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Transfiguration • Year C
March 2, 2025 • Eighth Sunday After Epiphany
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Historical Collect
O God, at the glorious transfiguration of your only Son, you confirmed the mystery of our faith by the witness of the disciples and by your own voice from the cloud. Mercifully complete our adoption as your children, and give us, with our King, an inheritance of his glory. Grant this, we pray, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Roman Prayer, 15th century)
Thematic Collect
God of majesty, through Jesus’ transfiguration you reveal him as your beloved Son. Keep us faithful in the promise that through the cross and the empty tomb we are joint heirs with Christ and will one day enjoy the fullness of your glory for eternity; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
The Common Thread
There has never been a prophet like Moses. Elijah too, was a great prophet. And so, these two great ones are they who appeared with Christ Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. The three are seen there in glorious splendor within the gathered cloud (certainly a reference to God in the cloud of the exodus). As splendid a scene as this was (Peter was clearly moved), David reminds us that it is God who is holy; it is he who speaks in the pillar of cloud. As faithful as Moses and Elijah were, it is Christ who is faithful even when we are faithless (2 Tim 2:13). So, Moses and Elijah fade from the disciples’ vision; only Christ remains, and God tells us to listen to him.
First Reading • Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses was a great prophet of the Lord. The reading states there has arisen no prophet since as great as Moses. God had blessed him with strength and wisdom to lead Israel. Moses is a foreshadowing of the one who buried him in a valley of Moab. The one to come, the Messiah, the incarnate God, would also be great and wise and die—but be resurrected from the grave.
Psalm • Psalm 99:1-9
God speaks to his people from the obscurity of clouds, fire, and smoke, but he does speak. The Lord could have ignored Israel, never revealing himself. Yet, because of his great love for them, he revealed himself enough that they could know his righteous character, as well as his laws and promises. Because they knew God to be holy, they were compelled to worship him on Mount Zion, the location of the future temple.
Second Reading • Hebrews 3:1-6
Moses is honored by being compared to Christ but Christ is worthy of more glory. For Moses had been a faithful servant in the house of God, but Christ is the master of the house. Who is this house but the people of God? We are the house of God, if our hope is in its head, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel • Luke 9:28-36
Here, the glory of the Lord Jesus is shown to be greater than that of Moses, and also greater than Elijah. All three, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, appeared to the select disciples, being radiantly transfigured before them. Not comprehending the significance of the scene, Peter wanted to set up tents for all three. As Peter was speaking without understanding, a cloud overshadowed them and the voice of God came from the cloud, instructing the disciples to listen to Jesus, the Chosen One. After this, Peter was finally silent, at least for a time, as were the other disciples.
Resources
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