It is not hard to obey
when we love
the one whom we obey.
~~Saint Ignatius
It is not hard to obey
when we love
the one whom we obey.
~~Saint Ignatius
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Lectionary: 614
Reading I
DN 7:9-10, 13-14
As I watched:
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
his throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm PS 97:1-2, 5-6, 9
R. (1a and 9a) The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.
R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.
Reading II 2 PT 1:16-19
Beloved:
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
For he received honor and glory from God the Father
when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,
"This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.
R. Alleluia
Gospel MT 17:1-9
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."
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IT’S NO ACCIDENT THAT GOD CREATED YOU FOR THIS TIME
Do you know that the Father gave you to Jesus as a gift to him? Because you’ve made Jesus your Lord and Savior, and if you desire to follow him and grow in holiness with the help of the Holy Spirit, then it’s true.
The Father has adopted you into his family and has given you to Jesus as a gift of love. How did Jesus respond? He prayed: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24 NIV).
Consider how the first apostles were a gift to Jesus: What giftedness did the Father design into them for the sake of blessing his Divine Son?
This question might not be readily answered because we tend to focus on how Jesus is a gift from the Father to us (to all humankind). And we tend to wrap giftedness up in terms of services that we render, the good deeds that we do, the talents that we utilize, and the love that we bring. However, sharing our giftedness is only half of the picture.
We are a gift.
The Father gave to Jesus the gift of close friends. Peter, James, and John were the only apostles whom Jesus took up Mount Tabor to witness his miraculous transfiguration and his divine meeting with Moses and Elijah. And they were the only ones he took with him into the Garden of Gethsemane for emotional support as he agonized over his impending crucifixion. Obviously, he treasured their friendship on a very personal level. And we know that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were other close friends.
The Father also gave to Jesus the gift of your friendship. Stop and think about that for a while. How much you love Jesus, how much you follow him, how much you adore him in the Holy Eucharist—that’s how much you are a gift to Jesus. And the Father is very pleased! The giver of the gift wants to see his gift make a difference. See it enjoyed. See it be a blessing. You know how he feels. You feel the same way when you give a present to a loved one.
There are many ways that we are a gift to Jesus. Let’s take as an example the apostles again. The Father gifted the first apostles with lives that put them in the right place at the right time to assist with the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah and the continuation of his mission afterward. You, too, were created by the Father for this time and place. It was no accident. Regardless of the circumstances of your conception, the Father gifted you with a life that is meant to be a blessing to Jesus in the world today.
Collect Prayer
O God, who in the glorious Transfiguration of your Only Begotten Son confirmed the mysteries of faith by the witness of the Fathers and wonderfully prefigured our full adoption to sonship, grant, we pray, to your servants, that, listening to the voice of your beloved Son, we may merit to become co-heirs with him. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
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God Bless You.....
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