Daily Readings August 6, 2012

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Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Lectionary: 614

Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14

Yesterday, we were in the book of Exodus.  Today, in the book of Daniel.

As I watched:
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.

Daniel is reciting his dream.  He sees thrones being "set up" and an Ancient One taking one of the thrones.  I imagine the ancient one is God the Father.

His clothing was bright as snow,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
his throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,

It is a magnificent sight.  Reminiscent of some sort of mechanical device, like a rocket ship.  It reminds me of something like a rocket being launched at NASA.  And there are multitudes of what I can only assume are angels, doing something for Him.

A minister in the earthly temple, would be praying and burning incense for God.  Maybe singing.  I imagine this is what these ministers are doing.

and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened and the books were opened.

Here is something which is frequently noted.  The Temple resembles a court of law.  Or a King's court. Books are opened.  We can trace this to the book of Revelations.

Revelation 5:1-3
New International Version (NIV)
The Scroll and the Lamb1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sidesand sealed with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.

A scroll is a sort of book.

As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
One like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,

And then, the Son of man appears.  This is Jesus.  He referred to Himself as the Son of man in the Gospels:

Luke 22:48
New International Version (NIV)
⁴⁸ but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.

And so, the end of the story is revealed.  Jesus Kingship is an everlasting dominion.  Amen!

Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9

Response. (1a and 9a) The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.

R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the LORD of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.

R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

Because you, O LORD, are the Most High over all the earth,
exalted far above all gods.

R. The Lord is king, the Most High over all the earth.

The Psalm speaks of the omnipotence of God.

Reading 2 2 Pt 1:16-19

Beloved:
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.

St. Peter is assuring his congregation that he and the rest of the Apostles did not make up anything about Jesus Christ.

For he received honor and glory from God the Fatherwhen that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory,"This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

This occurred more than once.  But I think the only time St. Peter was present was in the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, as we will see in the Gospel reading today.

We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.

By "we",  he means  St. John the Evangelist and St. James the greater.

Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.You will do well to be attentive to it,as to a lamp shining in a dark place,until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

By "we" in this case, he means the Apostles and disciples who heard Jesus speak.  And also, the ones who wrote the Scriptures.  St. Paul, for instance, was not amongst the original group of Apostles and disciples.

St. Peter, is here telling his congregation, that the Apostles and disciples are the New Ministers of the Word of God.  Previously it had been the Jews:

Romans 3:2
New International Version (NIV)
² Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God.

But now, the Word of God was entrusted to the Church.

2 Corinthians 3:6
New International Version (NIV)
⁶ He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

And this is what St. Peter is teaching.

Gospel Mk 9:2-10

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John,
and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

James and John are the Zebedee brothers whom Jesus nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder".  They are also the ones whose mom, Salome, asked if they could sit at Jesus' right and left in the Kingdom.

Matthew 20:20-22

New International Version (NIV)

A Mother’s Request

²⁰ Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
²¹ “What is it you want?” he asked.
She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”
²² “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”
“We can,” they answered.

Peter is of course, Simon, whom Jesus renamed the Rock or Peter.

Matthew 16:17-18
New International Version (NIV)
¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

I mention this because everyone recognzied Peter, James and John as the leaders amongst the Apostles. With Peter the most important.

And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white,
such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

There is a parallel here with Moses.  When Moses spoke to God, he also became dazzling white:

Exodus 34:29
New International Version (NIV)
The Radiant Face of Moses²⁹ When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses,
and they were conversing with Jesus.

I am told that Elijah and Moses, here in this account, represent the Law and the Prophets.  As for me, I like to use this as proof that the Saints are alive in heaven.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,"Rabbi, it is good that we are here!Let us make three tents:one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 

This is the Gospel of St. Mark.  And the Gospel of St. Mark is reputedly the Gospel of St. Peter, which St. Mark put into writing.  And this shows that St. Peter is a very modest man.  Although many focus on his denials of Jesus when He was arrested.  I notice that he is the only one who stepped out of the boat when Jesus walked on water.  If St. Peter is a coward, what are the rest of us.  I, personally, admire St. Peter tremendously.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them;from the cloud came a voice,"This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyonebut Jesus alone with them.

And then the Father spoke to them from Heaven.  Instructing them to listen to His Son, Jesus.  That is why St. Peter, in the first reading, assured the congregation that he had not made up this story.

As they were coming down from the mountain,
he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone,
except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves,
questioning what rising from the dead meant.

Jesus instructed them to keep this matter to themselves.  Until He rose from the dead.  They obeyed, but they didn't yet know what He was talking about.

Sincerely,

De Maria