From the mountaintop

The texts, today, from the Roman Catholic Lectionary present images of glory and brightness which human eyes can barely imagine. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord today.  This glorious event has been related in detail by St. Matthew (17:1-6), St. Mark (9:1-8), and St. Luke (9:28-36), while St. Peter (2 Peter 1:16-18) and St. John (1:14), two of the privileged witnesses, make allusion to it. Fr Greg Friedman, OFM, comments that Luke presents Jesus as the Prophet of God, par excellence, as Son of the Father. The passage from the seventh chapter of the Book Of Daniel introduces One like a Son of man who is given power, glory and dominion by the Father. This vision in the Book of Daniel is associated with Maccabean times. The visions describe the national crisis that occurred under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid king who persecuted and slaughtered thousands of observant Jews. The Glory of God in the visions of Daniel and in the Transfiguration of Jesus is a mountain top experience which will bolster faithful to continue to struggle through the suffering which comes from living lives faithful to our religious tradition. Peter may wish to build tents and remain in the awe of the Presence, but the Father calls the Son and His disciples to come down the mountain and continue our life journey knowing that He is Present when we arrive at our Jerusalem and find our reception is very similar to that of our Shepherd.