Jesus, took with him St. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Sts. James and John, and led them to a retired mountain. Tradition assures us that this was Mount Thabor, which is exceedingly high and beautiful, and was anciently covered with green trees and shrubs, and was very fruitful.
Whilst Jesus prayed, his face was altered and shone as the sun, and his garments became white as snow. Moses and Elijah were seen by the three apostles in his company on this occasion, and were heard discoursing with him of the death which he was to suffer in Jerusalem.
The three apostles were wonderfully delighted with this glorious vision, and St. Peter cried out to Christ, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” Whilst St. Peter was speaking, there came, on a sudden, a bright shining cloud from heaven, and from out of this cloud was heard a voice which said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him” The apostles that were present, upon hearing this voice, were seized with a sudden fear, and fell upon the ground; but Jesus, going to them, touched them, and asked them to rise. They immediately did so, and saw no one but Jesus standing in his ordinary state.
