Daily Readings - Mon Aug 06 2018

First Reading - Daniel 7.9-10, 13-14 or 2 Peter 1.16-19

⁹I watched until thrones were set up, and the ancient of days sat down. His garment was radiant like snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels had been set on fire¹⁰A river of fire rushed forth from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands attended before him. The trial began, and the books were opened¹³I watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way to the ancient of days, and they presented him before him¹⁴And he gave him power, and honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted

2 Peter

Chapter 1

¹⁶For it was not by following fanciful doctrines that we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were made eyewitnesses of his greatness¹⁷For he received honor and glory from God the Father, whose voice descended to him from the magnificent glory: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.¹⁸We also heard this voice conveyed from heaven, when we were with him on the holy mountain¹⁹And so, we have an even firmer prophetic word, to which you would do well to listen, as to a light shining within a dark place, until the day dawns, and the daystar rises, in your hearts

Mark

Chapter 9

²And after six days, Jesus took with him Peter, and James, and John; and he led them separately to a lofty mountain alone; and he was transfigured before them³And his vestments became radiant and exceedingly white like snow, with such a brilliance as no fuller on earth is able to achieve⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses; and they were speaking with Jesus⁵And in response, Peter said to Jesus: "Master, it is good for us to be here. And so let us make three tabernacles, one for you, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.⁶For he did not know what he was saying. For they were overwhelmed by fear⁷And there was a cloud overshadowing them. And a voice came from the cloud, saying: "This is my most beloved Son. Listen to him.⁸And immediately, looking around, they no longer saw anyone, except Jesus alone with them⁹And as they were descending from the mountain, he instructed them not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until after the Son of man will have risen again from the dead¹⁰And they kept the word to themselves, arguing about what "after he will have risen from the dead" might mean

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter profound visions of God’s glory and the revelation of His divine plan. The first reading from Daniel describes a heavenly scene where the Ancient of Days, a symbol of God’s eternal wisdom and judgment, sits in power. Before Him, the Son of Man, a figure representing the people of God, is given dominion, glory, and a kingdom that will endure forever. This vision reminds us of God’s ultimate triumph over all earthly powers and the eternal nature of His kingdom. The Gospel from Mark, on the other hand, presents the Transfiguration of Jesus, where He reveals His divine glory to Peter, James, and John. Accompanied by Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets, Jesus is affirmed by the Father as the Beloved Son, the fulfillment of all that has been spoken. These readings are deeply connected, as they both point to the divine authority and eternal reign of God. In Daniel, the Son of Man receives dominion over all peoples, while in Mark, Jesus is revealed as the Son of God, the one to whom all must listen. Together, they invite us to see beyond the limitations of this world and to trust in God’s plan, which transcends time and human understanding. The Transfiguration, in particular, serves as a moment of encouragement for the disciples, reminding them of the glory that awaits those who follow Jesus, even in the face of suffering and death. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God’s revelation in our lives? Like Peter, we may feel overwhelmed by the majesty of God, but we are called to listen to Jesus, the Beloved Son, and to trust in His plan. In our daily lives, we are often tempted to focus on the immediate challenges and uncertainties around us, but today’s readings remind us to lift our eyes to the eternal kingdom. Let us strive to live with hope and faith, knowing that God’s power and glory will ultimately prevail. May we, like the disciples, descend from the mountain of prayer and worship, ready to follow Jesus on the path He has set before us, even when the journey is difficult.