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“The Transfiguration Transition” (Matthew 17:1-9) Today we’re celebrating the Transfiguration of Our Lord, that day up on a mountain when our Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured, that is, his appearance was changed. This event marked a transition--a turning point, a pivot point--in our Lord’s ministry. And that’s why this Transfiguration festival today marks a transition--a turning point--in the church year, as well. The Transfiguration of Our Lord comes as the climax of the Epiphany season, and at the same time it serves as a transition into the season of Lent, which begins on Wednesday. In this way, the church year...

“At the Transfiguration: Moses, a Mountain, and an Exodus” (Luke 9:28-36)Today is the Transfiguration of Our Lord. It’s the last Sunday of the Epiphany season before we enter Lent this week on Ash Wednesday. Our text is Luke’s account of the Transfiguration. In all three accounts, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we see Jesus transfigured, on a mountain, standing with Moses and Elijah, talking with them. Only in Luke, though, do we find out what they were talking about. And so our theme this morning: “At the Transfiguration: Moses, a Mountain, and an Exodus.” Moses? A mountain? An exodus? Our...

“Christ’s Transfiguration and Our Hope of Glory” (Mark 9:2-9) O wondrous type! O vision fair Of glory that the Church may share, Which Christ upon the mountain shows, Where brighter than the sun He glows! So we just sang, and so we will now hear, under the theme, “Christ’s Transfiguration and Our Hope of Glory.” Our text is the reading from Mark chapter 9. It begins: “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely...

“The Apostolic Witness and the Prophetic Word” (2 Peter 1:16-21) “Cleverly devised myths.” That’s what we Christians are accused of believing. All that stuff about Jesus Christ being the Son of God and the only Savior of the world? “Just a bunch of fables, fairy tales, myths.” But then this is nothing new. Even back in the first century, Christians were ridiculed for believing the same thing. People said they were falling for a bunch of poppycock, fables and fairy tales. St. Peter refers to this in our epistle for today when he writes, “For we did not follow cleverly...

My Archbishop (Alexander Golitzin) shares the story of a young man whom he taught some years ago. He was Orthodox from Estonia. He grew up in the Soviet era and had come to hate all things Russian, including the Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, he saw an Orthodox procession in the streets of his city one year, a procession that included the Russian bishop (whom he also hated and believed to be a KGB agent). However, he saw the bishop surrounded by light. It was an experience that led him into the Orthodox faith. You might hate the man, and the Church...

Posted on March 16, 2019March 16, 2019 by Msgr. Charles Pope The Cross Is a Fruit-Bearing Tree - A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent The Second Sunday of Lent always features the Transfiguration. The first reason for this is that the trek up Mt. Tabor was one of the stops Jesus made with Peter, James, and John on His final journey to Jerusalem. It is commonly held that He did this to prepare His apostles for the difficult days ahead. There’s a line from an old spiritual that says, “Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down, sometimes I’m...

White Double of the Second Class O GOD, WHO IN THE GLORIOUS TRANSFIGURATION of thine only-begotten Son, didst confirm the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of the fathers: and who, in the voice which came from the bright cloud, didst in a wonderful manner fore-signify our adoption as sons: mercifully vouchsafe to make us fellow-heirs of that King of glory, and the sharers of his bliss.” Such is the formula which sums up the prayer of the Church and shows us her thoughts on this day of attestation and of hope. We must first notice that the...

August 6, 2017 Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14As I watched: Thrones were set upand the Ancient One took his throne.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 fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw: One like a Son of man coming,on the clouds of heaven;When he...

From Trials to Transfiguration – A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent Msgr. Charles Pope • February 24, 2018 • What is it that gives hope, peace, and serene joy to the Christian life? Briefly, it is the vision of glory, a glimpse into the Promised Land of Heaven, which the Lord can and does give to His people. Today’s Gospel shows forth a kind of process through which the Lord lays the foundations of hope, peace, and joy. The Paradoxical Prelude – The text says, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high...

Learning to See - A Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration Msgr. Charles Pope • August 5, 2017 • The Transfiguration, Raphael (1520)The Feast of the Transfiguration is ultimately about vision. The Lord brought Peter, James, and John up a high mountain in order that they might come to see. Even the word that describes this day bespeaks vision. It is from the Latin transfiguratione. Trans means “across,” and by extension, “change.” Figura means “shape” or “form.” The suffix -ation creates a noun from the underlying verb. Putting it all together, transfiguration was the process by which Christ...

