First reading Daniel 7:9-10,13-14
His robe was white as snow
As I watched:
Thrones were set in place
and one of great age took his seat.
His robe was white as snow,
the hair of his head as pure as wool.
His throne was a blaze of flames,
its wheels were a burning fire.
A stream of fire poured out,
issuing from his presence.
A thousand thousand waited on him,
ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.
A court was held
and the books were opened.
I gazed into the visions of the night.
And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven,
one like a son of man.
He came to the one of great age
and was led into his presence.
On him was conferred sovereignty,
glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
which shall never pass away,
nor will his empire ever be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm 96(97):1-2,5-6,9
The Lord is king, most high above all the earth.
The Lord is king, let earth rejoice,
let all the coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment;
his throne, justice and right.
The mountains melt like wax
before the Lord of all the earth.
The skies proclaim his justice;
all peoples see his glory.
For you indeed are the Lord
most high above all the earth,
exalted far above all spirits.
Gospel Matthew 17:1-9
His face shone like the sun
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. 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 wish, I will make three tents 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 from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’
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Only Jesus
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, let us take a moment to listen to the voice of God the Father, who tells us, “This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.” In the Gospel, when the disciples hear the Father’s voice, they are afraid. Jesus goes to them and touches them, saying, “Stand up, do not be afraid.” They look up, and they see no one, but “only Jesus”. This is the centre of our faith: only Jesus is enough. In moments of doubt and distraction, we can find “only Jesus” by our side, and His presence is all that we need to steady us and give us courage to take the next step.
At the end, Jesus came down the mountain with His disciples, showing us that those mountaintop moments are gifts that remind us of God’s closeness to steady our hearts. Jesus leads us down to the valley where faith grows in the midst of everyday challenges like deadlines, pressures, heartaches, relationships, and struggles. It is there that He stands with us, giving us the courage to walk on with trust.
Reflective question:
What things do I get caught up in that keep me from seeing “only Jesus”?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
