SUNDAY’S GOSPEL—August 6, 2023 – The Transfiguration of the Lord

Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.

Matthew 17:1–9

And Jesus was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun. –Matthew 17:2

For Children
     Gospel Reflection and Saint of the Week with Miss Heidi

For Adults
The definition of time is the measure of change. If nothing changed, we’d have no sense of time passing at all. Change doesn’t move at a constant pace: sometimes it’s glacially slow; at other times, it races into view like a freight train. The Transfiguration of Jesus in the eyes of his disciples was an ongoing process of communication and revelation. Each teaching demonstrated his authority. Every miracle was a clue. And then, like a landslide, one afternoon on Mt. Tabor changed the disciples’ perception of Jesus completely.

Not all change is beneficial, and not all that’s revealed is beautiful, unhappily. This week we recall an hour in Hiroshima, a moment in Nagasaki, when history was tragically transformed in a flash of light. The human potential for unfathomable devastation was shown to the world, but this transfiguration of the moral landscape did not glorify God. What occupies the human heart will be revealed, hour by hour. We must take care that what we harbor inside testifies to the goodness of the God we serve.

Recall an event in which you came to “really know” someone: a parent or child, friend, or coworker. How did this revelation change the way you’d seen them before?

LET US PRAY… Source of life and light, we thank you for the time to reflect on the path we’ve walked so far. We thank you for your word and your story, given to us as our precious legacy. Support us in our witness to the gospel in every decision we make—with time, money, words, and relationships. Amen.

While The Gospel at Home takes a break in the summer months, we’ll be drawing our weekly reflections from Exploring the Sunday Readings.

Image credit: Alexander Ivanov, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons