Transfiguration/Debre Tabor

ደብረ ታቦር/ Debra Tabor

The Feast of The Transfiguration of Our ጌታ/Gêta /Lord

ደብረ ታቦር/Debra Tabor/Mount Tabor Nehasse 13 - August 19 1

A Short Reflection on The Transfiguration - ደብረ ታቦር/Debra Tabor Readings appointed for the Feast of Mount Tabor, celebrate the Transfiguration of our ጌታ/Gêta/Lord on that mountain. No Gospel narrative names the mountain. That detail comes down to us through the larger body of sacred oral tradition. Synoptic coverage (see also: Mark 8:34-9:8) of the event is not consistent about the interval between our ጌታ/Gêta/Lord's teaching the importance of taking up the cross to follow Him, and this event. Yet, by all accounts, Peter, James, and John witnessed ክርስቶስ/Kristos/Christ suddenly appearing, miraculously clothed in light, conversing with Moses and Elijah.

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Notice how these appointed readings highlight this brilliant moment in the earthly ministry of ክርስቶስ/Kristos/Christ, shortly before His Passion. These citations underscore how He truly fulfilled the Law and all of the prophets. The light with which He was clothed and the voice from the cloud, also, miraculously manifested the Holy Trinity. Like His baptism in Jordan, this event shows the Messiah to be the source of that divine grace or favour that He came to share with us. Both events indicate sufficient power to transform all of creation. But, for each of us, to be restored to that image and likeness of እግዚአብሔር/Igziabher/God, for which we were originally created, the constant critical temporal question remains: whether or not we will ever learn to live with it. Do we choose to accept and use what He came to do for us?

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Let us pray: O Almighty እግዚአብሔር/Igziabher/God, in the glorious Transfiguration of Thy Only-begotten Son, Thou didst confirm the Mysteries of faith by the testimony of the Prophets Moses and Elijah, and Thou didst wondrously foreshadowed our adoption as Thy children by the voice speaking through the resplendent cloud. Grant us in Thy mercy that we may be co-heirs with the King of Glory and sharers in that very glory that is His. We ask this through ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ/Eeyesus Kristos/Jesus Christ our ጌታ/Gêta/Lord. አሜን።/Amen.

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The Anaphora of St. Dioscoros FIRST READING: Hebrews 11 : 23 - 30.

SECOND READING: 2 Peter 1 : 15 - finish.

THIRD READING: The Acts of the Apostles 7:44 - 51.

THE PSALMODY: Psalm 88 (89) : 12, 13 Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy Name.

Thine is the arm with might THE HOLY GOSPEL: St. Matthew 17:1-9.

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The Transfiguration 28 Now about eight days after these sayings ኢየሱስ/Eeyesus/Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to ኢየሱስ/Eeyesus/Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”36 When the voice had spoken, ኢየሱስ/Eeyesus/Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

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The transfiguration of ኢየሱስ ክርስቶስ/Eeyesus Kristos/Jesus Christ is recorded in the three synoptic gospels (Matthew 17:1-3, Mark 9:2-9 and Luke 9:28-36). Each version names the three disciples who accompanied ኢየሱስ/Eeyesus/Jesus, to stand as human witnesses to the glory of ክርስቶስ/ Kristos/Christ. Additionally, there were three heavenly witnesses: Moses, Elijah, and the voice of እግዚአብሔር/Igziabher/God from heaven. Thus, the Old Testament law requiring three witnesses to attest to any fact (Deuteronomy 19:15) was fulfilled: both on earth, as well as in heaven. In his second epistle, St. Peter also reiterates how he had witnessed the transfiguration of ክርስቶስ/ Kristos/Christ. (2 Peter 1:16).

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