Introduction
The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord commemorates the moment when Jesus, in the presence of Peter, James, and John, was revealed in radiant glory on a high mountain. This revelation manifested his divine nature and foreshadowed his Resurrection, offering the disciples a glimpse of the eternal glory of the Son of God as the Second Person of the Trinity.
The event is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36) and recalled in the Second Letter of Peter (1:16-21).
The feast takes its name from the scriptural testimony: “He was transfigured before them” (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2).
1st Reading – Daniel 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.
In our gospel reading, Mark tells us that Jesus “charged [his disciples] not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”
This passage from Daniel reveals the origin of this title: the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, to whom are given dominion, glory, and kingship.
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.
Daniel is describing a vision of the heavenly court, the first of his apocalyptic visions. Like all apocalyptic writing, it speaks in symbols meant to unveil divine realities. The vision centers on two figures: the Ancient One and one like a Son of Man.
The “Ancient One” signifies God Himself: eternal, all-wise, and sovereign. His white clothing reflects purity and glory; his white hair denotes timeless wisdom. His fiery throne recalls the divine presence revealed in fire (Exodus 19:18) and echoes Ezekiel’s vision of God’s chariot (Ezekiel 1:15-21).
A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat;
The stream of fire flowing from the throne signifies the radiance of God’s holiness and the power of his judgment.
thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The vast multitude of attendants evokes the angelic hosts who serve God ceaselessly (Psalm 103:20-21; Revelation 5:11).
God is not a solitary ruler, but the Lord of heaven’s armies, surrounded by worship and service.
The court was convened and the books were opened.
This is the scene of judgment. The books contain all the actions of humankind (Exodus 32:32, Jeremiah 17:1, Malachi 3:16, Psalm 56:8, Revelation 20:12).
Nothing is hidden from God’s sight; all will be weighed in his justice.
As the visions during the night continued,
Visions and dreams were thought to be avenues of divine revelation. The seer is on earth, but the vision itself takes place in heaven.
I saw: One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven;
The title “Son of Man” (Aramaic: bar enash) literally means “a human being.” Yet this figure is more than human: he comes “on the clouds,” a symbol of divine presence (Exodus 13:21, 19:9; Matthew 17:5). He has been raised up by God while also sharing the human condition.
In Daniel, the Son of Man represents the vindication of God’s holy people (Daniel 7:27); however, the Church interprets this vision as ultimately pointing to Christ himself.
when he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him,
He is presented before God in the manner of courtly decorum, where one would not simply approach a ruler but would be presented by an attendant.
He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him.
The mysterious figure is invested with universal and everlasting kingship, ruler over the entire universe.
The authority and dominion belonging to other nations are handed over to him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Unlike other kingdoms that rise and fall, this kingdom will last forever. Note that this dominion was not attained by military conquest or political alliance, but rather was granted by God.
When Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, he is alluding to this passage of Daniel. He is acknowledging that he is the expected Messiah, the one whom God has sent to save the people.
2nd Reading – 2 Peter 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.
In today’s second reading, Saint Peter recalls the Transfiguration as a moment he personally witnessed — a powerful confirmation of Jesus’ divine glory.
Beloved: We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
The “power and coming” refers to Christ’s return in glory at the end of time, i.e. the parousia.
Some in the early Church dismissed such a future event as impossible, mere myth.
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Peter appeals to his firsthand experience of the Transfiguration.
The Greek word megaleiótōs (“majesty”) expresses the awe-inspiring manifestation of divine glory that Peter, James, and John witnessed.
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.
On the mountain, the apostles not only saw Christ transfigured but heard the Father’s own testimony to His Son.
At the time, they did not grasp its full meaning; only after the Resurrection did they understand the Transfiguration as a foretaste of Christ’s final glory, assuring believers that the same Lord will indeed return in majesty.
Because we, like the audience of this letter, live after the resurrection, we understand the meaning of the Transfiguration: Jesus is the Son of Man, the king over all the earth. Every nation on earth should adore him.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
Peter offers a second proof: Scripture itself.
The prophetic writings of Israel foretold the Messiah’s coming and remain trustworthy as the inspired Word of God.
You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
Prophecy serves as light in the darkness — steady guidance through trial and doubt.
Even if one doubts the eyewitness testimony, they should at least accept the reliability of these sacred words.
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Two vivid metaphors describe the parousia of the Lord, both portraying it as light breaking into darkness: The dawning of the day (the eschatological day of fulfillment) and the rising of the morning star.
The image of the morning star recalls the messianic prophecy spoken by the Moabite prophet Balaam: “A star shall come out of Jacob” (Numbers 24:17). The early Christian community understood this prophecy to be fulfilled in Christ, who declares: “I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16).
Thus, Scripture itself affirms the truth of the Gospel, assuring us that the Lord’s promised return is not myth but certain hope.
Gospel – Luke 9:28b-36
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.
In today’s gospel reading, the divine glory of Jesus is revealed in his Transfiguration, confirming his identity as the Son of God.
This occurred about one year before Jesus’ crucifixion. He has fed the five thousand, walked on water, delivered the Bread of Life discourse, and Peter has made his revelation at Caesarea Philippi: “You are the Christ.”
Jesus took Peter, John, and James
This was Jesus’ inner circle of disciples. As usual, Peter is named first.
and went up the mountain to pray.
Luke does not name the mountain, but in Scripture, mountains are often the setting for divine revelation. Moses and Elijah — who will soon appear — each encountered God on a mountain.
While he was praying
In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus prays before significant events: choosing the Twelve (6:12), Peter’s confession (9:18), teaching on prayer (11:1), and his agony in Gethsemane (22:41).
his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
It was during this prayer that Jesus was transfigured both from the inside (his face) and on the outside (his clothes).
