Your response as per the Catholic teaching is in error.

Hi Lutero,

Thank you! This is what I love. Actual, nitty gritty comparisons to Scripture.

Your response to faith alone and faith plus works as per the Catholic teaching is in error. The links you have provided conveniently skip certain verse because you did not interpret the book of the Bible as a whole to get its contextual meaning.

Let us proceed and see if this assessment of yours is true.

On you blog article you quote Galatians 2:16, but you conveniently forgotten to interpret contextually Galatians chapter 3 which is subsequent after chapter 2. Refer to Galatians 3:23-28. It is by faith alone and is applicable to all – Jew or Gentiles.

Let’s look at that contextually. Let’s take just one more verse. Instead of starting at Gal 3:23, let’s start at Gal 3:22-28. Note how he speaks of the faith OF Jesus Christ:

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Faith, like many other words, has many meanings. One of them is “trust”. The other is “religion”.
The faith OF Christ Jesus, THAT faith, is Christianity. Specifically Catholic Christianity. Sacramental Christianity. Wherein, we have faith ALONE in the works of God. The proper disposition for a believer is to have faith, to believe, that God can do what He promised to do. And He promised to renew us in the bath of regeneration that we might walk with the Saints in this life (Titus 3:5; Heb 12:21-24). Yeah, He promised to give us the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) and wash away our sins (Acts 22:16). We do nothing, He does it all in the Sacraments. But, unless we keep the Commandments, we are not properly disposed to receive the Sacraments (Rom 2:13).

Also you rely on Romans 2:13, but you conveniently forgot Romans 3:28 – “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law”.

Rom 3:28 does not somehow nullify Rom 2:13. They are both true. How can they both be true when they seem to contradict each other? The only way they can both be true is the way the Catholic Church teaches. The Sacrametns JUSTIFY. In order to receive the Sacraments, we must be in a state of grace. In order to be in a state of grace, we must keep the Commandments. The Commandments are the Law. Therefore, DOERS OF THE LAW ARE JUSTIFIED. BY GOD.

The question of faith alone or faith plus works is made difficult by some hard-to-reconcile Bible passages. Compare Romans 3:28 5:1and Galatians 3:24 with James 2:24. Some see a difference between Paul (salvation is by faith alone) and James (salvation is by faith plus works). Paul dogmatically says that justification is by faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9),

Again, you are doing your best to dispense with many Pauline passages. Foremost among them is Romans 2:1-13. But there are so many that I can’t list them all in this little space. I’ll give you five, that should suffice. Rom 13:10;  Gal 5:6; 1 Thess 1:3; Heb 6:10; Heb 10:24

while James appears to be saying that justification is by faith plus works. This apparent problem is answered by examining what exactly James is talking about. James is refuting the belief that a person can have faith without producing any good works (James 2:17-18).

THAT IS THE CATHOLIC TEACHING!!! Can Satan have blinded you so much? Faith produces good works. That is faith AND works. Or faith PLUS works. That is the Catholic Teaching. What is your problem?

You need to pray that God may open your eyes to something which Satan has blinded you. You are here explaining Catholic doctrine and at the self same time claiming that it is Protestant doctrine. Whereas, this is precisely what Protestants decry.

James is emphasizing the point that genuine faith in Christ will produce a changed life and good works (James 2:20-26).

Catholic doctrine.

James is not saying that justification is by faith plus works,

Yes, he is.

but rather that a person who is truly justified by faith will have good works in his/her life.

Not true. Let us examine James 2:24.

James 2:24
King James Version (KJV)
24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Wiggle yourself out of that. Twist the Scripture all you want. The only one who will be destroyed is YOU (2 Pet 3:16).

If a person claims to be a believer, but has no good works in his/her life, then he/she likely does not have genuine faith in Christ (James 2:14, 17, 20, 26).

Catholic doctrine.

Paul says the same thing in his writings. The good fruit believers should have in their lives is listed in Galatians 5:22-23. Immediately after telling us that we are saved by faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9), Paul informs us that we were created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). Paul expects just as much of a changed life as James does: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). James and Paul do not disagree in their teaching regarding salvation. They approach the same subject from different perspectives. Paul simply emphasized that justification is by faith alone while James put emphasis on the fact that genuine faith in Christ produces good works.

You have misunderstood completely.

Sts. Paul and James both explain salvation by faith and works, which is the keeping of the Commandments (Rom 2:1-13; James 2: 14-24). But St. Paul also goes into detail about salvation by faith apart from works, which only happens in the Sacraments (Romans 3:28; Titus 3:5). St. Mark touched upon it (Mark 16:16), St Peter touched upon it (1 Pet 3:21); St. Luke touched upon it (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). But only St. Paul goes into detail over and over again (Romans 3:28; Gal 2:16; Titus 3:5).

