Do we appreciate where we are right now in our life? Oftentimes, because many things are not going our way, we are tempted to be somewhere else. We want to be in another job, another relationship, another place, another community, another body, another situation, etc. We feel far from God, and we want to be where God is.

Peter was in the presence of Jesus, Elijah, and Moses. He acknowledged where he was. But in truth, “he did not know what he was saying.” His mind wasn’t aware of the Presence before him.

Perhaps the reason why we want to be somewhere else is because we are not fully aware where we are, or Who we are with. If we feel far from God, who moved? Was it Jesus who left us? Or did we leave God’s presence?

Jesus is Emmanuel, “God with us.” In good or bad times, He never leaves us. 

Go back to Jesus today. 

Boggs Burbos (boggsburbos@yahoo.com) 

reflect

“Jesus is with you even when you don’t feel His presence. He is never so close to you as He is during your spiritual battles. He is always there, close to you, encouraging you to fight your battle courageously. He is there to ward off the enemy’s blows so that you may not be hurt.” (St. Padre Pio)

Father, forgive me for being unaware of Your presence in my life. Give me spiritual eyes that are always open to see You.

Saint Hormisdas, pope, pray for us.

First Reading | Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14

Jesus Christ is the eternal King whose sovereignty shall never pass away. We are called to be servants of the King and to give the service of love. A true servant loves the one he serves. To be in the service of the King is to have the sweet freedom to care for the One we love the most. This must be true in our relationships with both God and our neighbor.

⁹ As I watched: Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; his throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. ¹⁰ 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. ¹³ 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, ¹⁴ the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship; all the peoples, nations, and language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

R: The Lord is king, the most high over all the earth.

¹ The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad. ² Clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) ⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. ⁶ The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. (R) ⁹ Because you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods. (R) 

Second Reading | 2 Peter 1:16-19

The disciples who witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus received an incredible insight into Jesus’ relationship with the Father. They knew that Jesus referred to God as His Father. What they now discovered was that God referred to Jesus as His beloved Son. We can also call God our Father, as Jesus had taught us through the prayer that He left us. But did you know that God also calls you His beloved son or daughter? You are the beloved of the Father.  

¹⁶ 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. ¹⁷ 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.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. ¹⁹ 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.

Gospel | Luke 9:28-36

The Transfiguration is an anticipation of the glorious resurrection of Jesus. It should fill us with hope and excitement as we reflect on the great victory of Jesus over the power of sin and death. However, Luke also tells us in today’s Gospel that Jesus speaks with Moses and Elijah about His “departure.” They speak about Jesus’ death. Luke tells us that like the resurrection, the cross is a part of the Christian life. We will share in Jesus’ suffering as well as His victory over sin and death.

Gospel Acclamation

This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.

²⁸ Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. ²⁹ While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. ³⁰ And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ 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. ³⁴ While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. ³⁵ Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” ³⁶ After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen. 

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 MACCABEES 13 - 14 today.

F2F

Contemporary social media talk loves abbreviations. Once upon a time, the so-called jejemon language became the standard. Words assumed new spellings, followed a different syntax, and abbreviated to keep characters to the minimum.

Today’s event may be considered as an f2f (face-to-face) encounter with God. The classic elements of a theophany of Old Testament times were there: the mountain, the changes in appearance, the refulgent and glittering clothes, the cloud, and the majestic voice from above. For a few moments, Peter, James, and John got a front-seat view of Christ the Lord being revealed for who He really was, with no less than God the Father revealing Him to them. What they had no right to, they were privileged with singular grace to see. What was meant to be realized at some point in the future, they got a foretaste and a marvelous preview.

But the preview is not the fullness of reality. The foretaste does not exhaust the totality of what is designed by God to be the glorious destiny of Christ His Son, a destiny that is ours, too—by grace, by vocation, and by the redemption He had won for us all.

Young people love to talk about making “eyeball” with each other. But genuine and deep encounters are not limited to those who can do f2f meetings. 

The most meaningful encounters I have had are with people who have no eyesight. Incapable of physically seeing me, the blind persons who valued me glowed with glee. What they missed out on for lack of physical sight, they made up for in the rapt and focused attention of love.

The Transfiguration is a deep and palpable encounter with God, f2f or not. It showed us a glimpse of Christ’s glory that is ours, too, by God’s grace.

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

When was the last time you really encountered God in love? 

Lord, thank You for showing Your face to me. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________