Today we in the Church celebrate a major feast day officially known as The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The collect (prayer) which marks this day is, “O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
The scriptures describing the event are found in the Synoptic Gospels, (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), and all point to Jesus’ ascending a mount (Perhaps Mt. Sinai) along with his primary disciples, Peter, James, and John. There before them he is transfigured – his true divine nature is revealed – alongside him Elijah & Moses appear and the disciples hear the voice of God proclaim, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased: listen to him.”
So, what was the purpose of the Transfiguration? Clearly it was to reveal Jesus’ divine nature. More than a great prophet, like Moses or Elijah – Jesus was the fulfillment of the law, which Moses represented, and the prophets which Elijah represented. In addition he also embodied all that it means to be human.
However, lest there be any doubt in the disciple’s minds, even though the disciples had seen Jesus heal the sick, cast out demons, feed the thousands, and walk on water - Jesus was transfigured before their very eyes. So much so that he was as bright as the sun reflecting off of snow. Can you imagine what the disciples must have been thinking? I imagine that their brains were on overload.
Then standing with Jesus was Moses – the supreme lawgiver – the one who God used first to try to bridge the gap between God and man caused by the fall from grace in the Garden of Eden. The law was intended to help people connect with God; the problem is that it became the ends rather than the means.
On the other side of Jesus was Elijah, one of the greatest of the prophets. It was Elijah who was sent by God to call Israel back to the fold and it was Elijah who was swept up into heaven on a whirlwind.
So here was Jesus – standing transfigured between Moses and Elijah representing the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. And just in case the disciples didn’t really get it…the voice of God says, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, WITH WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED, LISTEN TO HIM.”
This is a powerful statement because prior to Jesus the people were to listen solely to the law and the prophets – but now they are called to listen to Jesus as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets.
We too are called to listen to Jesus – the incarnation of God – fully God and fully man! And yet, there are so many competing voices out there calling for our attention, voices that seek to place our needs, wants, and desires first.
However, Jesus tells us not to listen to those voices – in fact the message is very simple and straight forward. “YOU ARE TO LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. THIS IS THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT. AND THE SECOND IS LIKE IT: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” And to that I say… AMEN!
I pray a very blessed Feast of the Transfiguration to you all! |
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