Sincerely,

De Maria

Stop Same-Sex Marriage

This Is Our
Last Chance to StopSame-Sex Marriage

Here’s what you urgently need to know . . .

Click here to make a gift and learn how to receive two free books that will help you defend marriage.

Dear Friend of Catholic Answers,

We have arrived at a turning point in American history. The United States Supreme Court has accepted two cases that may result in same-sex marriage being imposed everywhere in America.

While these cases have been progressing through the courts, out of the public eye, Catholic Answers has been vigilant, and, now that the cases have arrived at the Supreme Court, we’ve sprung into action.

But we need your help!

Here are all the facts.

 

Proposition 8

The first case that the Supreme Court has accepted involves Proposition 8, the 2008 California constitutional amendment that affirmed that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Prop 8 was passed to protect marriage—even in California, even in a year when liberals won heavily—but homosexual activists have not stopped their relentless onslaught.

Despite the fact it was a constitutional amendment, they got key judges—using tortured legal reasoning—to strike it down as unconstitutional.

Now it’s before the U.S. Supreme Court.

 

The Defense of Marriage Act

The second case involves the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that was passed by Congress in 1996.

DOMA protects states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

It also protects the federal government from having to recognize these marriages, and it prevents federal benefits from going to them.

But once again, homosexual activists have not stopped their relentless onslaught, and now this matter, too, is before the Supreme Court.

What Will Happen?

Nobody knows what the Supreme Court will do regarding Prop 8 and DOMA, but, if things go badly, we could end up with a situation where same-sex marriage is imposed in every state in the Union.

It would be just like in 1973, when Roe v. Wade swept away all state laws protecting unborn children from abortion.

That abomination led to decades of conflict and tens of millions of children being killed—and the fight is far from over.

We must do all we can to prevent another abomination from being imposed on our nation.

That’s why Catholic Answers has been vigilant on this issue, because there’s one truth we cannot ignore . . .
 

 

We’re on Our Own . . . So It’s All Up to Us!

Though both Prop 8 and DOMA were duly voted into law, state and federal officials have refused to defend them in court.

That’s right. The government officials whose job is to execute the laws of the land have refused to defend the laws—or at least these laws.

• As early as 2010, then-California attorney general Jerry Brown refused to defend Prop 8 in court.
• In 2011, the Obama administration announced that it would refuse to defend DOMA. In fact, in his recent inaugural address, President Obama pledged to fight to legalize same-sex marriage, saying, “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law.”

Our elected officials have refused to defend the law—and basic morality—out of their desire to please the homosexual lobby.

That means the defense of these laws falls to people like you and me. We must do what we can—what the courts allow us to do—to protect these laws and to protect marriage itself.

What Catholic Answers Is Doing

Catholic Answers has been active in the defense of marriage for years. We’ve monitored what’s going on with same-sex marriage, even when it’s not been in the public eye. When the Supreme Court took these two cases, we spoke with our attorneys about filing what’s known as an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief.

This is a special type of legal document that “interested parties” can prepare to advise the court about the issues in front of it, to make sure that important parts of the subject are discussed. It helps the justices to have the potential consequences of their decisions painted in vivid detail, and that is why our attorneys are filing the brief.

It focuses on the disastrous effects that imposing same-sex marriage would have on religious liberty in America. Here’s what would happen. . . .

A Nightmare Future

As the brief to the Supreme Court bluntly puts it, anyone who upholds true marriage will be treated like a bigot, regardless of his faith:

“To be a devout Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, Muslim, or Orthodox Jew will become the moral equivalent of being a member of the Ku Klux Klan.”

Furthermore, our brief points out:

“The Court would correspondingly consign traditional religious beliefs regarding marriage and the family to the same circle of constitutional hell as racism and sexism.

“Thus, simply by accepting the principles that their religious groups have publicly supported for thousands of years, tens of millions of religious believers in the United States would be branded as the legal equivalent of racists, a result that will subject believers to such burdens and acrimony that many will beforced to hide their faith.”

Those burdens will be felt in all parts of society.  

How You, Your Children, and Your Grandchildren Will Be Punished

If the Supreme Court imposes same-sex marriage on the U.S., the machinery of the state will be used to punish you and everyone you care about.

The punishment will take several forms . . .

• Employers will fire people—or not hire them in the first place—if they speak out in favor of true marriage. (Some arealready doing this.)
• Lawsuits will be brought against small business owners to compel them to provide services to homosexuals as married couples. (That’s already happening, too.)
• Public schools will indoctrinate children against the beliefs of their parents—and against the Catholic Faith itself—in a way that dwarfs what’s happening in the school system today.
• The “right” to same-sex marriage will be used as a weapon against free speech and freedom of religion, with the aim of pushing the authentic Catholic Faith completely out of public life in America.