Every Round Goes Higher, Higher - A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent Msgr. Charles Pope • March 12, 2017 • The second Sunday of Lent always features the Transfiguration. This is because we are following the Lord on His final odyssey to Jerusalem, and this journey up Mt. Tabor was one of His stops (with Peter, James, and John).It is commonly held that Jesus did this to prepare His apostles for the difficult days ahead. There’s a line from an old spiritual that says, “Sometimes I’m up, sometimes I’m down, sometimes I’m almost on the ground …...

March 12, 2017 Second Sunday of Lent Reading 1 Gn 12:1-4aThe LORD said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolkand from your father's house to a land that I will show you. "I will make of you a great nation,and I will bless you;I will make your name great,so that you will be a blessing.I will bless those who bless youand curse those who curse you.All the communities of the earthshall find blessing in you." Abram went as the LORD directed him. Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22.R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on...

“Best Picture: The Transfiguration of Our Lord” (Matthew 17:1-9) Tonight will be the Academy Awards ceremony coming from Los Angeles. Tonight they’ll give out the award for, among other things, Best Picture of the year. I don’t know which one will win, but I want to tell you, this morning here in the church, we get to see a far better “Best Picture,” and it is none other than “The Transfiguration of Our Lord.” The picture we see at the Transfiguration had its share of special effects--lighting, sound, and so on. And there were a couple of guest stars making...

August 6, 2016 Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Reading 1 Dn 7:9-10, 13-14 As I watched: Thrones were set upand the Ancient One took his throne.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 fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened and the books were opened. As the visions during the night continued, I saw: One like a Son of man coming,on the clouds of heaven;When...

"The Transfiguration--and Exodus--of Our Lord" (Luke 9:28-36) Today is the Transfiguration of Our Lord. This is the festival we celebrate every year on the last Sunday after the Epiphany. We have seen Christ's glory as the incarnate Son of God being manifested throughout the Epiphany season, beginning with the visit of the wise men on Epiphany itself. At the Baptism of Our Lord, Christ's messiahship was attested and affirmed by the Holy Spirit descending on him in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father coming from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am...

Beams of Heaven As I Go – A Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent By: Msgr. Charles PopeWhat is it that gives hope, peace, and serene joy to the Christian life? Briefly, it is the vision of glory, a glimpse into the Promised Land of Heaven, which the Lord can and does give to His people. Today’s gospel shows forth a kind of process wherein the Lord lays the foundations of hope, peace, and joy for His disciples and for us. Let’s look at four aspects of how the Lord lays this foundation.I. The Paradoxical Prelude - The...

“The Transfiguration: The Bridge between Epiphany and Lent” (Mark 9:2-9) Today is the Festival of the Transfiguration of Our Lord, remembering that day when our Lord Jesus Christ was transfigured, that is, his appearance was changed, up on a mountain. This was a key event in our Lord’s life, and it marked a turning point, a pivot point, in his ministry. So, likewise, does this festival mark a turning point, a pivot point, in the church year calendar. Transfiguration comes at the end of the Epiphany season, just a few days before the beginning of Lent. The church year mirrors...

The second Sunday of Lent always features the transfiguration. This is done in the first place because we are following the Lord on his final journey to Jerusalem, and this journey up Mt. Tabor was one of the stops that Jesus himself made with Peter, James, and John.It is commonly held that Jesus did this to prepare his apostles for the difficult days ahead. There’s a line from an old spiritual that says, Sometimes I up, sometimes I’m down, sometimes I’m almost on the ground…..but see what the end shall be. And this is what the Lord is doing here;...

The Feast of the Transfiguration is ultimately about vision. The Lord brought Peter, James and John up a high mountain in order that they might come to see. Even the word that describes this day bespeaks vision. It is from the Latin Transfiguratione. Trans means “across” and by extension “change”  and figura, means “shape” or “form.”  The suffix “ation” takes a verbal action and makes it a noun. Putting it all together transfiguration means a process by which Christ changed form or appearance. Christ gave them a glimpse of his true glory, he allowed them to see across (trans) to the...

“The Vision and the Voice of the Transfiguration” (Luke 9:28-36)Today is the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, the day we observe the Transfiguration of Our Lord. The Transfiguration is that event when our Lord Jesus Christ was transformed in his appearance. His glory was made manifest before he set out on his way to the cross. Thus the Transfiguration serves as a fitting bridge between Epiphany and Lent: It’s the climax of the Epiphany season, when Christ’s glory is manifested, and it sets the stage for the season of Lent, when Jesus heads to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Our...