Friday 6 August 2021
The Transfiguration of the Lord. Day of penance
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14. The Lord is king, the most high over all the earth – Ps 96(97):1-2, 5-6, 9. 2 Peter 1:16-19. Mark 9:2-10.
This is my Son, the Beloved
Luminosity holds our attention. The last warm glow of the sun on the horizon. The glinting stars in a midnight sky. The flickering flame of a candle. Beautiful, wonderful, calming. We expect this earthly light and we never seem to tire of it. Jesus appears to his friends in an extraordinary way, clothing glowing white with a blinding intensity. It is a state beyond their understanding, an unexpected, confusing, even terrifying experience. Peter, masking his fear, suggests setting up tents, grasping at what feels ‘normal’ for the situation. This desire to turn away from frightening, overwhelming experiences to what is comfortable, human and familiar is relatable. The transfiguration stirs us with its strangeness, mystery and wonder. It suggests that Jesus is both human and divine. And then, amid mystery and the spectacle of dazzling light, love is spoken. This is my beloved son. Just as I stay with the wonder of sunset and stars, may I pause too in this brightest moment, this glimpse of God’s great love alive in Christ.
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