Jesus said, “if you want to become my followers
deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.
Give us grace, God, to follow in the way of the cross
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John
and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.
We come to you not by our own design, O Christ,
but by your loving invitation.
And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun,
and his clothes became dazzling white.
You are our dawn and our light, O Christ.
Fill us with the light of your love.
Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.
Fulfill your Word in us, not by mere obedience or prophecy,
not in mere knowledge or lawfulness, but in love.
Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here;
if you wish, I will make three dwellings here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
Save us, O God, from our temptation
to capture and control our lives, your gifts, and even you.
Give us grace to be alive in the present moment.
While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them.
O Loving Mystery, overcome our knowledge with wonder,
that in a cloud of unknowing we may love you.
And from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved;
with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”
When you call us to follow in the way of the cross, help us listen.
In every moment of our lives, help us listen.
When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground
and were overcome by fear.
We confess our fear of the unknown, fear of the light in us,
fear of your grace and your presence that overwhelms us.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Get up and do not be afraid.”
Help us always to know your touch, to hear your voice:
“You are my Beloved. Do not be afraid.
You are my Beloved. Do not be afraid.”
When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
Our visions are not of another world, but this one.
Open our eyes to see you in our daily lives.
As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them,
“Tell no one about the vision
until after the Human One has been raised from the dead.”
Help us proclaim our faith, not in triumphal self-confidence
but in humbly following in the way of the cross,
trusting in resurrection. Alleluia.