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. – Luke 9:28-36
The story of the Transfiguration is one of the familiar yet
mysterious tales of Jesus. He had done a lot of teaching, preaching, and prophesying
throughout his ministry. However, this time was one of the Gospels' more
spectacular and mystical stories.
Jesus had gone up a mountain to pray, and the disciples longed
for sleep. Although they had fallen asleep at other times, this time, they
stayed awake and were amazed by what they saw. Jesus's face changed, and his
clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly, two men, identified as Moses and Elijah,
were there in conversation with Jesus. The disciples must have been almost
speechless, seeing their beloved rabbi and the two greatest prophets and
leaders in Jewish history glowing with God's glory and power. It was worth
staying awake for, no doubt.
The transfiguration was the visible change in the appearance
of Jesus, the facial appearance, and the dazzling white garments. White garments
were not unheard of, even in the clothing of workers and itinerants. Still, in
a hot, dusty climate where the garments were worn daily for more than a day
between washings, the white would probably appear to be more of a sandy tan. I've
heard people wonder how those clothes got so clean. It's a distraction, but one
that seems to pop up.
Back to the Transfiguration, however. It marked an outward
and visible change, not to be confused with a transformation defined as making
an inward change, perhaps something more like a metamorphosis than a
transfiguration. I have heard clergy make the case that while Jesus was
transfigured, the transformation took place inside the disciples, making them
more aware of who Jesus was, if they had needed any more convincing than Jesus
had already shown them. If their eyes hadn't seen enough proof, having God's
voice coming from out of a cloud recognizing Jesus as God's Son should have
shaken them to their cores and convinced them that this wasn't some dream or
delusion.
I can't say I've ever seen a transfiguration, but I have witnessed
transformations. One experience was meeting a Russian Orthodox priest in a dimly-lit
nave of our church and undeniably feeling and, I'm sure, seeing a kind of aura
around him that fairly rang like a church bell as to his authenticity as one of
God's special chosen ones. It was an extraordinary meeting, with no words
exchanged since he spoke no English and I spoke no Russian. Still, it didn't
need words, Moses or Elijah. It was awesome, just as it was.
I've seen transformations in people when behaviors that were
harmful to them and those around them have changed. I've seen a shift in myself
where I know I've changed in ways I would never have thought, both in habits
and beliefs. I've seen a kind of transformation in people when suddenly a new
thought or idea changed their mind about something they felt strongly about,
only to find the new way was better, more just, and more like what Jesus
taught.
I wish there were a way to transform the world instantly, but
I feel that is almost a non-starter. Climate change, unbearable heat, constant
rain and flooding, sinkholes, and raging forest fires all tell us that the
earth is damaged and needs help to revive itself. Person-on-person violence and
global warfare are becoming all too common, and the innocent are often the ones
who pay the price. We need a global metamorphosis, a transformation to bring
about what God originally intended for us.
Maybe what we need now is a Transfiguration and a voice from Heaven.
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