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MATTHEW 17 (ESV)

 

¹After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ²There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. ³Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.  ⁴Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  ⁵While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  ⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” ⁸When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.  ⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”  ¹⁰The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”  ¹¹Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. ¹²But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

 

REFLECTION

• Peter, James and John witnessed a special event on the mountaintop. They fell down before the transfigured Jesus and when they looked up “they saw no one except Jesus”.  In the brightness that blazed from Jesus, in the brilliant cloud that enveloped them, and in the voice announcing Jesus as God’s Son, they had a glimpse of Christ’s glory.  The disciples were deeply, completely, totally immersed in worship.
• How did you ever come to realize that Jesus was the one above all others that you should listen to? How has God said to you, “This is my child, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased”?  What was your response?

 

PRAYER:

Loving Heavenly Father, may you reign in my life so that I see no one but Jesus. Please give me the wisdom and the power to understand Your Word and Your truth. Let me know that in the way of the cross, suffering and glory are always closely linked and cannot be separated from each other. Allow me to look to You and rely on You in times of suffering. Because I know there is suffering in the world, but You have overcome the world. Keep me and watch over me so that I can glorify Your name in times of trouble and adversity. Amen!

 

HYMN:

Hosanna – youtu.be/JFUa_PBJ_-U