Daily Readings - Fri Aug 06 2021

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 divine authority and transformation. The first reading from Daniel presents a majestic scene of God's throne, where the Ancient of Days presides over a celestial court. This vision underscores God's eternal sovereignty and the ultimate triumph of righteousness. The Gospel from Mark recounts the Transfiguration of Jesus, where His divine glory is unveiled before Peter, James, and John. This moment not only confirms Jesus' identity as the Son of God but also strengthens the disciples' faith as they prepare for the challenges ahead. These passages are deeply connected, as both point to the revelation of God's glory and the ultimate dominion of the Messiah. In Daniel, the vision prepares the people for the coming of a divine ruler who will reign forever. In Mark, the Transfiguration is a fulfillment of that promise, as Jesus, the Son of Man, is revealed in His glory. Together, they remind us that God's plan unfolds in His time, and His kingdom will endure forever. As we reflect on these readings, let us draw strength from the knowledge that we are part of a larger story. In moments of uncertainty, may we trust in God's eternal plan and listen to the voice of Jesus, who calls us to follow Him. Let us strive to live as disciples who, like Peter, James, and John, are transformed by the encounter with Christ and committed to His mission. May we find hope in the promise of God's kingdom, where love and justice will reign supreme.