Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them.
- Mark 9:2
On August 6th our church celebrates one of the great events in the life of Jesus—the Transfiguration. We need to talk about it more, as the story tells us so much about our faith and our call.
Six days after the encounter at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a "high mountain," probably Mt. Hermon. On the mountain top, Jesus the human being, changes form in front of the three disciples and is revealed as God’s Son—only for a moment of time, just a tiny moment of time, but long enough to leave behind the memory that he is indeed the Son. Here for a moment the disciples do see. They see reality transfigured before them, Jesus becoming dazzling white. And they do hear—the voice from heaven that says, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
At first Peter, James, and John see Elijah and Moses talking with Jesus. You can imagine that they had a great deal to talk about! The three booths which Peter wants to build would be symbolic booths for Elijah, Moses, and Jesus—a way to keep the transfigured Jesus undeniably close. Peter wants that kind of certainty if he is to follow this man from Nazareth.
However, Jesus will not let his disciples stay on the mountaintop! They must come back to the everyday world, to people and places where there is so much hurt. Thus, they leave the mountain of tranquility and come back to a boy who rolls on the ground foaming at the mouth and to a desperate father who pleads for his son’s recovery. They leave that place where clothes became dazzling white and return to the dirt and helplessness of human existence.
Think of what the Transfiguration means for us. First, our faith does give us those mountaintop experiences when we know for sure that this Jesus who walked the earth is the divine Son, who came to bring us a new kind of love, unconditional love, and a new direction as we walk forward. In the passage, Jesus celebrates not only his mountaintop experiences, but ours as well. Claim those times. But, just as important, Jesus does not want his disciples or us to stay on the top of the mountain, just enjoying those dazzling moments. He wants us to come down from the mountain and offer that Transfiguration love just as far as we are able.
Musical Reflection Let there be Peace on Earth - Harlem Boys Choir
Blessed God, help us to claim and witness to those powerful Transfiguration moments. But always help us to know that our journeys do not stop there. We too must move down into the valley and offer that wonderful Transfiguration love just as far as it will go. Amen.
