Today is the Feast of the
Transfiguration. We don't get to celebrate this feast very often
because it has a fixed, non-transferable day of August 6. That being
said, the BCP rubrics do state that when this feast falls on a Sunday
it takes precedence over the regularly scheduled Propers. So on this
day we celebrate a theophany, a glimpse of the eternal God in the
here and now, a revelation into the true nature of Jesus, and a
recognition of the transfiguration event as a bright, sometimes
blinding, light shining in dark places.
This idea of Christ's light shining in
the darkness may be why the feast is celebrated on this day. Pope
Callixtus III ordered its celebration on August 6 to commemorate the
successful defense of Belgrade from the Ottomans in 1456 – because
nothing says, “the light of Christ” quite like a military victory
over the forces of evil . . . But I digress.
As I said, today is the actual date of
the Feast of the Transfiguration. As we celebrate this event, there
are several things to consider.
First, we need to look at some
background material. At the end of Chapter 8, Jesus raises Jairus'
daughter from the dead. In the room with him were Peter, John, and
James.
As we move into Chapter 9, Jesus sends
out the twelve to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. Luke says
that they were successful in that mission. Upon their return he
takes them away to a private place to debrief. During this time of
solitude, however, crowds gather to hear Jesus preach and to be
healed. And at the close of the day we have the story of the feeding
of the five thousand.
Later, when they are alone, Jesus asks,
“Who do you say that I am?” Peter confesses him to be the
Messiah, and Jesus talks about his Passion and what it takes to be a
disciple – take up your cross daily. All of this brings us to
today's gospel.
About eight days after these sayings,
Jesus took with him Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain.
While there Jesus is joined by Moses and Elijah, when a cloud
overshadows them, terrifying the disciples in the process. There are
some major points in this story we can't overlook.
Eight days later. There are seven days
in a week. The eighth day, then, is the first day of the week. On
the first day, God created. It was also on the first day of the week
that the women went to the empty tomb. The eighth day is symbolic of
the first day of the new creation.
Peter, John, and James were with him on
the mountain. These were the same three who were with him a short
time earlier when he raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. These
three witnessed his power to restore life. And now these three are
witnesses to Christ in his eternal glory, Jesus as the fulfillment of
the law and the prophets (as indicated by the presence of Moses and
Elijah), and the voice of God confirming Jesus as his holy son.
This event took place on a mountain, a
traditional place of holy events. It was on a mountain that God
spared Isaac. It was on a mountain that Moses received the law. It
is on a mountain that the Lord's house will be established. And it
is here, on a mountain, that Jesus is transfigured and revealed.
A cloud overshadowed them and they were
terrified. That word “overshadow” occurs only four times in the
gospels, and once as a synonym in Acts. Three of those times are in
reference to the Transfiguration when the cloud overshadows the
disciples and they were terrified. Once occurs in Luke 1 when an
angel tells Mary not to be afraid and that the power of the Most High
will overshadow her, causing her child to be holy. And the
synonymous time occurs in Acts 1 when the disciples are told that
they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon, or
overshadows, them. This overshadowing act is symbolic both of God's
presence and the terror of being within that presence.
The story of the Transfiguration is
deeply symbolic and deeply meaningful. It refers to a new day of
creation. It points out the true nature of Christ in the revealing
of his holy light. It references the fulfillment of all God is
working toward in the law and the prophets. And, maybe more than
anything else, it points us to a significant change in how we can see
the world through the light and power of God in Christ.
But all that I have just said is not
the only focus on this day. Yes, there are theological implications
of the Transfiguration event – the dazzling light of Christ, the
glimpse into his true nature, and the cloud that overshadowed and
terrified the people all have a theological construct. They also all
have a practical construct as we can use this event to help inform
and change our lives.
August 6 is also the date of another
transfiguration event of sorts. On this day there was a blinding
light that gave us a glimpse of the nature of humanity. On this day
a cloud overshadowed and terrified a multitude of people. On this
day there was a momentous event that informs and shapes our lives in
any number of ways.
It was on this day when a plane named
Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima.
On this day, August 6, 1945, there was a flash of blinding light and
a cloud overshadowed and terrified the people. On this day, the
world was transfigured.
Today is the Feast of the
Transfiguration. On this day we remember two world-changing events –
the dazzling light of Christ and the overshadowing power of God is
paired with the blinding light of nuclear warfare and the
overshadowing power of people to inflict untold harm on each other.
As we recall both these events, my
question to you is this: Which event do you want to make the
defining moment of your life?
Amen.
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