This is my chosen Son; listen to him

24 FEBRUARY (Lk 9, 28b-36)

An image of “transfiguration” is found in Moses. On the Mount, in contact with the light of the Father he was impregnated with divine light and his face reflected it in a blinding way. To be in the presence of his people he had to cover himself with a veil.

So Moses stayed there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the Lord. When Aaron, then, and the other Israelites saw Moses and noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become, they were afraid to come near him. Only after Moses called to them did Aaron and all the rulers of the community come back to him. Moses then spoke to them. Later on, all the Israelites came up to him, and he enjoined on them all that the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai. When he finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses entered the presence of the Lord to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the Israelites all that had been commanded. Then the Israelites would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the Lord.(Ex 34,28-35).

The children of Israel seeing this light, they knew that Moses was a person dear to God, credited by him even with this additional mark on his person. Moses was believed to be a true man of God and his word, true word of the Lord. Due to fragility one could even not observe it, but he still transgressed the Word of the Lord.
The flesh of Jesus is the eternal veil that hides his divinity. Today, for a moment, Jesus takes the veil off and the disciples see his glory. Now, they know without any doubt that Jesus lives in perfect communion with the Father. His word is the word of the Father, because he is a true man of God. Rather, more than a man, he is of the same divine condition. He is God. Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets credit him in his truth. From heaven, the Father asks that Jesus is heard in his every Word.

About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But he did not know what he was saying. While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.

Today Peter understands little. Tomorrow, he will say that his faith is founded, rests entirely on this experience live by him on the holy Mount. Here, his faith was born. This is the turning point of his life. On the Mount, Peter made the leap from his thought to that of Christ Jesus, of the Scriptures, of the heavenly Father. Each faith needs a point of sure stability and certainty. Nobody ever might do without it.

We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that unique declaration came to him from the majestic glory, “This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God. (2Pt 1,16-21).

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints give us the certainty in the faith.