Pressure will be put on everyone to support same-sex marriage or be shunned as bigots in every walk of life.

That pressure won’t be applied only to you and me, it will also be applied to our children and grandchildren—forcing them to choose between their faith and being a social outcast. That’s a recipe for disaster in a world that already puts so many barriers between young people and the faith.

That’s why Catholic Answers has leapt to the defense of true marriage.
 

Because of the brief we’re filing with the Court, we will make sure that the voice of faithful Catholicism will be heard in these cases, and it is your generosity that makes this possible.

But there’s a problem . . .

We Need Your Help!

As you know, making a difference in court is not something that can be done on the cheap.

The fees to prepare and file this brief could mount as high as $30,000 or more, and with the current state of the economy, giving is down for charities like Catholic Answers, and we’re already in a cash-strapped state.

That’s why I need to ask for your help—and in a special way. I really need to ask our supporters to go above and beyond with their generosity right now. [Click here to donate]

This Is the Last Chance for Marriage in America

The crisis in the Supreme Court is so grave that we simply could not sit on the sidelines.
 

This is “it,” folks. If we lose these cases, it will be “game over” for true marriage in the United States—for the rest of our lives.

The Church will be dealt a blow from which it will not recover for generations (if ever).

Yet it could not have come at a worse time for Catholic Answers. That’s why we urgently need your help today. [Click here to donate]

Whatever amount you can afford, you have my sincere thanks.

The hour is late. May I hear from you today?

Sincerely,

Karl Keating
President, Catholic Answers

P.S. We must fight the battle for marriage on other fronts as well. That’s why, as a thank you for your gift of $50 or more, I’d like to send you these two new books that will help you defend true marriage in your own circles and provide powerful answers that crush the arguments made by advocates of homosexual “marriage.”
 

• Getting the Marriage Conversation Right: A Guide for Effective Dialogue by renowned moral theologian William B. May
• What Is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense by famous Catholic legal philosopher Robert P. George, and his co-authors Sherif Girgis and Ryan T. Anderson

These two items are our way of saying thanks for your support to this apostolate. Please accept them with our best wishes.[Click here to donate].

February 26, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

 « February 25  |  February 27 »

Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent 
Lectionary: 231

Reading 1IS 1:10, 16-20

Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!

Isaiah passes on a message from God to the people of Israel.

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.

Stop doing wrong and repent of your evil deeds!  

Come now, let us set things right,
says the LORD:
Though your sins be like scarlet,
they may become white as snow;
Though they be crimson red,
they may become white as wool.
If you are willing, and obey,
you shall eat the good things of the land;
But if you refuse and resist,
the sword shall consume you:
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken!

Repent of your sins, says the Lord, and I will forgive you.  Though your soul may be black as night with sin, I can wash it clean.

Responsorial PsalmPS 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21 AND 23

R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

To the righteous, I will show my salvation.
I don't criticize you for your sacrifices.  Your offerings I always consider.  I take nothing from you by force, no sheep, goat or bull.

“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Why do you repeat my laws and teach my covenant?  And yet you despise self control and throw my words out?

“When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

When you despise all my teachings, do you expect me to ignore that?  Or do you think I am like you?  No.  I will bring all your sins to bear so that you may see them.  He that calls out to me in gratefulness gives me honor.  He that does good, I will save. 

GospelMT 23:1-12

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example.

Jesus said to the people of Israel, "the Pharisees have the authority of Moses, therefore obey their teachings.  But do not imitate what they do."

For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’

"Because they are hypocrites who teach one thing but do another.  And they make many rules which make life difficulut for the people.    They love to do good in order to be seen and gain honor.   But will not lift a finger to do good otherwise.  They love to be honored by people, but the honor of God they do not seek.  And they love to be called, "teacher".

As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ 

You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

As for you, do not seek to be honored as a "Teacher".  For there is one Teacher, and you are all His sons.
Call no one on earth "your father", for you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not allow anyone to call you "master", for you have one Master, the Messiah.
The greatest of you is the servant of all.  Whoever honors himself will be abased.  Whoever abases himself will be glorified by God.

This is the verse which Protestant use against Catholics because we call our Priests "Father".  They conveniently forget that the other verses forbid calling anyone teacher, rabbi or master.

Teacher is simply the English word for the Hebrew, "Rabbi".  I have not met any Protestant who refuses to call their teacher, "Teacher".  Nor have I met one who refuses to call his father, "Father or Dad".  Nor one that refuses to be called Mister.  Mister is a variant of the word "master".  Mrs. is a variant of the same word.  It is actually the abbreviation for the word "mistress" but since that word now has a bad connotation, no one uses it in that form anymore except to mean an adultress.

The point here, that Jesus made, is that we should not be prideful and should acknowledge that all good things come from God.

