Readings:

2Peter 1:10-19
Matthew 17:1-9

Once again I wish to post a reflection on the readings. You are most welcome to post your own reflection, comments on the reflection, etc.

In the epistle reading, Peter states: "...knowing shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me." Peter in essence is describing his life as a camping trip where he must pitch his tent, and commune with others.

In the gospel, the three apostles wanted to build three tabernacles to Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Yet they were unable to do so.

The apostles were given a glimpse of the Divine Reality and the realization that it is not of this world. Peter recognizes that his life is but a journey, not his destination, not his home.

Yet he promises to leave a reminder. What is left behind is his testimony: nothing more; no palace, no tabernacle, but merely "a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts."

John

Fr Deacon John:

The tent metaphor also figures strongly in the prologue of the Gospel of St John the Theologian with regard to the Incarnation:"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt(lit. "pitched his tent")among us" (John 1:14).

The tent or tabernacle image calls to mind that our life is transitory, a pilgrimage. Living out of a tent, one never has a permanent home, but is in search of that better place. Yet as tabernacles, our lives are to be the dwelling places of God's glory as was the Tabernacle in the desert.

John Montalvo

I find this interesting as we do not use the early part of that reading from Peter, ours on Tuesday will be 2 Peter 1 16-19 where he reiterates that the Transfiguration was not a myth and it refers back to the First Reading - Daniel 7:9-10,13-14
"As I watched :
Thrones were set in place
and one of great age took his seat.
His robe was white as snow,
the hair of his head as pure as wool.
His throne was a blaze of flames,
it's wheels were a burning fire.
A stream of fire poured out,
issuing from his presence.
I gazed into the visions of the night.
And I saw,coming on the clouds of heaven
one like a son of man.
He came to the one of great age
and was lead into his presence.
On him was conferred sovereignty, glory and kingship,
and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants.
His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty
which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed."

There is no hint of the tents here - but we are shown the Prophecy of the Transfiguration

If I may add my only little humble reflection on the Feast of the Transfiguration.

I am always fascinated by this feast. My focus is on Moses and Elias. Why were they there? We see Jesus speaking to both Moses and Elias. What does the appearance of Moses and Elias at Mt. Tabor tell us?

Many fundamentalist christians critize us because they say we pray to the dead (saints). The appearance of Moses and Elias clearly disprove this. In Genesis we read that Moses died and was buried. At Mt. Tabor he appears with Christ our God.

This surely proves that we worship a God of the Living and not a God of the dead.

Glory to Jesus Christ !

Joe Prokopchak
There is no sin greater than God's love

From Joe Prokopchak

Feast of the Transfiguration.

>>>I am always fascinated by this feast. My focus is on Moses and Elias. Why were they there? We see Jesus speaking to both Moses and Elias. What does the appearance of Moses and Elias at Mt. Tabor tell us?<<<

Is it not because Moses gave us the Law, and Elias foretold its fulfillment in Christ? Hence their presence at the completion of the earthly ministry of Christ and His transfiguration into the heavenlies...

geo

Come, Holy Spirit!

Perhaps many of you already are aware of the presence on the internet of good portions of the Catena Aurea of Saint Thomas Aquinas, his compiliation of the writings of the Fathers based on the gospels.

The section on the gospel for the Feast of the Transfiguration can be found at:

http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/catena/Matthew/ch17.htm

Maybe some will find it helpful.

[ 08-04-2002: Message edited by: Gerard Serafin ]

Deacon John,

I find the Feast of the Transfiguration fascinating. There are several aspects of the account that causes me to reflect. First, I cannot ignore that the three Apostles upon witnessing this glistening countenance would first think of building a booth (Heb. sukkot) for them. This reminds me of the Jewish feast of Tabernacles (booths = sukkot), an annual feast where Jews remember their forty-year wanderings in the wilderness during the Exodus event. Is it a coincidence that the Transfiguration occurs during Jesus and his disciples' journey to Jerusalem?

Second, as we Byzantines bring fruits to church for their blessing, I cannot also forget the agricultural aspect of the Feast of First Fruits (the end of the year harvest), which is also tied to the feast of Tabernacles. Was Jesus not the first-born? Was he not the fruit of Mary's womb?

