The Transfiguration of the Lord

The Transfiguration is recorded in the Synoptic Gospels as Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where his face shines and Moses and Elijah appear. Traditionally associated with Mount Tabor in Galilee, the event reveals Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. The Father’s voice declares him the beloved Son and commands the disciples to listen to him.

The feast was celebrated in the East for centuries and was extended to the universal Latin Church by Pope Callistus III in 1457, after the Christian victory at Belgrade in 1456. Liturgically, it gives the Church a vision of glory before the scandal of the Cross. It teaches that the light of Christ does not erase suffering, but reveals the divine life hidden within the path of obedience.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, transfigure our hearts with your light and help us follow you through both glory and suffering. Amen.