Feast of the Transfiguration - August 6th

[Stone]

Sermon of St. Leo, Pope
Taken from here

The Lord displays His glory before chosen witnesses and makes illustrious that bodily shape which He shared with others with such splendor that His countenance shone like the sun, and His garments were white as snow. In this transfiguration the chief object was to remove the scandal of the cross from the hearts of the disciples; and to prevent their faith being disturbed at the humiliation of His voluntary passion, by revealing the excellence of His hidden dignity. But with no less foresight the foundation was laid of the hope of holy Church, that the whole body of Christ might realize with what a change it was to be endowed, and that the members might promise themselves a share in that honor which had shone forth in their head.

But to confirm the Apostles and to lead them on to all knowledge, still further instruction was conveyed by that miracle. For Moses and Elias, that is, the law and the prophets, appeared talking with the Lord; so that in the presence of these five men might most truly be fulfilled what was said: In two or three witnesses every word stands. What more stable, what more steadfast, than the word, in the proclamation of which the trumpet of the old and of the new Testament sounds forth, and the records of ancient witnesses agree with the teaching of the Gospel? For the pages of both Covenants corroborate each other; and He, whom under the veil of mysteries the types that went before had promised, is displayed clearly and manifestly by the splendor of his present glory.

The Apostle Peter, therefore, being stirred by the revelation of these mysteries, despising things worldly and scorning things earthly, was carried away by a certain excess of mind to the desire of things eternal; and, being filled with rapture at the whole vision, longed to make his abode with Jesus in the place where he was gladdened by the sight of His glory. And so also he says: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us set up here three tents, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. But to this proposal the Lord made no reply, signifying that what he asked was not indeed wicked, but irregular; since the world could not be saved except by Christ's death, and by the Lord's example in this the faithful were called upon to believe, that, although there ought not to be any doubt about the promises of happiness, yet we should understand that, amid the trials of this life, we must ask for power to endure, rather than for glory.

Homily of St. John Chrysostom
Taken from here

Since the Lord had often spoken of perils, often of His own passion, often of the death and of the slaughter of his disciples, and had laid upon them very many hard and difficult commandments; and these, indeed, were of this present life, and even now impending, while the good things were but in hope and expectation: as, for example, that they would save their life, if they should lose it; that He would come in the glory of His Father, and would render rewards: therefore, to assure them by their own eyes, and to show them what manner of glory it is, with which He is to come, He manifested and unveiled it as far as they could bear it in this present life, lest they, and especially Peter, should grieve over their own death, or over that of the Lord.

And see what He does when He had discoursed of the kingdom and of hell. When He says: he who finds his life, will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake, will find it; and again: He will render to every man according to his conduct; in these words, He indicated heaven and hell. Since therefore He had discoursed of both, He grants them a glimpse of heaven only and not of hell. To see hell would have profited the more ignorant and foolish, but since his disciples were upright and clear-sighted men enough for them to be strengthened by a sight of the better things. This also was much more seemly for Him. Yet He did not altogether pass over the other, but sometimes He set the horrors of hell as it were before their very eyes, as He did in the parable of Lazarus, and when he called to mind the one who exacted the hundred denarii from his fellow-servant.

On the Transfiguration of our Lord
by Richard Challoner, 1807

[1] And after six days Jesus taketh unto him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: [2] And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow. [3] And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with him. [4] And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. [5] And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.

[6] And the disciples hearing, fell upon their face, and were very much afraid. [7] And Jesus came and touched them: and said to them, Arise, and fear not. [8] And they lifting up their eyes saw no one but only Jesus. [9] And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the dead. -- St. Matthew 17: 1 - 9


Consider first, how our Lord taking with him Peter, James and John, brought them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them; so that "His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became white as snow." "And there appeared to them Moses and Elias, talking with Him, (concerning His decease that he should accomplish in Jerusalem,") Luke ix. 31. Now Peter being transported with the glory of this vision, cried out, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if thou wilt, let us make nere three tabernaeles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias." "And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them; and lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying; "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him," Matt. xviii. This Transfiguration of our Lord, full of lessons and instructions for us, is honoured by the Church in the festival of this day, with a particular view to the raising up the thoughts and hope of her children, in the midst of the hardships and labours of their mortal pilgrimage to the eternal repose and glory of their heavenly country, that blessed Jerusalem which the true Israelites must never forget; though constrained as yet, by a miserable captivity, to sit down and weep upon the banks of the rivers of Babylon, and lament their distance from the house of God in Sion.

Consider 2dly, in this mystery of the Transfiguration of our Lord; how wonderfully He was here pleased to confirm our faith, as well by the joint testimonies of the Law and the Prophets, bearing witness to the Gospel, represented by the glorious apparition of Moses and Elias with Christ; as by the testimony of God himself in all the three Persons, by the voice of the Father, by the glory of the Son, and by the manifestation of the Holy Ghost in the bright cloud. See how He was pleased by the same glory of this Transfiguration, to encourage all His followers, to bear with patience the afflictions, labours, crosses, and persecutions of this life, in hopes of a share in that eternal glory, of which He has given us as it were a sketch in this mystery, ever remembering that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. iv. 17, "that our present tribulations which is momentary and light, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory." But O let us take along with us that other lesson also, which we are taught by the voice of the heavenly Father, in the Transfiguration of our Lord, that the true way to a happy eternity, and to all good, is ever to hear and obey the Son of God.

Consider 3dly, how St. Peter being out of himself, with the joy of this vision, was desirous to be always in the same happy situation, and allways enjoying the like glory; and therefore he cried out, "Lord it is good for us to be here; not knowing, saith St. Luke, what he said, cn. x. 33. Because though it was inconceivably delightful to see and enjoy (though for a short time) the least glimpse of heavenly light and glory; yet as this present life was not to be the time of enjoyment, but of labours and of sufferings; and the Son of God Himself was to enter into His glory, by labours and sufferings (Luke xxiv. 26.); it was inordinate to desire here for a continuance, that which was reserved for here after: and for such only as should be entitled to it by labours and sufferings. Learn from hence, O my soul, with regard to divine consolations, and such like favours, that though thou art to receive them when given, with humility, gratitude and love, admiring the goodness and bounty of God, who is pleased thus to look down upon thee, the most unworthy of sinners: yet art thou not to set thy heart upon them, nor to be disturbed and discouraged, when they are taken away: for merit and perfection consists not in them, but in working, suffering and loving; and for the time of this mortal life, ordinarily speaking, it is far better for thee to be with thy Lord upon Mount Calvary, than upon Mount Thabor.

Conclude instead of being eager after these transitory consolations, which at the best are but as small drops of water that fall from the clouds of Heaven, to refresh us for a moment in this dry desert, through which we are now travelling; to aspire rather continually after that great overflowing river above, which gives joy without end to the City of God; and which alone is capable quenching thy thirst and satisfying thy soul.

Prayer in Honor of the Transfiguration of Our Lord

O God, Who in the glorious Transfiguration of Thine only-begotten Son didst strengthen the sacraments of faith by the testimony of the fathers, and Who didst wonderfully foreshow the perfect adoption of Thy children by a voice coming down in a shining cloud, mercifully grant that we be made co-heirs of the King of glory Himself, and grant us to be sharers in the same glory. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen


Sanctify, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gifts offered on the glorious Transfiguration of Thine only-begotten Son, and by the splendors of that very illumination cleanse us from the stains of our sins. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that with the understanding of a purified mind we may follow those sacred mysteries of Thy Son's Transfiguration which we celebrate with our solemn office. Through the same our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen