People's Prayers: Prayers of the People: Glimmering Shimmering Dazzling ~ Last Sunday after the Epiphany '26 RCL Yr A

For Sunday, February 15, 2026, Readings: Exodus 24:12-18, Psalm 99, 2 Peter 1:16-21, Matthew 17:1-9

Art/Image by Chris Brazelton/Artmajeur

The Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain... and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction...The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days... [Exodus 24: 12, 16a]

Mighty King, lover of Justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool. Holy is he! [Psalm 99:4-5]

For [Jesus] received honor and glory from God...We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven...So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the morning star rises in your hearts...no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. [2 Peter 1:17a, 18a, 19, 21]

Six days later, Jesus...led them up a high mountain...and he was transfigured before them and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white...While [Peter] was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" ...they fell to the ground...overcome by fear. But Jesus...touched them saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." [Matthew 17:1a, 2, 5, 6b, 7]

We begin the readings for this Sunday with a taste of the Moses story of his ascending Mt. Sinai to await the tablets containing God’s instructions. After waiting for the call for 6 days, he entered the blazing cloud of God’s glory that had covered the mountain and could be seen by those below. What comes later in Exodus is Moses veiling his face after his divine encounter as his own radiance is nearly blinding to the Israelites on his return.

As with Moses and the stone tablets, the Transfiguration of Jesus is at once mystery, miracle, and milestone. Jesus became a shining, glowing, gleaming, shimmering, dazzling beam of radiant glory! A momentary, visible metamorphosis of form and appearance. At the top of the mountain, Jesus becomes the connection, the conduit between human and divine ~ between us and God. Another cloud of God in glory overshadowed them and again, God spoke to say, as at his baptism, “This is my Son, my Beloved…” and most importantly for Peter, James, John, and us: listen to him!

These particular kinds of clouds in which God is present, are known in Judaism as the Shekinah [sheck-in-nah] ~ a feminine Hebrew word for a name of God. It also translates to "settling or dwelling of the Divine Presence."

We are quite familiar with the miracles Jesus performs through the Spirit of God along the way of his ministry ~ changing water to wine, healing the blind, the lame, casting out demons, raising the dead. But this moment is unique among them as this is a miracle of God within Jesus, unmistakably transforming him in the sight of others. Even if not completely understood, it was, for the disciples with him, a tiny sample of divine radiance.

The milestone is glorious yet subtly somber. Moses and Elijah were speaking with Jesus about his departure which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. This comes just 6 days after Jesus tells the disciples that he will undergo suffering, as will those who choose to follow. Peter was rebuked by Jesus for arguing the point and now he is a witness to the extraordinary Being that is Jesus. And also now, Jesus says, Do not be afraid.

It was only a few weeks ago we birthed him, baptized him, and heard him preaching in parables, and challenging the conventional norms. Now, already, Moses and Elijah speak of his departure from his human existence. How time flies in the Lectionary! We are about to enter a time of reflection, faith exploration, choosing between repentance and following Jesus or taking the easier path of mortal enticement. Lent is upon us.

For us in our time, such readings may seem all too familiar as we know that we are heading into the solemn preparation for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Even if it is difficult to get our culturally jaded, multi-media savvy, western minds around this sublime moment in the life of our Redeemer, let us remember the voice that comes from the cloud to tell us that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, His Beloved, His Chosen.

Let us choose to listen. After the seriousness of Lent, the dazzle of the Transfiguration will be completely outshone by the indescribable glory of the Resurrection, if we open ourselves to knowing it again, differently. When we can nearly see and almost experience the dazzle in the clouds from these readings, it will be a new beginning for our journey to our own transfiguration and transformation as true listeners and followers of Jesus our Christ.

LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY

Leader: ~ O God of Majestic Glory, transfigure our souls to radiate as the dazzling light of Jesus, shining through the darkness in this mortal life. May Your Holy Spirit rise in our hearts as the morning star each dawn, to make known the power, the presence, and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus, Beloved

RESPONSE: May our faith be strong and unafraid

~ O God of Majestic Glory, grant wisdom to kings, prime ministers, presidents, and all rulers of the Earth, this Nation, and this Community, that they will bow to Your will, mandate, and legislate justice tempered with mercy for all. We pray especially for: add your own petitions

Jesus, Beloved