Transfiguration Readings
Transfiguration of Our Lord
2Corinthians 3:717
A Reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
Father, give your blessing.
Pause for the blessing, then read:
Brothers and Sisters:
If the ministry of death, chiseled in letters on stone tablets, came in glory so
that the people of Israel could not gaze at Moses’ face because of the glory
of his face, a glory now set aside, how much more will the ministry of the
Spirit come in glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation,
much more does the ministry of justification abound in glory! Indeed, what
once had glory has lost its glory because of the greater glory; for if what
was set aside came through glory, much more has the permanent come in
glory! Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not
like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from
gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds
were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the
old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.
Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their
minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is
the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Mark 9:17
From the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
who proclaimed life to the world. Let us listen to the proclamation of
life and salvation for our souls.
“Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not
taste death until they see that the kingdom of God has
come with power.” Six days later, Jesus took with him
Peter and James and John, and led them up a high
mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured
before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such
as no one on earth could bleach them. And there
appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with
Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us
to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one
for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to
say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed
them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my
Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
This is the truth. Peace be with you.
The Prayer of the Faithful, vol. III
Ramsho – Opening Prayer
Lord God,
on this evening of the feast of your Transfiguaration on the mountain,
grant us to spend this day of salvation with purity of heart
and with praise on our lips.
May our actions be pure,
and may we live with you and for you in this world and the next.
We shall glorify the life-giving Trinity,
now and for ever.
Amen.
Meditation on the Tenth Week of Pentecost – The Transfiguration of the Lord
In our Gospel reading today we see that some of the Apostles are allowed to witness
the glory of Christ on the mount of Transfiguration. The Syriac Father Jacob of Serug
devoted one of his theological poems to this event, entitled The Transfiguration of Our
Lord on Mount Tabor and on Moses and Elijah, Who Were Conversing with Him. He
writes:
Now why was it necessary for these servants of the King to come
to talk to him? How and why did they come?
He (Jesus) wanted to join to the first the second to make them equal
that the Gospel mingle with the Torah and prevail on earth.
He wanted to assign the keys of Moses to John
to allow him (John) to write “in the beginning” spiritually.
The son of Amram is substituted by the son of Zebedee that he too become
a great scribe for the hidden mysteries of the Godhead.
He gave the power that Elijah had to Simon
that he “loose and bind” in a divine manner like a steward.
He joined to the followers of Moses those of Simon
to make the latter together with the former worthy of his message.
He wanted to change stewards. Therefore, he summoned them
that the old [stewards] give the keys to the young [stewards].
He wanted to honor those who properly labored with him
and give to the others an exalted position and work of righteousness.
He relieved Moses, put John to work,
set free Elijah and summoned Simon to “loose and bind”.
He wanted to confirm his New Testament.
Thus, he summoned his Father’s old servants that they subscribe [it].
He called the apostles and summoned the prophets, [thus] making them equal
to manifest the one teaching of truth to the whole world.
He mingled the latter with the former that the earth be aware
that he is the Lord of both the last and first [stewards].
He summoned the wisest, choicest, and most exalted [figures] from the Old Testament
that they witness to the teaching of the New Testament.
He wanted to retire the law that was in the hand of Moses,
so he called him that he entrust the truth to Simon and then leave.
Beautifully Jacob describes this event as the passing of “the keys” of authority from
Moses and Elijah to Peter and the Apostles of Jesus. In the Transfiguration the work
of Moses and Elijah is honored but it is also done, now is the final age and the totality
of truth for which they had laboured and awaited, and now the keys are given to
the Apostolic Church to proclaim the glory of Jesus Christ and the salvation won by
him.