember Moses going up the mountain to receive the law (cf. Exodus 24: 12).  The Psalmist also draws our attention to the fact that God possesses “the heights of the mountains” (cf. Psalm 95: 4). The Ark of Noah is also recorded to have rested on the mountains of Ararat (cf. Gen. 8: 4). Jesus is also spoken about as withdrawing sometimes to the mountains to pray (cf. Luke 6:12).We understand mountain as a place of refuge when Jesus in Mt. 24:16 said “then those in Judea must flee to the mountains”.

Today we receive a liturgical invitation from the Gospel and are reminded of our responsibility to commune with the Lord on the mountains of the sacred liturgy. Through it, the work of our redemption is accomplished (S. C. 2 )

As the Document on the Sacred Liturgy reiterate, it is “the [source] and summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed” (S. C. 10 ). Whatever we do is geared toward and obtains its strength from that sacred mountain, that singular place where we encounter the Divine.

In an era where many are denied access to the celebration of the Holy Mass either by political reasons or by the pandemic, we pray for God's intervention so that the gates to this divine mountain may be opened to God's people.

It is imperative that all who attend the Holy Mass, the avenue in which they encounter the Divine face of Christ, are to spread the Good News of this divine encounter with God, through his Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit to others. We become disciples who are strengthened to assist in the duty of saving the world so as to bring all to this sacred mountain to experience what we have tasted. Hence, Ite (go forth).  

Today, we pray for an end to whatever restricts us from attending the Holy Mass, from climbing that sacred mountain of our spiritual life in order to encounter the Divine. We also pray for the rekindling of the missionary zeal.

Pax et Bonum