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Reflection on this Sunday's scripture readings
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Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14 Psalm 97 2 Peter 1: 16-19 Mark 9:2-10
The first reading of today's feast is from the 2nd century book of Daniel which was a message of hope to those whose religious life had been threatened by the pagan and Greek superpowers around Israel. Using imagery reminiscent of earlier Old Testament theophanies, the author paints a picture of the court of heaven. The son of man who appears to Daniel is not a real individual but a figure of speech. The term came to refer to the messianic king.
IThe episode of the Transfiguration of the Lord is very mysterious. Jesus' clothes were dazzlingly bright. Moses and Elijah, the greatest law giver and the one who would usher in the messianic age, were with Jesus. The voice from the cloud announced God's close relationship with him. In Jewish thought the cloud signified the presence of God and the coming of the Messiah. The disciples did not connect a messianic figure with suffering and death but this is what Jesus asked them to understand. .
Imagine you are with Jesus on the mountain and listen to God's words. St Peter, one of the witnesses of the transfiguration, advises us to be attentive to the voice from heaven as one is attentive to a lamp shining in a dark place. Who is Jesus for you? Is he a beacon of light in your darkness?
Ponder on the event. Can you experience the morning star rising in your heart? Can you see the glory of God in the midst of your own suffering and the suffering in the troubled parts of the world? Is it a sign of hope for you?