The Liturgy dictates that when the Transfiguration of the Lord falls on a Sunday in August we hear, once more, the exact same Gospel reading we heard last Lent on the second Sunday of that Season (Gospel of Matthew). Rather than just reprint what I wrote that Sunday, we are called--as Scripture scholars tell us--to focus on a different part of the reading. Rather than concern ourselves with the more Lenten understanding of being more penitential, as the season of Lent would highlight, we need to listen to Peter’s words more closely.

In Lent we could focus on the “his face shown like the sun and his clothes were as white a light.” Today, let us consider the promise of the Risen Lord and in particular, Peter’s response: Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” It seems that Peter really wanted to stay put, remain where he and the Lord and Moses and Elijah were--up on the mountain.

But sooner or later--we--can’s just stay “up on the mountain.” Eventually we all have to come down the mountain and get back to living in the real world--the real world of family and children, spouses and parents and in-laws, of work and the everyday world of managing a household and life. But just because we have to leave all that light up on the mountain does not mean that we are not called to take the light with us--and as the song written by Chris Rice says, “Go Light Your World.”

At the retreats I attend for Confirmation candidates at Trinita, the Mass at 9:30 at night concludes with a final blessing and then some 80 or more Confirmands circle the sanctuary and sign this song arm-in-arm (honestly the first time this happened to me I felt like I was in a closing scene of Saturday Night Live...but the words are powerful and the teens put their voices into these words. The words are also fitting as we ask ourselves at this summertime celebration of the Transfiguration of the Lord: If we were Peter up on the mountain with the Lord and as we descend and return to our lives, are we willing to light our candle with the Light of Christ ? Are we then willing to take it into the darkness and go light your world?

This Sunday we need to ask ourselves those questions as we are called to put ourselves in front of the Risen Lord and ponder not just the Face of God or the Light of Christ, but the promise which comes from the Trinity--a promise of a lived discipleship that offers the Glory of God to all His children. Baptized into His death at baptism we shall Rise with Him to newness of life--here on earth--and for ever in His Glory. Now, Go Light Your Candle...but first acquaint yourself with the lyrics and our baptismal call and what lies ahead if we say “Yes.”