Today's Gospel March 8 2020 with comment

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 17,1-9.
At that time, Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother with him and led them aside, on a high mountain.
And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
Peter then took the floor and said to Jesus: «Lord, it is good for us to stay here; if you want, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. »
He was still speaking when a bright cloud enveloped them with his shadow. And here is a voice that said: «This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him. "
Upon hearing this, the disciples fell on their faces and were filled with great fear.
But Jesus came near and touched them and said: «Arise and do not fear».
Looking up, they saw no one except Jesus alone.
And while they were descending from the mountain, Jesus ordered them: "Do not speak to anyone about this vision, until the Son of man has risen from the dead".

San Leone Magno (? - ca 461)
pope and doctor of the Church

Discourse 51 (64), SC 74 bis
"This is my beloved Son ... Listen to him"
The apostles, who were to be confirmed in faith, in the prodigy of the Transfiguration, received a teaching suitable to lead them to the knowledge of everything. In fact, Moses and Elijah, that is, the Law and the Prophets, appeared in conversation with the Lord ... As St. John says: "Because the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Jn 1,17, XNUMX).

The apostle Peter was so to speak enraptured in ecstasy by the desire for eternal goods; full of joy for this vision, he wished to live with Jesus in a place where the glory thus manifested filled him with joy. Then he says: “Lord, it is nice for us to stay here; if you want, I'll make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. " But the Lord does not respond to the proposal, to make it understood not that the desire was bad, but that it was postponed. Since the world could only be saved from the death of Christ, and the Lord's example invited the faith of believers to understand that, without doubting the promised happiness, we must nevertheless, in the temptations of life, ask for patience rather than glory, for the happiness of the kingdom cannot precede the time of suffering.

That is why, while still speaking, a luminous cloud enveloped them, and here from the cloud a voice proclaimed: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him "... This is my Son, everything was done through him, and without him nothing was made of everything that exists. (Jn 1,3: 5,17) My Father always works and I also work. the Son alone can do nothing except what he sees the Father doing; what he does, the Son also does. (Jn 19-2,6) ... This is my Son, who, although of a divine nature, did not consider his equality with God a jealous treasure; but he stripped himself, assuming the condition of a servant (Phil 14,6ss), to operate the common design of the restoration of mankind. So listen without hesitation to him who has all my complacency, whose teaching he shows me, whose humility glorifies me, since he is the Truth and the Life (Jn 1: 1,24). He is my power and my wisdom (XNUMXCo XNUMX). Listen to him, he who redeems the world with his blood ..., he who opens the way to heaven with the torture of his cross. "