Fast of the Transfiguration • Day 5 • Fast & Pray

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, radiant in glory upon the mountain, open our eyes to behold You with reverence and joy. Let the light of Mt. Tabor shine into the places within us that have grown dim. As the Father’s voice commands, teach us to listen to You above every other voice, and prepare our hearts to receive both wonder and holy fear. Amen.

Scripture Reading

Matthew 17:1–8 — “Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became bright as light. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will set up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.”

Reflection

At the summit, Peter, James, and John witness Jesus transfigured — his face shining like the sun, Moses and Elijah beside him, the Father’s voice affirming him from the cloud. The devotional lingers on the disciples’ terror and their simultaneous longing to stay in that moment forever, naming it a foretaste of heaven itself: complete, holy, and joyous beyond anything they had known. Yet the mountaintop is not the final destination — the disciples, and we with them, must come back down into ordinary life, carrying that vision with them. The devotional’s closing invitation is to let every future step be shaped by having seen Christ’s glory, holding onto the mountaintop as a promise of what is still to come.

Group Discussion Questions

Gather with your group and discuss:

Peter wanted to build shelters and stay on the mountain forever. Have you ever had a spiritual “mountaintop” experience you wished you could freeze in place? What happened when you had to come back down to ordinary life?
The voice from the cloud says simply, “Listen to him.” What does it look like, practically, for you to listen to Jesus in the ordinary decisions of an average week?
The devotional calls this glimpse of glory “just a taste of what is prepared for us.” How does having a taste of something change the way you wait for the fullness of it?

Personal Reflection Questions

Take some quiet time with these:

Looking back over this whole week’s journey — from Caesarea Philippi to the summit of Tabor — where did you sense God moving in you most? Write it down before the fast ends.
Pray simply: “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” Ask God to show you one place this week where you can carry the light of Tabor down into ordinary life.

Closing Prayer