Advent: Week 2: Saturday: Year B:

1^st Reading: Ecclesiasticus/Sir: 48: 1-4. 9-11: Elijah will come again.

Gospel: Matthew: 17: 10-13: Elijah has come already and they did not recognise him.

The Transfiguration: Strengthen to Bear the Cross: Mt 17:1-13

The transfiguration strengthened Jesus and his disciples to bear the cross. They both needed a very special portion of strength to face what lay in front of them. The transfiguration was God’s answer to their need. God used five things to strengthen Jesus and the disciples.

Jesus did not allow the three disciples Peter, James and John the brother of James to share their experience about the transfiguration of Jesus because it could not be understand by the people immediately. It was just incredible to grasp until after the resurrection. This charge to keep silent baffled the disciples because the scribes had always taught that Elijah was to come and proclaim the Messiah (cf. Mal: 4: 5). Even the disciples of Jesus did not understand the true meaning of Messiahship of Jesus so they asked such question. Jesus explained them clearly and said that John the Baptist was the prophet like Elijah who was to come. The people killed him; the Messiah too was to suffer at the hands of the people. God is there to strengthen Jesus and the disciples to suffer and to die for the kingdom of God.

1. Jesus was on a high mountain (v.1)

          a. Time: 6 days later

          b. Three witnesses

2. The Strength of God’s Glory (v.2)

          a. His face shone as the sun

          b. His clothed gleamed

3. The strength of great saints (v.3)

          a. Moses: The Lawgiver

          b. Elijah: The first great prophet

4. The strength of heavenly experience (v.4)

          a. A taste of glory

          b. A staggering request

5. The strength of God’s presence (v.5-8)

          a. The cloud: The Shekinah glory was given

          b. The voice of God: Proclaimed Jesus to be His Son-listen to Him

          c. The disciples’ reaction: They prostrated themselves-terrified

          d. The Lord’s intercession: His closeness and presence

          e. The Lord’s pre-eminence: They saw no one but Jesus

6. The strength of the resurrection (v.9-13)

          a. The misconception of the Messiah

          b. The misconception corrected

          c. The Messiah must also suffer

I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (Jn 8: 24).

Thought: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Believe in him is absolutely essential.

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