Please refrain from responding

Hi Lutero,
De Maria, I’d appreciate you to please refrain from responding to questions I have posed to Lico.

I apologize if I upset you. The reason I responded is because I have approximately 20 years experience responding to Protestant objections to Catholic doctrine. I have heard almost everyone of them and I have everything bookmarked and ready. Poor Lolek might have to research everything from scratch.

Are you the “official” spokesman for everyone?

No. But I see no rule against answering all your questions. So, until I am told that I am not permitted to do so, I will..

Your response to the questions I have raised to Lico is not justified, full of errors that are un-biblical.

Lutero, the only one providing unbiblical responses full of errors in these exchanges has been you.

Sincerely,

De Maria

February 25, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

 « February 24  |  February 26 »

Monday of the Second Week in Lent 
Lectionary: 230

Reading 1DN 9:4B-10

“Lord, great and awesome God,
you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you
and observe your commandments!
We have sinned, been wicked and done evil;
we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.
We have not obeyed your servants the prophets,
who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes,
our fathers, and all the people of the land.

Justice, O Lord, is on your side;
we are shamefaced even to this day:
we, the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem,
and all Israel, near and far,
in all the countries to which you have scattered them
because of their treachery toward you.
O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers,
for having sinned against you.
But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness!
Yet we rebelled against you
and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God,
to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.” 

Repenting in sack cloth and ashes, Daniel turns his eyes to heaven and prays to God for the forgiveness of the people of Israel.

Responsorial PsalmPS 79:8, 9, 11 AND 13

R. (see 103:10a) Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Dear God have mercy and forget our transgressions.  We repent of all our sins and are ashamed of all the wicked deeds we have done.

Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Lord, our Savior, come to our assistance.  For the honor of your name, save us and forgive our transgressions.

Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.

Take note of our sadness and repentance, and with your awesome power save us for we will surely die.  Then we who belong to you will be grateful forever and in all generation will honor your name.

GospelLK 6:36-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Jesus said to his disciples, "be merciful and judge people with consideration.  Do not be hard on people because if you are hard on them, your Heavenly Father will be hard on you.  If you judge other people, you will be judged likewise.   If you are kind to people, you will receive kindness.  But if you are tough on people, you will be dealt with harshly." 

February 24, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

 « February 23  |  February 25 »

Second Sunday of Lent 
Lectionary: 27

Reading 1GN 15:5-12, 17-18

The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him, “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession.” 

God appeared to Abram (aka Abraham) and promised him that he would the the Father of nations, if he obeyed God's commands.

“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”

Abram asked for a sign to show that this would come true.

He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,  a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.  Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,  but Abram stayed with them.  As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

God told him to bring several animals and Abram seemed to know what to do with them.  According to Dr. Scott Hahn, this seemed to be a common procedure for establishing a covenant.

So, Abram brought the animals and cut most of them in half except the birds.  After, he went into a trance.

When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

Then Abram saw a sign, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch which passed between the pieces of the animals.  And then God again promised to give Abram's descendants the land from the Wadi river of Egypt to the Euphrates.

Responsorial PsalmPS 27:1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

God is my rescuer, whom should I fear?  God is my keeper, of whom should I be afraid?

Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Hear my prayer Lord and have mercy on me.  My spirit yearns for you Lord.  My eyes seek you.

Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I yearn for you Lord, do not turn me away.  Do not turn me away.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I have faith that I will receive the promises of God while I live.  Hope in God with your heart.  Be strong and put your hope in God.

Reading 2PHIL 3:17—4:1

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters, and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.

St. Paul told the Philippians to imitate his behavior and that of the Apostles.

For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Because many Christians conduct themselves like enemies of Christ.

Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

They will destroy themselves.  They worship their bodies and glory in their lust.  They are occupied with the things of the world.  But we walk amongst the Saints of God and hope in the salvation of our Lord Jesus.

He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Jesus  will glorify our bodies by  the same power that makes Him King of all Creation.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.

Therefore, stay the course and receive the promises of God by obeying the Word of Our Lord Jesus.


The alternate is just a portion of the second reading.  I'll simply post it without comment.

OrPHIL 3:20—4:1

Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

GospelLK 9:28B-36

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.

Jesus took Sts. Peter, John and James up to the mountain to pray.  There, He was transfigured before them.

And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.

Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared there having a conversation with Jesus.

Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.

Peter and the other two apostles saw Jesus radiance and the two Old Testament Prophets speaking to Him.

As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

As Moses and Elijah were about to leave, Peter suggested that they should make three tents.  One for Jesus and one for Moses and one for Elijah.

But he did not know what he was saying.

But he didn't know what he was saying.

While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

Then a cloud came over them and from the cloud, the voice of God saying, "This is my beloved Son, obey His Words."  And then they were alone with Jesus again.  And the Apostles did not speak about this to anyone.