Gospel of 6 August 2020
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Matthew 17:1-9
His face shone like the sun
Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this the disciples fell on their faces overcome with fear. But Jesus came up and touched them. ‘Stand up,’ he said ‘do not be afraid.’ And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about the vision until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.’
Reflexion
One of the most wondrous processes in nature is metamorphosis, which a caterpillar undergoes in order to become a butterfly. When you find a cocoon, you do not see the beauty of the butterfly. Until it emerges, its beauty and majesty are hidden within the cocoon. Most people do not realise that the process actually entails something which is quite disturbing. Within the cocoon, the caterpillar actually consumes itself, and digests itself. It literally dies in order to be transformed into a butterfly.
Few know that the Greek word for Transfiguration is Metamorphosis. The Transfiguration of our Lord peeled away the cocoon of His disciples’ perceptions, to reveal the wonder of the true identity of Jesus.
By many, our Lord was mocked and ridiculed. His enemies saw Him as a disturber of Israel, a simple carpenter’s son, a person of questionable parentage, a self-thought preacher without any academic qualifications or professional scholarly training. He was not numbered with the rich, the famous, or the powerful, but among the poor, the ordinary, the weak and the sinners.
But on the Mount of Transfiguration something changed. The face of our Lord became illuminated, ‘shining’ like the sun. The veil was drawn back at least for the onlookers. Peter, James, and John saw the very face of God, the enduring glory of God. On this mountain, the veil was removed and Christ’s glory, once hidden is now revealed.
As the three disciples witnessed the unveiling of Christ’s glory on the Mount of Transfiguration, even more, the veil which separates God and man was completely torn apart and removed on another mount, the Mount of Crucifixion. In one sense, the Mount of Transfiguration and the Mount of Crucifixion might be considered opposing images – glory versus suffering. But in truth, these two mountains must be seen as together.
Even as Christ’s appearance changed on the Mount of Transfiguration to a greater glory, so also Christ’s appearance changed on the Mount of Crucifixion to a greater glory than even that of His transfiguration. Just as the ugly caterpillar has to die in order to be transformed into a beautiful butterfly, the real transfiguration of our Lord takes place at His death, without which He would not be able to reveal the glory of the resurrection and eternal life. From Mount Calvary the glory of the Gospel of Christ shines out to the whole world buried in sin and death, and offers it the rejuvenating hope of forgiveness and abundant life.
Today, you may not be on the Mount of Transfiguration, yet Christ is among you revealing His glory to you. He is revealed to you in the water of your Baptism – where you were brought forth from the bondage of sin, death, and darkness and brought into the freedom of forgiveness, life, and light. Christ’s glory is revealed to you in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper – where your hunger and thirst for righteousness were satisfied with the very body and blood of Jesus. Christ’s glory is revealed to you in the voice of the priest’s absolution in confession– where Christ speaks to you those comforting words of forgiveness of sins and peace with God.
Today we are reminded that Christ’s glory continues to shine on His bride, the Church. We are not meant to be ugly worms but glorious butterflies. We are not meant to be deplorable sinners but heroic saints. Because of our Lord’s death and resurrection, prefigured by His transfiguration, the darkness has passed away. Death has been vanquished. And through Christ’s holy, precious blood and innocent suffering and death, the veil of sin which separates you from God is removed. The light has come! Life in Christ is yours, and your sins are forgiven. You are no longer ugly, but beautiful!