Moses and Elias were seen flanking Jesus talking. Only in Luke do we know what they were talking about (Lk 9:31-33a), but like good disciples during any important sermon, they were heavy with sleep! Why Moses and Elias? Was it because neither died; but rather were taken up to heaven? Do they not reflect the Torah (Moses) and the Prophets (Elias)? Jesus would then be seen as the fulfillment of the Law and the fulfillment of the prophecies. In fact, if you study (preferably sing in church) the festive stichera, you will see that our church teaches just that.

The account ends with an event quite similar to the Baptism account: a voice from heaven stating that Jesus was his son, with whom he was well pleased. Isn't it interesting how the Feast of the Transfiguration is one of the three or four typical days for Baptism? You gotta watch them clouds, for in Scripture they usually represent divinity such as the Son of Man coming on clouds. Both Mark and Luke speak of the disciples being afraid, whereas Matthew states that they were filled with awe.

Ironically, the disciples who went up to the mount were considered the pillars of the church. Peter is singled out, but of course, he and the others, as usual, slept.

Any thoughts on any possible connection with the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)? I cannot discount them wanting to make tabernacles. Can you?

Joe

[ 08-07-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

Dear Friends,

Happy Feast of the Transfiguration to those who celebrate according to the New (as opposed to the True) Calendar!

Assyrians and other Eastern Christians call today the "Feast of the Tabernacles" as our Jewish counterparts do and this is also referred to in our Calendar as the third of the three Jewish Feasts that we inherited, namely, Pascha, Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Assyrians and others have been known to go out into tents or huts to pray, as the Jews do (my mother's Jewish neighbour always asks for permission to cut branches from a bush that grows in her garden for the Feast of Tabernacles - I wonder why?).

This feast does indeed contain the reflections of wandering in a homeless track which is our entire lives here on earth.

For me, it calls to mind that we are always pilgrims here and the experience of going out into a secluded spot or a hut to pray on this day reaffirms that.

It is also the promise of the Theosis that Christ's salvation has brought us, the ultimate goal of Christian living through the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.

We are indeed called to become living Tabernacles of the Holy Trinity and God can only come to make His home in us when our hearts are detached from all other places and things wherein we feel at "home."

It is only in the freedom of detachment from our passions and egotism that we may feel the breath of the Spirit over our lives.

It is the power of that same Spirit that transfigures us with Christ and His saints so that we too repeat with Peter, "Lord, it is good for us to be here."

Alex

Alex;

We Ruthenians do not call it the new calendar. We prefer: the reformed (or revised) calendar!

Joe and other Scripturally minded individuals:

I have a question on the epistle reading and am too lazy to look it up. But, in this epistle, Peter makes mention of his eventual death. I was under the assumption (illusion?) that the apostles thought the second coming was immanent and would occur within their lifetime. Now I know this passage has been used as an argument against apostolic authorship for this very reason.

Do you know if the apostles expected to die?

An Inquiring Mind;

John

[ 08-06-2002: Message edited by: Petrus ]

Fr Deacon:

I don't know if my response will lead to more questions about authorship, but from the Gospel of St John, we see the Lord rehabilitates Peter and figuratively refers to Peter's death by crucifixion (John 21:18-21).

In Acts, we read of the matrydom of Stephen and James (Acts 7:54-60; 12:1-2, respectively) and these two events don't cause the disciples to forsake the faith.

In the beginning, Paul expected to see the Lord's return (1Thess. 4:13-18), yet by the time he writes to the Phillipians, he does discuss the prospect of his martyrdom (Phil. 1:20-26).

The disciples expected the Lord's return, but it did not cause them to fear death: "For to me life is Christ, and death is gain" (Phil 1:21).

John

[ 08-07-2002: Message edited by: bisantino ]

"We Ruthenians do not call it the new calendar. We prefer: the reformed (or revised) calendar!"

Awhile back, we would have called it "Our Calendar."


I find it interesting how we find Peter, James, and John being invited into an intimacy with Jesus several times. Sometimes, Andrew and/or Mark is in on things (close relations with Peter), but there seems to be some significance to this holy trio - not to be confused with the Holy Trinity.

And why is Peter and the others always asleep during the most important times? What are the Evangelists trying to tell us? I wonder wonder.

[ 08-07-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]