Jesus is Transfigured, We are Transformed

The Gospel of Luke records the remarkable story of Jesus’ Transfiguration. The story tells of the Mystical Experience that Changed Jesus’ life as well as his disciples, Peter, John and James. I believe hearing and reading and living into this story also transforms our lives.  

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions. . .saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. . .Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. . .” While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen (Beloved); listen to him!” (Luke 9:28-36)

Like Peter, John and James, we want to preserve our mountain top experiences, we don’t want to let them go. Mountain top experiences can take different forms for different people: a retreat, a beautiful worship Service, a profound course of study, time spent outdoors in God’s Creation. We all have had experiences that touch our souls and bring us into the presence of the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

This story stimulates my imagination to envision this conversation between Jesus and Peter. In my imagination, Peter says to Jesus, “this is great, we can build these shelters for you and Moses and Elijah, and we can put you in a box, and we can worship you, and sing songs to you and about you, and take you out when we need or want you. Then we can put you back in your box so you won’t get in the way of what we want to do.”

But, Jesus says to Peter, “Peter, don’t you understand that I am bigger than that. You cannot box me in, you cannot create me in your own image.” Jesus continues, “I came to set you free, to create you in my image, and not only you, but the whole world, all people, nations and races.” As we read in the Gospel of John, “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17)

I believe that we like the three disciples have seen God’s Glory. I invite you to let your imaginations reflect on that glory. Is God calling us to live into that Glory and to share it with others?

This past Sunday, we at Christ Episcopal Church celebrated the lives of our students and teachers and prayed for them and their backpacks, brief cases and book bags. We prayed that God will bless them in their learning and teaching as they journey together in search of both knowledge and wisdom. As important as this is for us to do every year at this time it is just as important for us to realize that we are all teachers as well as learners. As Jesus said on another mountain top:

 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:16-20)

As we teach, reading, writing and arithmetic, as we teach computers, music and sports, and how to think, we are also called by our God to teach one another how to love our Lord and our neighbors as we love our selves. (See Mark 12:29-31)

God is using us to teach others how to let God out of the boxes we put God in, to teach others how to let God be God, and how to experience God on “the mountain top,” and then come down the mountain and live in the world God has created. For it is in God that we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

As we see the Glory of God, my we live so that others may see God’s glory through us.