Mark 9: 2-9 (Common English Bible)
In this gospel reading we are face-to-face with an incident in the life of Jesus that is cloaked in mystery. What happened was the physical becoming the spiritual. Mark tells us the garments of Jesus became radiant. In Jewish theology the presence of God is connected with clouds. It was in the cloud that Moses met God. It was in the cloud that God came to the Tabernacle and filled the Temple with God’s presence after it was built by King Soloman. The descent of the cloud is a symbol that the Messiah had come which the Jewish people understood.
The Transfiguration was a message from God to reassure Jesus to go forward with his mission. Jesus was encouraged by the two greatest prophets, Moses and Elijah. And Jesus was blessed by the living God, when Yahweh said, “This is my Son, whom I dearly love. Listen to him!”
What Peter, James and John saw on the mountaintop would give them something to hold onto, even if they could not understand it. Even though Jesus had previously told them the Human One would be executed on a Cross. But Cross or no Cross they still decided to follow Jesus.
For a brief moment, the disciples saw Jesus as he really is, as a glorified spiritual body. Like the post-resurrection stories, the Transfiguration is a momentary reality that can be seen and touched.
For this event, Jesus took his “inner-circle” with him, Peter, James and John. It was just the three of them because as leaders among the 12 disciples, this was something important for them to see. Jesus was transfigured right in front of them. It could be comparable to a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon as a butterfly. Jesus emerged from his human form into something beyond human description. His clothing became radiant, dazzling and white. The gospel writers use words like “lightning” and the “sun” to describe Jesus’ changed appearance.
This is Jesus showing himself to be part of God. This was God taking on human nature. No one but God could live the life of a true human being. This was a glimpse into Jesus’ true nature the three disciples needed to see. What Peter, James and John saw was a sign of God’s glory. As Jesus told them, as part of his suffering, the Human One would come, “in the glory of the Father among angelic beings.”
The appearance of Jesus was changed in ways similar to Moses when he was in the presence of God on Mt. Sinai. Jesus’ divinity was shown before the three disciples. When we cling too tightly to our images of God as an old man with gray hair and a long beard or Jesus as a white European, we run the risk of holding onto idols. When we refuse to allow our understanding of the Mystery to be transformed on a mountaintop or by the glory of nature, then we cut ourselves off from the Mystery of God.
Our relationship with Mystery, our faith and our understanding of who Jesus is constantly undergoing change. Change is a vital part of what is. Unfortunately, some people never change, still holding onto the same infantile religious beliefs since childhood.
There are transfigurations and transformations in our understanding which are dramatic mountaintop experiences. If we allow ourselves to really follow Jesus, then we have to expect we will see a side of Jesus we never knew. Read “Meeting Jesus Again For the First Time” by Marcus Borg. It’s only 137 pages and it’s in the church office for anyone to read.
We are wonderfully made, a living breathing miracle. The Greek word, “metamorphoo,” refers to change in physical form but can also mean a spiritual transformation. The disciples thought they had the correct ideas about what Jesus should do. But Jesus corrected them for their misplaced priorities. By having Jesus appear alongside Moses and Elijah, Mark offers a view of the two prophets and their mission of defending oppressed people. The voice of God within the cloud presents Jesus as someone who will finish their legacy. The Transfiguration focuses on Jesus, but it also challenges the disciple and ourselves to be transformed. Mark reminds us the models we are to follow so we can envision a more prophetic engagement with the empires of our own time.
And a Happy Valentine’s Day for all. It coincides this year on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. The origins of Valentine Day are varied but there is a story about a Christian priest named Valentine. This was before the Christian faith was legal in Rome. He performed weddings for Roman soldiers who were forbidden to be married. The Roman Emperor Claudius II thought marriage was bad for soldiers because the Emperor wanted to increase his army and forbid soldiers to marry. The priest Valentine ignored the Emperor’s warning and was executed. This week we observe a day dedicated to love but also Ash Wednesday, itself based on the love from God to his Son who was sacrificed because Love is more powerful than hate or violence. Lent is a time of sacrifice but also a time to reflect our love to neighbors throughout the world.
AMEN
