As the season of Epiphany comes to a close on this Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2026, we celebrate the Transfiguration—the moment when Jesus’ divine glory is revealed on the mountaintop. Today, the heavens open, Christ’s face shines like the sun, and the voice of the Father declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
This morning we celebrate Morning Prayer as we prepare to journey with Christ from this mountaintop of glory into the season of Lent.
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The Collect for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2026
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Readings for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2026
Old Testament: Exodus 24:12-18
12 The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14 To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”
15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17 Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
Psalm 99
1 The Lord is King; let the peoples tremble; he is enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth shake.
2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.
3 Let them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; he is the Holy One.
4 “O mighty King, lover of justice, you have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.”
5 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and fall down before his footstool; he is the Holy One.
6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those who call upon his Name, they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; they kept his testimonies and the decree that he gave them.
8 O Lord our God, you answered them indeed; you were a God who forgave them, yet punished them for their evil deeds.
9 Proclaim the greatness of the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hill; for the Lord our God is the Holy One.
The Epistle: 2 Peter 1:16-21
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all, you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
The Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 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.” 5 While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Reflection on the Readings for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2026
Join us for Morning Prayer!
Old Testament – Exodus 24:12-18
Moses is called to ascend Mount Sinai to receive the tablets of stone that contain God’s laws and commandments. He leaves Joshua partway up the mountain and instructs the elders below to wait for his return. The cloud of God’s glory envelops the mountain for six days before God calls Moses from within it. To the Israelites watching below, the glory of the Lord appears like a devouring fire atop the mountain. Moses then enters the cloud and remains on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, communing with God and receiving the law. This passage establishes a pattern of mountaintop encounters with God’s glory—ones that reveal His divine presence through cloud and fire.
Psalm 99
This enthronement psalm proclaims the Lord as King over all peoples, seated upon the cherubim, causing the earth to tremble at His presence. It celebrates God’s greatness in Zion and His supremacy over all nations, inviting everyone to acknowledge His magnificent and awe-inspiring name. God is honored as the mighty King who loves justice and has established fairness and righteousness.
The psalmist recalls Moses, Aaron, and Samuel—figures who called upon the Lord and were answered. God communicated with them from the pillar of cloud while they upheld His testimonies. The psalm concludes with a threefold refrain that proclaims God’s holiness and urges worshipers to declare the Lord’s greatness and worship Him on His holy hill.
Epistle – 2 Peter 1:16-21
Peter addresses skeptics who might dismiss the apostolic testimony as mere “cleverly devised myths.” He insists that he and the other disciples were eyewitnesses to Christ’s majesty, specifically citing the Transfiguration. They heard the voice from the Majestic Glory proclaiming Jesus as God’s beloved Son. Their experience on the holy mountain with Jesus confirmed the prophetic message they received.
Peter urges his readers to pay attention to this prophetic word, which serves as a lamp shining in the darkness until the day dawns and the morning star rises in their hearts. He emphasizes that no prophecy of Scripture originates from human interpretation or will, but comes from individuals moved by the Holy Spirit to speak from God.
Gospel – Matthew 17:1-9
Six days after Peter confessed that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. There, he was transfigured before them—his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus, representing the Law and the Prophets. Overwhelmed and unsure of what to say, Peter suggested building three shelters for them.
A bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud spoke: “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him, I am well pleased; listen to him!” The disciples fell to the ground in fear, but Jesus touched them and told them to get up and not be afraid. When they looked up, they saw only Jesus
As they descended the mountain, Jesus instructed them to tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man had been raised from the dead.
Reflection Summary for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany 2026
The central theme of these readings is the revelation of Christ’s divine glory and our call to listen to Him. Moses encountered God’s glory on Mount Sinai, where he received the law amidst clouds and fire. The psalmist proclaims the holiness of God, who spoke to His servants from the pillar of cloud. Peter testifies as an eyewitness to Christ’s majesty on the holy mountain, where the Father’s voice confirmed Jesus as His beloved Son. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus is unveiled in His true glory, fulfilling both the Law (represented by Moses) and the Prophets (represented by Elijah)—the one to whom we must listen. This mountaintop moment occurs just before Jesus begins His journey to Jerusalem and the cross.
Today, we are reminded that this glimpse of glory strengthens us to bear our own crosses and to be transformed into Christ’s likeness from one degree of glory to another. We have witnessed the light of His countenance, and now we prepare to follow Him into Lent, listening to His voice, trusting in His power, and being transformed by His glory.
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