Transfiguration

Feast of the Transfiguration 2021, Year B

Focus: Daniel 7:9–10, 13–14 & Mark 9:2–10

As I watched, Daniel says. So too, did Peter, James, and his brother John, watch. What did Daniel see? The Ancient One […] and His clothing was as bright as snow, and the hair on his head as white as wool. His throne was flames of fire. But this is not all. There was one like a Son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven […].

Peter, James and John saw the Father’s only Son transfigured before their eyes. And his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. That is to say, he became radiant with a heavenly glory. The radiant glory of the Ancient One, glorying in the Son of man.

Elijah appeared to them along with Moses — indeed, the court was convened and the books were opened. The books of Moses, the prophetic utterances, and the wisdom eternally begotten of the Father. Torah, Nebi’im, Ketuvim. These are the Hebrew names for the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings, the traditional three parts of the Hebrew Bible. These are completed and surpassed in the revelation of the Word made flesh.

St. Peter spoke and said to the Lord, Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. […] Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them. The word used to describe the cloud’s casting a shadow over them is found in the gospel accounts of Saints Matthew, Mark, and Luke at this moment of the Transfiguration — episkiazō. But St. Luke draws our minds toward what this cloud symbolizes using the word only at one other moment in his gospel account — the Annunciation. And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you […]. The Almighty seems to respond to St. Peter’s proposal for building tents, “Would you build me a tent to dwell in?” (cf. 2 Sam 7:5­–6), and promptly shelters them under the shade of his glory.

The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship […]. How does the Father choose to reveal this in the fullness of time? “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” As for all peoples, nations, and languages serving him, this is anticipated in the response of the three disciples who were exceedingly afraid beholding this glimpse of the glory of the Lord. What will it be like on the day of judgement when we behold our tremendous king?

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed. This is confirmed in his rising victoriously from the dead and ascending triumphantly to the right hand of the Father. This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.

This is the King of majesty whom we serve. In moments of persecution, temptation, provocation, or any darkness, we bear now in our memories this glimpse of his glory. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords.