The Theme of Transfiguration

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, invite us to contemplate the "luminous moments of revelation" on our journey and the consequence on our ministry for full life.

Transformed in Transfiguration

The Reading from the Book of Daniel presents a vision of the heavenly throne of God.

* [7:9–10] A vision of the heavenly throne of God (the Ancient of Days), who sits in judgment over the nations. Some of the details of the vision, depicting the divine majesty and omnipotence, are to be found in Ezekiel 1. Others are paralleled in 1 Enoch, a contemporary Jewish apocalypse.

* [7:13–14] One like a son of man: In contrast to the worldly kingdoms opposed to God, which are represented as grotesque beasts, the coming Kingdom of God is represented by a human figure. Scholars disagree as to whether this figure should be taken as a collective symbol for the people of God (cf. 7:27) or identified as a particular individual, e.g., the archangel Michael (cf. 12:1) or the messiah. The phrase “Son of Man” becomes a title for Jesus in the gospels, especially in passages dealing with the Second Coming (Mk 13 and parallels). (Daniel, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Second Letter of Peter recalls eyewitness testimony to Christ and the true prophetic message.

* [1:12–19] The purpose in writing is to call to mind the apostle’s witness to the truth, even as he faces the end of his life (2 Pt 1:12–15), his eyewitness testimony to Christ (1 Pt 1:16–18), and the true prophetic message (2 Pt 1:19) through the Spirit in scripture (2 Pt 1:20–21), in contrast to what false teachers are setting forth (2 Pt 2).

* [1:13] Tent: a biblical image for transitory human life (Is 38:12), here combined with a verb that suggests not folding or packing up a tent but its being discarded in death (cf. 2 Cor 5:1–4).

* [1:16] Coming: in Greek parousia, used at 2 Pt 3:4, 12 of the second coming of Christ. The word was used in the extrabiblical writings for the visitation of someone in authority; in Greek cult and Hellenistic Judaism it was used for the manifestation of the divine presence. That the apostles made known has been interpreted to refer to Jesus’ transfiguration (2 Pt 1:17) or to his entire first coming or to his future coming in power (2 Pt 3).

* [1:17] The author assures the readers of the reliability of the apostolic message (including Jesus’ power, glory, and coming; cf. note on 2 Pt 1:16) by appeal to the transfiguration of Jesus in glory (cf. Mt 17:1–8 and parallels) and by appeal to the prophetic message (2 Pt 1:19; perhaps Nm 24:17). Here, as elsewhere, the New Testament insists on continued reminders as necessary to preserve the historical facts about Jesus and the truths of the faith; cf. 2 Pt 3:1–2; 1 Cor 11:2; 15:1–3. My Son, my beloved: or, “my beloved Son.”

* [1:18] We: at Jesus’ transfiguration, referring to Peter, James, and John (Mt 17:1). (2 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 97 begins with God appearing in a storm.

* [Psalm 97] The hymn begins with God appearing in a storm, a traditional picture of some ancient Near Eastern gods (Ps 97:1–6); cf. Ps 18:8–16; Mi 1:3–4; Heb 3:3–15. Israel rejoices in the overthrowing of idol worshipers and their gods (Ps 97:7–9) and the rewarding of the faithful righteous (Ps 97:10–12). (Psalms, PSALM 97 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel Matthew presents the account of the Transfiguration.

* [17:1–8] The account of the transfiguration confirms that Jesus is the Son of God (Mt 17:5) and points to fulfillment of the prediction that he will come in his Father’s glory at the end of the age (Mt 16:27). It has been explained by some as a resurrection appearance retrojected into the time of Jesus’ ministry, but that is not probable since the account lacks many of the usual elements of the resurrection-appearance narratives. It draws upon motifs from the Old Testament and noncanonical Jewish apocalyptic literature that express the presence of the heavenly and the divine, e.g., brilliant light, white garments, and the overshadowing cloud.

* [17:1] These three disciples are also taken apart from the others by Jesus in Gethsemane (Mt 26:37). A high mountain: this has been identified with Tabor or Hermon, but probably no specific mountain was intended by the evangelist or by his Marcan source (Mk 9:2). Its meaning is theological rather than geographical, possibly recalling the revelation to Moses on Mount Sinai (Ex 24:12–18) and to Elijah at the same place (1 Kgs 19:8–18; Horeb = Sinai).

* [17:2] His face shone like the sun: this is a Matthean addition; cf. Dn 10:6. His clothes became white as light: cf. Dn 7:9, where the clothing of God appears “snow bright.” For the white garments of other heavenly beings, see Rev 4:4; 7:9; 19:14.

* [17:3] See note on Mk 9:5.

* [17:4] Three tents: the booths in which the Israelites lived during the feast of Tabernacles (cf. Jn 7:2) were meant to recall their ancestors’ dwelling in booths during the journey from Egypt to the promised land (Lv 23:39–42). The same Greek word, skēnē, here translated tents, is used in the LXX for the booths of that feast, and some scholars have suggested that there is an allusion here to that liturgical custom.

* [17:5] Cloud cast a shadow over them: see note on Mk 9:7. This is my beloved Son…listen to him: cf. Mt 3:17. The voice repeats the baptismal proclamation about Jesus, with the addition of the command listen to him. The latter is a reference to Dt 18:15 in which the Israelites are commanded to listen to the prophet like Moses whom God will raise up for them. The command to listen to Jesus is general, but in this context it probably applies particularly to the preceding predictions of his passion and resurrection (Mt 16:21) and of his coming (Mt 16:27, 28).

* [17:6–7] A Matthean addition; cf. Dn 10:9–10, 18–19. (Matthew, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jay Carney comments that the feast of the Transfiguration reminds us that God is king, and the Father has given dominion, glory, and kingship to the Son.

We cannot capture or control this reality, as Peter strives to do with his tent strategy (if only he had a smart phone – he could document everything!). But nor are we left cowering in slavish fear before Christ the Lord. Rather, Jesus reaches out, touches us, lifts us up, and echoes those most familiar words in the gospels: “Do not be afraid.” The Beloved One shows us that we too are beloved. The King has a place for each of us in a kingdom that will never end. (Carney, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Listen to Him,” by Leo the Great, 400?-461 A.D.

"A voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” I am manifested through his preaching. I am glorified through his humility. So listen to him without hesitation. He is the truth and the life. He is my strength and wisdom. "Listen to him" whom the mysteries of the law foreshadowed, of whom the mouths of the prophets sang. "Listen to him" who by his blood redeemed the world, who binds the devil and seizes his vessels, who breaks the debt of sin and the bondage of iniquity. "Listen to him" who opens the way to heaven and by the pain of the cross prepares for you the steps of ascent into his kingdom." (excerpt from Sermon 38,7) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler shares a reflection on today's Mass readings. In the passage the Ancient of Days Yahweh appears in Transcendence and Wisdom and very much of the experience of Ezekiel and Enoch is applied to the Jewish people who would receive dominion in a time of persecution. In Jesus' time “Son Of Man “ applied to Himself, referring to this and the songs of the Suffering Servant, a mysterious figure, who would die and be raised in service of the people. The Second Letter of Peter is dated to 128 CE and was not written by Peter but as if Peter had written it. In the Gospel of Matthew, Peter James and John, who accompany Him in big events are witness to the power of the transcendent Moses representing the Law and Elijah as the Prophet who is taken up in fiery chariot. “This is my Beloved Son, “Listen to Him” Why now ? Most probably the Passion was imminent and to give them the possibility of belief beyond the limits of reality. God does this for us when we are taken beyond everyday reality. Friar Jude expresses the prayer  “May God bless us with Trust in the Lord.”

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Peter 1:16-19 comments that as we read or hear the Gospel for today’s feast of the Transfiguration, know that God himself is speaking to us, as he spoke to Peter, James, and John on the mountain: “This is my beloved Son . . . ; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5).

What might the Spirit want to say to you through these readings? He may want to teach you something new or remind you of something you already know but may have lost sight of. Perhaps, as he did for Peter, he wants to show you his glory in the face of his Son. Or he may want to reassure you that you can hear him. The same Holy Spirit who inspired Peter lives in you! You can ask him to open the eyes and ears of your heart—today, tomorrow, and every day after.

“Lord, let your word come alive in me today.” (Meditation on 2 Peter 1:16-19, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Gregorio Nsomboro who relates that this is what his community lives with every day. 

With the death of innocent children, … people who have studied but live poor without jobs, people that suffer sicknesses without knowing where it comes from. Nevertheless many criminals appear increasingly successful in life.(Rohr, n.d.)

The Spirit is our guide today to the experiences that confirm for us the Presence of God in our world and the mission we have as witnesses to share love, faith, and hope with the people in our environment.

References

Carney, J. (2026, August 6). Daily Reflection August 6, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-6-2026 

Daniel, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/daniel/7?9 

Matthew, CHAPTER 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/17?1 

Meditation on 2 Peter 1:16-19. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved Aug 6, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/06/1640385/ 

Psalms, PSALM 97 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/97?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Unjust Suffering Continues. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/unjust-suffering-continues/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Listen to My Beloved Son. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Peter, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2peter/1? 

Confident Persistent Humble

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to adopt an attitude in our relationship to God that maintains our faith in seeking and receiving the most loving response to our needs.

Persist for Our Needs

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah presents the people’s return from captivity as a second exodus

* [31:2–3] Jeremiah describes the exiles of the Northern Kingdom on their way home from the nations where the Assyrians had resettled them (722/721 B.C.). The favor they discover in the wilderness is the appearance of the Lord (v. 3) coming to guide them to Jerusalem. Implicit in these verses is the presentation of the people’s return from captivity as a second exodus, a unifying theme in Second Isaiah (chaps. 40–55). (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 31 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response is also from Jeremiah 31.

h. [31:11] Is 44:23; 48:20.

i. [31:12] Is 58:11. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 31 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus heals in response to The Canaanite Woman’s Faith.

* [15:21–28] See note on Mt 8:5–13.

* [15:24] See note on Mt 10:5–6.

* [15:26] The children: the people of Israel. Dogs: see note on Mt 7:6.

* [15:28] As in the case of the cure of the centurion’s servant (Mt 8:10), Matthew ascribes Jesus’ granting the request to the woman’s great faith, a point not made equally explicit in the Marcan parallel (Mk 7:24–30). (Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Mother of the Gentiles,” by Epiphanius the Latin (late 5th century).

"After our Lord departed from the Jews, he came into the regions of Tyre and Sidon. He left the Jews behind and came to the Gentiles. Those whom he had left behind remained in ruin; those to whom he came obtained salvation in their alienation. And a woman came out of that territory and cried, saying to him, 'Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David!' O great mystery! The Lord came out from the Jews, and the woman came out from her Gentile territory. He left the Jews behind, and the woman left behind idolatry and an impious lifestyle. What they had lost, she found. The one whom they had denied in the law, she professed through her faith. This woman is the mother of the Gentiles, and she knew Christ through faith. Thus on behalf of her daughter (the Gentile people) she entreated the Lord. The daughter had been led astray by idolatry and sin and was severely possessed by a demon." (excerpt from INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 58) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler shares that the Prophet Jeremiah presents passages that are mostly a condemnation of the ways of the people of Judah. Today the theme is the opposite: God will restore the people even on the mountains of the North. This is during the Babylonial Exile and the northern region has been separated for centuries. The response of God is not vindictiveness not forgetting evil but inviting them to live in His love. A Canaanite woman petitions Jesus to heal her daughter. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus has primarily come for the lost sheep of Israel even as Jesus hints of reaching out to the Gentiles. She is clever in her response to Him after comparing her to the dogs and her cleverness moved Jesus to recognize her faith. Friar Jude recommends insistence when we pray to push and be clever to receive what we truly need.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28 challenges us to assume that Jesus was testing this woman. How did she respond? And what can we learn from her?

Seeing this woman’s humility, persistence, and confidence, Jesus replied, “Great is your faith!” and healed her daughter on the spot (Matthew 15:28).

If you ever feel God is testing you, take this Canaanite woman as your model. Persist in your prayers. Hold onto your confidence in Jesus’ love. And remain humble and open to whatever answer you receive. Jesus knows exactly what you need.

“Lord, help me to place all my trust in you!” (Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28, n.d.)

The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major is commemorated today.

Basilica of Saint Mary Major

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces one question which really matters: why do bad things happen to good people?

Rabbi Harold Kushner, through his classic exploration of the book of Job, (1935–2023) questions the common belief that God is all-powerful. Kushner describes the divine intimacy we can experience when we are released from the belief that God is responsible for our suffering:

We will be able to turn to God for things He can do to help us, instead of holding on to unrealistic expectations of Him which will never come about….

We can maintain our own self-respect and sense of goodness without having to feel that God has judged us and condemned us. We can be angry at what has happened to us, without feeling that we are angry at God. More than that, we can recognize our anger at life’s unfairness, our instinctive compassion at seeing people suffer, as coming from God who teaches us to be angry at injustice and to feel compassion for the afflicted. Instead of feeling that we are opposed to God, we can feel that our indignation is God’s anger at unfairness working through us, that when we cry out, we are still on God’s side, and He is still on ours.

Harold S. Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People (Schocken Books, 1981), (Rohr, 2025)

We celebrate the love and compassion of Christ and the truth that God offers care to all humanity as we persist in our petitions and desires to be spiritually open to the understanding that God is inviting us to Fullness of Life.

References

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 31 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/31?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15?21 

Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved Aug 5, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/05/1639922/ 

Rohr, R. (2025, September 11). Is God All Powerful? Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/is-god-all-powerful/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Great Is Your Faith! Be It Done for You as You Desire. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/