THEOLOGICAL CLUE

Most Lutheran, Episcopal, and some other churches celebrate the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, rather than on the traditional date of August 6. This tends to give theological definition to the end of the Epiphany season and the entire Christmas cycle, as well. The incarnation/manifestation note is sounded again in the Gospel for the Day, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him." The word God spoke at Jesus' baptism is repeated here and is meant to provide transition into the Easter cycle and, particularly, to the season of Lent; when the Luke account is used, Series C, the transition is patently clear. The other churches, which simply use the propers for the Sunday which chronologically occurs on this date, do not seem t…