HE WAS TRANSFIGURED…

James 3:1-10

1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses that they may obey us, we guide their whole bodies.4 Look at the ships also; though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!
6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell.
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by humankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue–a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God.
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so.

Mark 9:2-13

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,
3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus.
5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”
6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
11 And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”
12 And he said to them, “Elijah does come first to restore all things; and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”  

MEDITATION

St JAMES bemoan our disordered inclination to use our tongue to lie, slander and curse our fellow man, rather than using it to give praise to God. Since we are fallible and prone to make mistakes, we are put on notice to not allow the use of our gift of speech to taint others, because it can and will bring about our own downfall if left unchecked, unbridled without correction!

THE GOSPEL READING: Three of the most trusted Apostles accompany our Lord up the mountain to witness the transfiguration of Jesus, Moses and Elijah on the seventh day. Gobsmacked by this supernatural event, the leader of the apostles, Peter; proposed that three booths be made with palm branches to house these glorified figures whose transfiguration pointed to the restoration and transformation of the people of God who assent to and “listen to [Jesus]!” 

This event typologically prefigure the inauguration of a new Sabbath day of rest that occured when Jesus was raised from the dead on Sunday; the first day of the week (Jn 20:19,26), also referred to as the “eight day” or ‘Sukkot‘-a Hebrew feast day purposed to rejoice and celebrate the inaugeration and fruit of the recreation of man, in and through Christ! Herein we also notice the leadership of Peter who was to set up ‘booths’ (Lev 23:34,42), places of worship- wherein the people shall worship; give honor and praise to God, so we may be transformed by the truine Gods supernatural gift of grace, mercy and deliverance for the grevious mistakes we have made!

LET US PRAY: Psalms 12:2-5,7-8

2 Every one utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is our master?” 5 “Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the LORD; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.”
7 Do thou, O LORD, protect us, guard us ever from this generation.
8 On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.