The Gospel reading for this feast is the same as that of the Second Sunday of Lent in the same year. Please refer to that commentary.

This day is the anniversary of the first explosion of the atomic bomb by one nation against another, by the United States over Hiroshima, Japan, August 6, 1945. It would be timely and important to devote Bible study time to probing what this Gospel event — and the whole Gospel message — can say to that event which ushered in the threat of nuclear conflagration that has since hovered over humankind.

The visions of the book of Daniel represent nations and historical events of the time of the author (about 165 B.C.E.) as well as previous history (such as the Babylonian exile, 587-538 B.C.E.). The book was written during a time of bitter persecution, and served to strengthen the faith of the Jewish people that God would deliver them. The "apocalyptic" style of the writing, characterized by wildly symbolic visions, was very common at that time, and on into the first century after Jesus. The book of Revelation is a Christian example of the same type of writing.

The "Son of Man" of this vision represents no definite person, but rather personifies the re-establishment of a kingdom under a king, and emphasizes that this would be God’s doing, not a human endeavor. As such, the vision does foreshadow Jesus as the Messiah, and Jesus applied the title, Son of man, to himself. (See also the commentary on the first reading for the Solemnity of Christ the King, Year B.)

This psalm of divine judgment recalls the cloud, light and darkness, and power of the manifestation of God’s presence of Ex 19:16-19, which is also displayed in the transfiguration of Jesus. Response: "The Lord is king, the most high over all the earth."

The second letter of Peter claims to have been written by the apostle himself, but most commentators regard it as the latest of the Christian scriptural writings, dating around 100 to 140 C.E. There is considerable evidence to support this, such as the reference to Paul’s writings as "Scripture" (3:16), indicating that they were already part of a tradition handed down from the past. Even if written at a later date by someone who wished to claim Peter’s authority, and even if its "eyewitness" claim is several generations removed, this letter has still been accepted as an inspired writing by the Church from the very early times.

One of the situations the author faced was a denial of the second coming of Christ because of the long delay since his resurrection. He appeals to the apostolic witness of the transfiguration to show that Jesus already possessed the glory to be revealed in his second coming. The author assumes that his readers are already familiar with the account of the transfiguration found in the Gospels.

1. Discuss the meaning of the word "passage" as found in Lk 9:31.

2. What was in Peter’s mind in Lk 9:33?