THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD
The Lord appeared to Moses in the light of the burning bush. (Ex 3:1-14) Later Moses’ face would shine with the light of God’s glory when he came down from Mount Sinai. (Ex 34:29-35) Now Moses and Elijah appear with Him who is the Light of Light Himself on the Mount of Transfiguration. (Mt 17:1-9) Jesus’ glory as God shines with brilliant splendor in and through His human nature. By this epiphany, our Lord confirmed the prophetic word (2 Pet 1:16-21), revealing that He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. He manifested His majesty as the eternal Son of the Father. And He wonderfully foreshowed our adoption as sons. (Collect) For in this event we who have been baptized into Christ’s body are given a glimpse of the glory that we will share with Him in the resurrection on the Last Day.
Introit:( Psalm 84:1-2a,4, 10-11; antiphon: Psalm 77:18b)
Pastor: Your lightnings lighted up the world;
Congregation: the earth trembled and shook.
P: How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!
C: My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD.
P: Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!
C: For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be
a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
P: For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
All: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, Is now, and will be forever. Amen.
P: Your lightnings lighted up the world;
C: the earth trembled and shook.
Collect Of The Day
O God, who in the glorious transfiguration of Your only-begotten Son confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the testimony of the fathers and who, in the voice that came from the bright cloud, did in a wonderful manner foreshow the adoption of sons, mercifully make us co-heirs with the King of His glory and bring us to the enjoyment of our inheritance in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
- Exodus 34:29-35 +
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. (30) Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. (31) But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. (32) Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. (33) And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. (34) Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, (35) the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Gradual (Psalm 45:2, 110:1)
You are fairer than the | sons of men;*
grace is poured up- | on Your lips.
The Lord said | to my Lord,*
“Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your | footstool.” - 2 Peter 1:16-21 +
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (17) For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” (18) we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. (19) And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, (20) knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. (21) For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Lutheran Confessions Responsive Reading: The Augsburg Confession (1530)
P: What do our Churches believe, teach, and confess of: The Son of God (Art.III)?
C: Our churches teach that the Word, that is, the Son of God [John 1:14], assumed the human nature in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. So there are two natures—the divine and the human—inseparably joined in one person. There is one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the Virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, died, and was buried. He did this to reconcile the Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of mankind [John 1:29].
Verse (Psalm 96:2-3)P: Alleluia. Alleluia. Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
C: Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. Alleluia.
- Matthew 17:1-9 +
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. (2) And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. (3) And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. (4) And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (5) He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (6) When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. (7) But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” (8) And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. (9) And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
