WATCHING FOR GLORY

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This Sunday’s Gospel passage is Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration, the vision in which Jesus appears in his double nature as a human and the Son of God. The passage is worth quoting in its entirety:

Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,

and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

And he was transfigured before them;

his face shone like the sun

and his clothes became white as light.

And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them,

conversing with him.

Then Peter said to Jesus in reply,

"Lord, it is good that we are here.

If you wish, I will make three tents here,

one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

While he was still speaking, behold,

a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,

then from the cloud came a voice that said,

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;

listen to him."

When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate

and were very much afraid.

But Jesus came and touched them, saying,

"Rise, and do not be afraid."

And when the disciples raised their eyes,

they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

(Mt 17:1-8)

Since, in Matthew, Mark and Luke, this vision follows immediately after a prediction of Jesus’ passion and death, one obvious purpose of the vision is to give the three apostles a glimpse of Jesus’ glory, in order to strengthen their faith in advance of Christ’s suffering and death.

A GLIMPSE OF THE PRESENT

Three years ago I posted a different perspective on the Transfiguration, in which I suggested that it is oriented toward the future. Today I'll present another way of looking at the event: It's Jesus' letting his disciples catch a glimpse of the present truth that in the person of Jesus heaven is touching earth. It's not just about the future, but about Jesus' identity as the divine Son of God right now. The scene is filled with Old Testament imagery of divine apparitions: the cloud, the dazzling light, the white garment, the voice from heaven.

The three disciples on the the mountain get a glimpse not of the future but of who Christ presently is: In him heaven is touching earth, the Divine has taken on human form and become one of us.

We are offered such glimpses of glory too, but only on rare occasions. In order to catch one of those glimpses we first have to believe that Jesus is indeed present in our lives all the time as the Divine Son of the Almighty. Then, we have to make some sort of effort. (That's why divine apparitions usually take place of the tops of mountains: It takes some effort on our part to get there). Maybe the effort on our part is simply trying to be awake and aware, on the watch for God's self-revelations all around us. Often they come in the form of Love.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE TRANSFIGURED ONE?

Think of how God's love shows itself in your life. I think of the faces of our kindergarten children, and a certain close long-time friend, or the young monks in our monastery. God is touching earth all over the place!

This past week we were informed that our school has been connected with a service that monitors the likelihood of lightning strikes in our area. If the likelihood of a strike reaches a certain level, the school is informed and we sound a warning to clear our playing fields until the threat passes. Too bad I don't get any advance notice that heaven is about to reveal itself in a powerful way in my life. I'm kind of on my own, and so I have to be constantly on the watch. But I do know that God has some favorite spots in which to appear: In the midst of troubled situations, in the midst of an interaction with someone I love, or in the person of someone who needs me to wash his or her feet.

Jesus' transfiguration, then is a reminder to look for the Love all around us. The experience of this love can sustain us through pain and struggle as it did the apostles in the dark days of Calvary and of persecution.