Luke describes his clothing with the rare word exastrapton, meaning “flashing like lightning,” used only here in Scripture.
This brightness is one of the qualities of glorified bodies. A parallel can be found in Exodus 34:29, when Moses’ face shone so brilliantly after speaking with God that the Israelites could not look directly at him. Jesus also spoke of glory represented as brightness in Matthew’s gospel: Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43).
Unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke avoids the term metamorphōthē (“transfigured”), perhaps because of its frequent use in pagan theology. Instead, he employs an equivalent phrase: to eidos tou prosopou heteron, literally “the fashion of his countenance was another thing from what it had been.”
Pope St. Pius V explained the nature of this radiance: “This brightness is a sort of radiance reflected by the body from the supreme happiness of the soul. It is a participation in that bliss which the soul enjoys” (Catechism of the Council of Trent, I, 12, 13).
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
These two men represent the law and the prophets, respectively: the sweep of God’s unfolding plan as found in the Israelite religious tradition.
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Luke is the only gospel writer to tell us the subject of their conversation: Jesus’ exodus — his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension.
The word “exodus” is, of course, an allusion to God’s mighty intervention on Israel’s behalf when he liberated them from slavery in Egypt.
Notice how Jesus is not going to endure this exodus; he is going to accomplish it. It is not an accident of history but the Father’s will.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
The episode may have occurred at night, when the disciples would have been drowsy and/or weary. This would be consistent with the reference in Luke 9:37, “the next day,” which immediately follows the account.
Or it may be that the disciples had failed to keep watch and should have been joining Jesus in prayer, as later in Gethsemane. Regardless, they miss the opportunity of seeing the transfiguration as it happens; they only see Jesus and his visitors in their glorified state.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Peter wishes to prolong the moment. He offers to construct three tents as dwellings for the three men.
But he did not know what he was saying.
Luke tells us of Peter’s misperception, but not exactly what the misperception was. Perhaps it was naivete on Peter’s part in thinking that a glorified saint in heaven would have any interest in occupying a humble tent on earth.
Some commentators suggest that his misunderstanding was placing Moses and Elijah on equal footing with Jesus — an error about to be corrected.
While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
The cloud signifies God’s presence, as in the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and temple (2 Chronicles 5:14).
The disciples’ fear is the awe of being enveloped in divine glory. After all, in 2 Chronicles 5:14, when the divine cloud filled the temple, the priests could not stand to minister.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son;
Echoing the baptism of Jesus (Luke 3:22) and Isaiah’s Servant (Isaiah 42:1), the Father proclaims Jesus’ divine Sonship.
Jesus is vastly superior to Moses and Elijah — he is the Son of the living God.
listen to him.”
The voice not only authenticates Jesus’ identity but also commands obedience to his teaching, however difficult it may be.
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
Moses and Elijah vanish; only Jesus remains. The Law and the Prophets give way to the fullness of revelation in Christ.
They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.
Peter, James, and John reported this experience to no one at the time because they did not understand it themselves.
Only after the Resurrection would they grasp its meaning: the Transfiguration had been given to strengthen them for the scandal of the Cross, revealing that Christ’s suffering and shameful death would not be the end, but the very path to his glorification. In seeing the glory that lay beyond the Passion, they would be able to face the dark hours of Calvary with hope.
This vision also prepared them to bear their own crosses. When persecution, trial, and even martyrdom came, they could remember the glory they had glimpsed on the mountain and trust that those who share in Christ’s sufferings will also share in his glory.
“For a person to go straight along the road, he must have some knowledge of the end — just as an archer will not shoot an arrow straight unless he first sees the target […]. This is particularly necessary if the road is hard and brought, the going heavy, and the end delightful” (Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, 3, 45, 1).
Connections and Themes
In the midst of Ordinary Time, we are invited to join Peter, James, and John as they behold the Transfiguration of Christ. This dazzling spectacle offered a mere glimpse of the divine glory that lies beyond all human understanding.
The Transfiguration. The Transfiguration of Christ was not a transformation into something new, but a revelation of what had always been true. In a single, awe-filled moment, the divine glory Jesus had always possessed broke through his humanity and shone with a blinding brilliance. Nothing could prepare the apostles for this experience, and there was no way to describe it except with cosmic imagery. The brightest light flashed forth from his countenance, like the birth of a new star. His hair, his garments, everything about him shone like the sun. Moses and Elijah stood as witnesses to his glory, and the voice of God confirmed his divinity. No wonder the apostles fell to the ground — undone by the weight of glory.
Crowned in glory. The brilliance revealed in the Transfiguration was not only breathtaking, it was prophetic. Long before the apostles climbed the mountain, the prophet Daniel saw “one like a Son of Man” receiving dominion and glory from the Ancient One. That vision finds fulfillment in Jesus, whose shining face and radiant garments unveil the majesty Daniel foretold. Years later, Peter would recall the moment not as a dream or myth, but as the moment he stood witness to divine glory breaking into the world. This mountaintop revelation is not just about what the disciples saw; it is about who Christ truly is: the Son of God, radiant in splendor, reigning with power and authority that is eternal.
The voice and the light. In The Transfiguration, the disciples are not just shown who Jesus is; they are called to follow him. From the cloud, the voice of the Father breaks through: “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” Amid dazzling light and heavenly visitors, it is this command that remains. The road ahead will soon lead down the mountain and toward the cross, but the memory of this radiant moment will endure. As Peter later wrote in our second reading, the apostles were eyewitnesses to Christ’s majesty — a light shining in a dark place. And for us, too, this glimpse of glory becomes a lamp for the journey, a reminder that even when the way is shadowed, the voice of Christ still speaks and his light still leads.
Sunday Readings 