Transfiguration

I imagine that for Peter, James and John, even Jesus himself the Transfiguration was one of those life-defining events. All life flows as stream of events. All of which seem like facts of life, but in reality they are more like our sense, our understanding or impression of things. For we are more poetry than mathematic.

  Within this steady flow of events we have singular events that stand out and from which we find meaning that color all the other events in our lives. These “life-defining” events are, of course, often highlights; the first time you met your spouse or the birth of your child. But, they can also be lowlights: onset of a grave illness or death of a loved one.

Another interesting thing about these life-defining events is that, as we often say, they feel like they happened yesterday. These defining events exist in a “higher time” that transcends the ordinary daily temporal flow of time.

 In a very real sense the births of my children are closer to me today than any day last month. The Church herself exists in this higher time. For the Church the Transfiguration 2019 is closer to the original Transfiguration then it is to any other day this year.  This folding of time (past into present) goes Good Friday and Easter as well.

 Jesus was human. He had life-defining events. I imagine His baptism in the Spirit was one of these. His no thanks to Satan’s temptations and the raising of Lazarus seem life-defining. Certainly the Cross and Resurrection are supreme defining events, for Jesus and for us. But, we can surely add the Transfiguration to the list as well.

Of course, the disciples had defining events: the original calling from Jesus to follow him, any one of the miracles he performed, the last supper, the horror of the Crucifixion, the joy of the Resurrection and the power of Pentecost. For Peter, James and John, the Transfiguration was surly an event that stood out. Otherwise, would we be reading about it today?

And like all life defining events they become core memories and important transforming stories, we tell ourselves and others. These singular events shape who we are.

 God acts in the world unexpectedly. Sometimes as transforming awareness and a irresistible call to action as in the first reading when God shows Abram (better known to us as Abraham) his boundless immensity. As if to say if I can create all of this I can certainly do what I promise you. “Look up” God says “and count the stars” Then the Lord promises Abram an unimaginable inheritance “like the stars beyond counting so your dependents shall be”.  Perhaps, to his own surprise for he was human and of advanced age, Abram believed the Lord and this faith, the Lord declared righteous.

 Sometimes God comes as love confronting power.  We know Jesus was handed over, judged and condemned by that power. Yet, to the dismay of that power (but, in keeping with how God works) Jesus from the Cross does not call down wrath (power would expect this, even approve of it) rather Jesus calls down radical and excessive forgiveness. “Forgive them father. They do not know what they are doing”

 But, I am getting ahead of myself. Today God reveals God on the mountain top as he gathers all time and space together making Moses the lawgiver and the Elijah the prophet present to his son Jesus who now in the Transfiguration is revealed as the Christ. 

 All three Synoptic accounts have Peter confessing Jesus as the messiah, the Son of the living God. And all three have that confession followed by the Transfiguration, the visible sign, to three wittiness, of Peter’s declaration of Faith.

 Peter, along with James and John go with Jesus to the mountain where Jesus prays.

We are told (by all three Evangelists) that Jesus’ appearance changed. How does one describe the transcendent? Mark says his clothes became radiant. Matthew says his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. Luke says the appearance of his face became altar and his clothing became dazzling. One might wonder, was Jesus’ inner and outer life becoming one?

 Suddenly, out of time, out of nowhere Moses and Elijah are speaking to Jesus.  Remember, It was on a mountain that Moses and Elijah were privileged to receive God’s revelation in the first place. Now, on this holy mountain, made holy by God’s presence, Moses and Elijah are again speaking with God. The Law and the Prophet meet the Word. What the Law had defined and what the prophet had declared was now, in Jesus, made present to them.

  It seems (Luke tells us) the lawgiver and the prophet speak with Jesus telling him of what is to come.  I imagine they speak of hope and liberation.

But, they must also speak of sacrifice, suffering and the laying down life. Did they tell him that it would be through the cross that salvation would come?

We can’t really know what was said? But, to Peter, James and John, there was a real sense, a deep impression that something important had happened. The Evangelists all say Jesus was transfigured. There was no turning back. Not now, not ever.

God’s Self-Revelation is by definition - sublime. An event of the most exalted kind. All shock and awe, majesty and grandeur, inspiration and wonder. Confronting the sublime is no easy thing. We are simultaneously terrorized and elevated. We are desperate to describe what cannot be described. Now we can somehow surrender to the sublime or we can try to escape it and this is what Peter, James and John would do. Not by running away but like Abram they would be overcome by sleep.

 Upon awakening (in both senses of the word.) they wittiness Jesus’ glorification and they are amazed and joyous, this is a grand. Well done. They want to make this holy moment permanent. Let’s stay safe and sound on the mountain. Peter even says let’s make three tents. But, they are wrong. Luke says “Peter, did not know what he was saying”. The holy mountain can never be a home. What goes up must come down. An encounter with a God can never be permanent. It is always a sending forth.

  Jesus knew this. He knew his mission, his story had not reached the end. That would have to wait till Jerusalem and beyond.

In the middle of their discussion about tents a deep terrifying darkness covered the mountaintop and the disciples (like it did Abram). They become frightened in the overshadowing presence of the Holy Mystery. And from this deep presence a voice proclaims “this is my chosen son” and then the voice commands or do he invite? “Listen to him”.

 It is only then that the disciples realize that Jesus is alone. Moses is gone for the Law is no longer needed. Jesus is the new convent. Elijah is gone for there is no need of prophets for all prophesy has been fulfilled in Jesus.  And so Jesus stands alone. It is only Jesus who comes down from the mountaintop as the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Luke ends the story the only way he could, with the disciples falling silent. For what more could be said.