A Reading from the Book of Exodus (24:12-18)
The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.” Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
> Transfiguration Sunday.
> Moses is up and down the mountain many times.
> The mountain is where heaven and earth meet.
> Mt. Sinai is located in the northern half of Israel. (Same as Mt. Horeb.)
> Clouds are seen a mysterious things.
> The mystery of God is in the clouds.
> Seven is a key number in the Bible — the day that God rested.
> Prelude to where God gives Moses the Ten Commandments.
Psalm 99
1 The Lord is King;
let the people tremble; *
he is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; *
he is high above all peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name,
which is great and awesome; *
he is the Holy One.
4 “O mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity; *
you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and fall down before his footstool; *
he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests,
and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *
they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *
they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 “O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds.”
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God
and worship him upon his holy hill; *
for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
> Starts the same as Chapters 93 and 97 — “The Lord is King.”
> Ark of the Covenant imagery (visioned with the Cherubim).
> Yahweh’s love of justice is noted.
> Verses 3, 5, and 9 are related.
> God hears who calls on him — examples are provided.
A Reading from the Second Letter of Peter (1:16-21)
We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
> Completely different from First Peter.
> St. Peter was killed around 64 AD.
> This book may have been written around 120 AD.
> We do not know who actually wrote it.
> It references back to the transfiguration of Jesus.
> A new day — reference to Jesus coming again.
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew (17:1-9)
Six days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
> Jesus is the new Moses according to Matthew.
> The transfiguration is the view of Jesus’ coming glory.
> Reference to face shining – Moses’ face also glows.
> He puts a veil over his face when he went to meet God.
> Symbols of Law and Prophets (Moses and Elijah).
> “Listen to him.” ref. Deuteronomy — “Christophany” — see who Jesus is.
> Jesus finally speaks in the end.
