One Christmas, a few years ago,
my wife, Priscilla, bought me a magnificent gift — binoculars
equipped with a digital camera. This device is wonderful for
taking pictures of wildlife. It comes equipped with software
that enables you to do all sorts of interesting things with your
photographs. As I read the directions there was one sentence
in large print which was colored red. It stated: DO NOT LOOK
DIRECTLY AT THE SUN WITH THIS CAMERA AS YOU COULD RECEIVE SERIOUS
EYE INJURY.
I thought about the warning, "Do not look directly at
the sun as it could result in injury." Our Gospel lesson
for today says almost the opposite. When the voice of God erupts
from the cloud that was covering Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Peter,
James and John, it stated loudly, "This is my Son, the
Beloved; with Him I am well pleased; listen to Him!" (Matthew
17:56) God is referring to S-O-N, not S-U-N. God is saying, "Pay
very close attention to who He is, what He does and what He says.
Look directly at Him."
The parallel between this story and the one in Exodus where
God gives Moses the Ten Commandments and a great deal of other
Old Testament Law are numerous. Six days, high mountain, three
witnesses, God's voice, human fear and shining faces are
just a few. The comparison I want to make here, however, is the
Old Testament Law was written on tablets of stone and no doubt
several scrolls. Here we see the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:33,
where God says the new covenant will be written in our hearts.
God was starting with Peter, James and John to teach us a new
thing which we are to learn from having a close personal relationship
with Jesus. We are to see that He is the Truth; He reveals the
Truth; and He lives according to the Truth of God.
I suspect that experiencing the Shekinah or glory of God would
be terrifying. The light would be brighter than anything we have
ever seen. I recall my years in Montana. If we were experiencing
a period of cloudy and rainy days, I would sometimes head for
the mountains which were a few hours away.
The ones closest to where I lived were on the road to Yellowstone
Park. Our presbytery's church camp was located at their
base. I volunteered to do lots of things at the camp as it gave
me an opportunity to enjoy the wonder and beauty of the area.
There were times when it would be raining at the camp and you
could get in your car, drive up the mountain using the 122 switchbacks
in the 11-mile trip that increased your elevation by nearly 10,000
feet.
Quite frequently one was able to travel above the storm and
look down at the lightning in the clouds beneath you while you
sat in the brightness and warmth of the sunshine. On other occasions
just the opposite occurred. You would be in bright sunshine and
deep blue skies when all of a sudden you would be enveloped in
a cloud so thick it was hard to see your outstretched hand.
Veteran mountain people always said to stop exactly where you
were and wait for the cloud to pass by, lift up or evaporate.
The fear was that if you kept gong you could easily fall and
be seriously injured or even killed. Needless to say, the first
time was always frightening.
My guess is Peter, James and John were valley people. They
spent their lives at sea level where they earned their living
fishing. Jesus helped them experience the mountains where one
can often see things more clearly.
On this special occasion, which they would not understand until
after Jesus' death and resurrection, these men were being
shown things they would need to understand when they were called
upon to help begin the movement known as Christianity and the
Church that would be responsible for its expansion and continuation.
On this occasion even the brave Peter was brought to his knees
as were the others. He shielded his eyes because the light was
overwhelming. It is at this point that Jesus says in verse 7
of Matthew 17, "Get up and do not be afraid."
It is at this point Peter offers to do something. Maybe it
was because he knew something special had happened although he
didn't know for certain exactly what it was. He just knew
he couldn't sit still. Perhaps if he were busy building
these little shelters or altars he proposed building he would
not have to enter into any discussions that might reveal his
confusion or his fear.
My sense is, however, that God wanted him to be still and just
absorb as much of the experience as possible. I believe God wants
these still, quiet moments for each of us where we can behold
the wonder of God and be awed to the point of being speechless.
These moments are meant to be teachable moments where God can
reveal important truth that we are to take into our lives.
Today is the last Sunday of Epiphany, a season of light in
which Christ is revealed. This next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday
which is the beginning of Lent. It is meant to be a season of
introspection during which time we examine our life in the light
and truth of Jesus. It is a season in which we are invited to
take a closer look at the person and teachings of Jesus as we
seek to understand what we have been created to do and be.
The Transfiguration was first meant to be an affirmation for
Jesus. It affirmed His special relationship with God and confirmed
that He was being called to a violent and painful death in Jerusalem
because He would not turn from the truth of the Light. With Moses
and Elijah being present Jesus was assured God was more powerful
than death. This lesson would eventually be understood by Peter,
James and John especially after the Resurrection. It is also
a lesson intended to give us courage when we are afraid or when
life is difficult as it sometimes is.
The mountaintop experience of being bathed in God's glory
was meant to equip those who were there for the work that was
ahead of them in the valley of darkness. Peter, James, John,
Jesus, Moses, Elijah and all of us have the same calling albeit
with differing specifics. All of us are called to bring God's
Light into the world so that people can see and accept the Truth
of God.
Lent gives each of us the opportunity to decide how we will
respond. |
