Transfiguration Among Us
Luke 9:28-43a
Rev. Dr. Mary Alice Mulligan
Three of the Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, report the important story of Jesus casually asking his inner circle of disciples who people think he is. They respond, saying: “A prophet or John the Baptizer.” But then Jesus turns the question on them. “Who do you think I am?” Peter is famous for blurting out that he is the long-awaited Savior, the Christ. “You are the Messiah of God.” Jesus uses the occasion to teach them further, including the prediction he will undergo terrible suffering, be killed, and raised after three days. Peter’s declaration of the Christ is one of those stories that many Christians remember. Curiously, all three of those Gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke connect the declaration of the Christ with the story we know as the Transfiguration, which is much less remembered. Each of the three writers reports the transfiguration happens about a week later, as a continuation of the declaration story. Jesus takes three of his closest disciples up onto a mountain to pray. There God confirms to the disciples who Jesus really is. They see him in his full glory. The lectionary committee thinks the transfiguration of Jesus is so important, we are encouraged to listen to it every year on the Sunday before the season of Lent begins, just 3 days before Ash Wednesday, which is where we are today. From the 9th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, listen for the word of God.
Now about eight days after these sayings 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 were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving 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” —not knowing what he said. 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; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father.
And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
Three disciples see Jesus transfigured. His presence completely changes. He has taken his steadiest disciples off to pray with him on a mountain. While Jesus is deep in prayer, God’s glory erupts. His clothes burst with light. In one flash of brilliance, he is transformed before them. The Greek word is metamorphosis – to change form completely. But this is no mere caterpillar becoming an instantaneous butterfly. The transfiguration is the only reported occurrence of people’s seeing Jesus in his full divinity. Not even the resurrection narratives reveal Jesus like this. Just here. For one holy moment, the veil of humanity, the form in which Christ has been pleased to dwell for 30 years, melts away – as if reality itself splits open, revealing the true presence of Emmanuel, God-with-us. In one terrifying, holy moment, it’s as if a star went supernova within their teacher. They experience the Christ. Eternity breaks into time. The disciples see God the Son. When Jesus’ humanity drops away, only his divinity is present. Then, the whole group is enveloped in the cloud of God’s glory. The voice of God singles out Jesus. “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” No wonder the disciples are terrified. They recognize Moses and Elijah – long-dead prophets and then hear the voice of God! To see Jesus before them, with his human flesh stripped away, leaving only his full divinity, who could stand it? These disciples who had traveled all those months with Jesus now see the explosion of heaven breaking onto the earth with the specific holy claim that Jesus is Son of God Almighty. Stunning for the three followers who experience Jesus transfigured.
But Jesus’ transfiguration still happens. God’s presence continues to erupt through Jesus. We just need to keep alert to experience it. Luke says those three disciples experienced God because they stayed awake when they were heavy with sleep. This is good advice for us. Instead of letting fatigue or minor concerns dull our senses, we need to pay attention. Trust God’s presence is leaking into our reality all the time. Keep alert.
But look out. The divine erupting around us is nothing to play with. Writer Annie Dillard once noted how Christians come to worship with fancy hats and lace, when they really should come instead wearing hard hats, ready to be lashed to the pews, lest the glory of God actually break out among them. The folks at St. Andrew may not be wearing lace and fancy hats, but many of us do not suspect God’s glory would actually break out at our church.
However, if we pay attention, sometimes, when the liturgist is reading the opening scripture, if they are paying attention and if we are paying attention, we hear their voice catch. And they have to take a breath, because God’s glory is so close. If we pay attention, we can feel Christ being transfigured right among us. Human reality momentarily drops away; we sense God.
Several folks mentioned another recent experience. Without using transfiguration language, they talked about the presence of God among us. It was when five people joined St. Andrew last month. Comments were made about the looks on your faces when the questions were being asked. Clearly the candidates were listening carefully and committing to St. Andrew purposely. Someone said their faces were glowing with serious attention and joy through the entire liturgy. No one was joining casually. And divine glory was leaking in among us all, which anyone who paid attention would notice.
Of course, transfiguration happens outside the church, too, like when family members put differences aside to celebrate their parents’ wedding anniversary and remember they actually do love their family, love each other dearly. We can sense it in many treasured celebrations. God breaks in all over the place, if we stay alert. Jesus is transfigured among us all the time.
But transfiguration happens also in misfortune. In the most difficult situations, sometimes Jesus is transfigured there as well. Such appearances may be more difficult to see, but Christ also breaks in when our hearts are broken. Remember what is reported to have happened the day after the Transfiguration? They come down the mountain and find a huge crowd. One pushy, determined father cries out for pity on his son. The disciples could not heal him, but then divinity of Jesus appears. Those who pay attention might say they saw Jesus transfigured again as he healed the child no one else could help. We know Jesus teaches all of his followers to take care of the Least, the lost, the broken. He expects us to see his presence when people are suffering; we are witnesses to the transfiguration whenever we serve in his name and by his power. Obviously, we are not transfigured; we are not divine; but Christ uses us to display the presence of God at work in the world.
Back in the 1990’s, when testing positive for HIV was terrifying and being diagnosed with full-blown AIDS was a death sentence, organizations taught groups to form AIDS teams to support those who were sick. A team of 4 or 5 people would be responsible for caring for one ill person. They helped with whatever was needed: meals, rides to doctors, washing clothes. But most important was the love. Imagine the team gathering once a week at the person’s apartment to pray together, then share protein shakes, and laugh, and talk, and cry together. Anyone paying attention at all would be overwhelmed by the presence of God erupting all over the place.
In places of pain, transfiguration is still happening. When guys in prison comfort someone whose parent died before they were released to see them, together they can sense the presence of Christ. Or when lawyers provide free guardianship papers for parents who don’t have citizenship but whose children do, so if the parents are deported, a relative has immediate legal power to care for the children. It sounds awful, but guardianship papers can provide great comfort to parents and children in this threateningly dangerous time. Jesus’ divinity can erupt through anyone’s humanity (an inmate, an attorney, a supportive group of friends) to create a holy presence in the worst circumstances. As long as we are paying attention, we can see Jesus transfigured anyplace.
By the time we gather for worship again, Lent will have begun. Our humanity will hang heavy on our souls. But today, today, we glimpse the divinity of Jesus, the veil of his humanity stripped away. And then he returns to how he always looked, the beloved teacher dusty from the road, ready for a meal. No wonder the disciples are silent, for they, like us, cannot fully understand. How is the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ, just as he sets his face for Jerusalem? Every year we celebrate the splendor of the Transfiguration, 3 days before Lent begins. Perhaps observing the Transfiguration now matters because the glory of the mountain top somehow prepares us for the journey ahead. Today’s vision of our transfigured Lord reminds us of the power of God present among us – for today, for our Lenten journey, and forever.