“This Is My Beloved Son, With Whom I Am Well Pleased; Listen To Him”

Awhile back, the angels asked me to dedicate Sundays to the Gospels. With Love and Gratitude, here is the Gospel of Matthew 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

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Jesus had taken Peter , James and John to strengthen their faith for what was to come. In this reading, Jesus leads the three disciples to a mountain, which at the time was a common place to go to speak to God, to engage in prayer/fasting, and possibly where one could see visions, or hear the Voice of God. When God gave Moses the Old Law,  this was also done on a high mountain where Moses fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. 

On the way, Jesus was suddenly transformed or transfigured before them, and his face and clothes shone upon them with the Glory of God.  Suddenly, in this vision  Moses and Elijah appear from Heaven to converse with Jesus. Moses, representing the Old Law, and Elijah, representing the Prophets. Jesus, was there in the full Glory of God, as God’s True Son, as the New Law that fulfills the old and as the King of all the Prophets.  The disciples, were also in witness to God’s Voice, letting them know that this was truly God’s Holy Son and to listen to Him. 

Such would strengthen these Disciples’ faith as soon, the Lord’s Passion would be upon them.  

In Jesus’ Name.