Daily Gospel Reflection
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March 1, 2026
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,
and led them up a high mountain by themselves.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,
conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,
“Lord, it is good that we are here.
If you wish, I will make three tents here,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold,
a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,
then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
“Rise, and do not be afraid.”
And when the disciples raised their eyes,
they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
As they were coming down from the mountain,
Jesus charged them,
“Do not tell the vision to anyone
until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Reflection
“This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!” Listening to Jesus, for our Catholic Worker community, means following him down the mountaintop and into the streets. Just before the transfiguration passage in Matthew, Jesus exhorts his disciples to take up the cross and, in losing their lives for his sake, finding it anew. (Mt.16:24-25)
“Ave crux, spes unica.” “Hail the cross, our only hope.” This motto of the Congregation of Holy Cross remains a mantra for me, as for so many ND alumni. Listening to Jesus bears fruit in the hope of resurrected life. At the Catholic Worker, we witness it each day in the joy of a person getting proper medical care or moving into a room or home of their own.
Listening to Jesus often yields an invitation that seems too daunting. Like Peter, James, and John, I sometimes find it tempting to duck and see if that voice will pass. But Jesus comes alongside, patiently waiting with reassurance. “Rise! Do not be afraid.”
As I write this in January, we are already several days into the latest polar vortex, and our younger Catholic Worker staff are staying up every night to find people who might be stranded outside and take them to emergency shelter, or when that is full, to put them up in motel rooms. Last night, the Catholic Worker men’s house residents awoke at midnight to pounding on the door, the desperate sound of a freezing human being. Brandon, our staff member, invited him in, wrapped him in blankets, and set up a space heater. Another guest found warm, clean socks for his feet.
Every day, we pray that no one will die of hypothermia this winter in our community. Jesus comes alongside: “Rise! Do not be afraid.” The uncreated light of the transfigured Jesus illumines the way of discipleship, step by step, into the hope of Jesus’ cross and resurrection.
Prayer
Lord Jesus: You shared the joy of your transfiguration with Peter, James, and John. But when they heard our Father’s voice from the cloud, they were terrified. You touched them and told them not to be afraid. Lord Jesus, be with me when I am joyful and when I am afraid. Amen.
Saint of the Day
St. Albinus was so well known for working miracles that faithful people all over Europe, from Spain to Poland, prayed for his intercession. Many French parishes are named after him to this day.
He was born in northern France to a family who landed there from England or Ireland. As a young man, he entered a nearby monastery. By the time he was 35, he was elected abbot of the monastery, and when Angers, France, needed a bishop in 529, the people turned to him.
As bishop, Albinus preached every day, and took great care of the sick and the poor. He had a special care for widows who were raising large families. He also was famous for his work ransoming captives. Nearby barbarian forces would raid the cities, and he spent large amounts of money to buy back prisoners who had been enslaved.
Once, the king himself carried off a beautiful young girl and locked her away for his own pleasure. When Albinus heard about it, he went directly to the castle and demanded her freedom. The guards dared not oppose him and handed her over. The king did not pursue, but had the gall to demand a ransom for her freedom, which Albinus paid himself.
Albinus healed the sick and restored sight to the blind, and even was known to raise from the dead one boy named Alabald. Albinus died in 550.
St. Albinus, you were the French bishop who freed captives, cured the sick, and even raised the dead, pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Albinus is available for use under a Creative Commons license. Edited from the original. Last accessed January 30, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
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