The Transfiguration of the Lord – Feast
Readings: Daniel 7:9-10,13-14; Matthew 17:1-9The Feast of the Transfiguration invites us to contemplate one of the most profound moments in the earthly life of Jesus. On the holy mountain, Peter, James, and John are granted a glimpse of the divine glory hidden beneath Christ's humanity. The One who would soon be rejected, scourged, and crucified is revealed as the eternal Son of God, the glorious Lord to whom “dominion, glory, and kingship” belong, as foretold by the prophet Daniel. Peter, overwhelmed by the beauty of the moment, wishes to remain there forever: "Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here." His generous desire to build three tents expresses our own temptation to cling to moments of consolation and to “freeze” the experience of God. Yet the Father's voice immediately redirects the disciples: “This is my beloved Son... listen to Him.” The mountain is not the final destination. It prepares them for the valley, for the Cross, and ultimately for the Resurrection. The Transfiguration stands between Peter's enthusiastic but incomplete understanding of Jesus and the full revelation of His glory in the Resurrection. It teaches us that divine glory is inseparable from the way of the Cross. God grants us moments of light not so that we may escape life's difficulties, but so that we may face them with renewed faith. Every authentic encounter with Christ strengthens us to continue following Him until the day when we too shall share in His risen glory. The Christian journey is therefore one of listening to the Son, walking faithfully through both mountain and valley, confident that beyond every cross awaits the eternal radiance of the Kingdom. Let’s reflect: When God grants me moments of light and consolation, do they strengthen me to follow Jesus faithfully through the Cross, trusting that His glory will ultimately be revealed?
Don Giorgio