August the 6th is a significant day for our family; it is my wife’s birthday. We were both born into Protestant families, so we grew up knowing nothing about feasts, solemnities, memorials, or saints – except for St. Patrick. The Almighty had other plans and we both became Catholic. When Deb heard that her birthday was on the Feast of the Transfiguration she said, “Is my birthday on a more important feast day than yours?” I had to tell her that my birthday was on the Solemnity of St. Joseph and that a solemnity is higher up the liturgical food chain than a feast. We both laughed. “Figures,” she said.

The joking aside, today is an important celebration. The readings help us catch a glimpse of the glorious Lord that we worship today. In Daniel’s vision, one like a Son of Man is presented before the Ancient One and receives everlasting dominion, glory, and kingship. In the four Gospels, the term “Son of Man” is used for Jesus eighty-one times. Whenever situations in life look gloomy and somber, I am reminded that the Lord’s kingship shall not be destroyed. We may live in a crazy world but by faith we know how it all ends. The psalmist assures us that “justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne” and “the heavens proclaim his justice.”

St. Peter, speaking for all of Jesus’ first disciples, says that they witnessed the glory and majesty of God in Jesus. The story of Jesus is not a cleverly devised myth. We saw the glory of God revealed in him with our own eyes. We heard the voice of God with our own ears. Thus, our message is altogether reliable. We didn’t make it up. In this dark world, this message is a shining lamp. If we focus on the light and not the darkness, the day will dawn, and the morning star will rise in our hearts.

St. Matthew tells us about what St. Peter experienced. Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John. Transfiguration is the changing of form or appearance. Jesus’ face began to shine, and his clothes became white as light. Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with him. For the first time, the divinity of Jesus revealed itself through the physical body of Jesus. Then the cloud appeared, the shekinah of God, and the voice of God proclaimed Jesus to be his beloved Son. Listen to him, the voice said.

“As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, ‘Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’”

The Son of Man has indeed been raised from the dead. It’s no cleverly devised myth.

Tell the vision