The Transfiguration
The Transfiguration is the fourth Luminous Mystery of the Rosary. Peter, James, and John see Jesus in glory on the mountain, where the Father's voice calls them to listen to his Son. The event prepares them for his Passion.
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Scripture
Matthew 17:1-2
After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves. He was changed before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.
Spiritual fruit: desire for holiness
The glory of Christ on the mountain
Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. He is transfigured before them, and Moses and Elijah appear with him. A cloud overshadows them, and the Father's voice identifies his Son and calls them to listen to him. The disciples receive a glimpse of Christ's glory before the suffering of his Passion.
The Transfiguration is the fourth Luminous Mystery. The accounts in Matthew 17:1–9, Mark 9:2–10, and Luke 9:28–36 each help us contemplate this event. In Luke's account, Moses and Elijah speak of what Jesus will accomplish in Jerusalem. The glory on the mountain belongs to the same saving mission that will lead him to the Cross and Resurrection.
The fruit of a desire for holiness
The Father's voice directs the disciples to listen to his Son. We ask for the holiness that grows through knowing Christ and following him. The account connects this revelation of his glory with the journey toward his Passion.
Peter wishes to remain on the mountain, but the disciples must descend with Jesus. Prayer sometimes brings peace that we would like to preserve untouched. At other times, it feels quiet or difficult. The disciples return from the mountain to the journey toward Jerusalem. Remembering that descent can help us understand why a time of consolation in prayer is followed by the familiar demands of daily life.