Christ was transfigured while remaining human, but by opening to the disciples a small part of His divinity, He gave them the opportunity to touch another reality, incomprehensible to all those who are used to living by the rules of the earthly world. The light shown on the mountain of the Transfiguration was not given to the disciples in all its strength and power; they would not have endured that. Even what the disciples were given to see made such a strong and overwhelming impression on them that the disciples were very afraid. And yet they, human beings, were allowed to share in this light.

Peter's words about the three booths and about how good it is to be here are natural: they deeply reflect the inner state not only of Peter, but also of many of us when we first encounter staggering manifestations of the spiritual world. In such moments we risk forgetting everything and wanting only one thing: to remain where we feel good. But spiritual joys are not given so that we may passively enjoy them. Having given the disciples this strengthening, Christ goes back down with them into the world, where they, and we, still have much work to do.

The prophets always treated dreams with a certain degree of distrust. There is nothing surprising in this: in sleep, as a rule, a person is unable to distinguish revelation from images produced by his own subconscious. Yet there are exceptions, when a dream becomes a source of genuine knowledge just like any other way of communion with God. The second part of the Book of Daniel includes dreams of precisely this kind, dreams through which God spoke with the apocalyptic visionary. The author of the book did not preserve this person's name for us, hiding him behind the image of the main hero.

Like everything seen in a dream, a prophetic dream is usually marked by strange, and at times even grotesque, forms; but unlike an ordinary dream, it always contains a certain logic and sequence, even if these are not visible at first glance. In the case of the Book of Daniel, the meaning is easier to understand because of the explanations the dreamer receives during his vision. Still, the essence of what he sees becomes clear even without commentary, and it is plain enough: certain kingdoms, brought forth by the elements of this world, are replaced by another Kingdom, established not by earthly powers but by God and by the Messiah whom He sends.

Indeed, under any interpretation it becomes clear enough that the beasts the book's hero sees coming up out of the sea embody the forces of our world, still not transformed, a world that in its present condition always opposes God in one way or another (vv. 2-8). The especially vivid expression of this opposition is arrogant speech, which becomes a kind of symbol of the proud self-assertion of those who do not need God (v. 8). Then comes the day of Judgment, when the throne of God openly triumphs before all over those who tried to set themselves above God (vv. 9-11). After the Judgment, the Messiah begins to rule the world, and the messianic Kingdom, whose coming the prophets spoke of, replaces the earthly kingdoms (vv. 13-14).

The most important encounters between God and humanity took place on a mountain peak: Moses received the law, and Elijah heard the breath of the Spirit. Now Jesus ascends the mountain in order to begin, in Himself, the transfiguration of humanity: from the sickness of fear and hatred to divine light.

Below, on level ground, disappointment and rejection always awaited the prophets: Moses saw the golden idol, and Elijah saw apostasy and persecution. Jesus comes down in order to go to meet His suffering, death, and resurrection, so that the transfiguration of the beloved Son would not stop with Him, so that everyone could follow His path, become a beloved son or daughter of the Father, and live by His light. On this day we can enter into this bond between God's light and Christ's cross, which opens the way to the universal Resurrection.