Transfiguration as Spiritual Process

Last Epiphany A      February 26, 2017
Ex.24:12,15-18,      Ps.99        
2 Peter 1:16-21  Matt. 17:1-9

Lectionary Link

Today we are invited to the event of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ and so we seek to find meanings for this event in our lives.

We are more familiar from elementary school science with the word metamorphosis, the word we learned when we studied the life cycle of the larva, caterpillar, cocoon and butterfly.  Metamorphosis is the name of the change which occurs in the stages of growth.  Metamorphosis highlights the completely different appearance of the same organism from one stage until the next.  We as human being with longer life cycles experience the metamorphosis in more gradual differences in appearances at different ages of our lives.  In the spirituality of our faith community we teach a program of spiritual transformation.  Just as we undergo physical metamorphosis and we can enhance physical growth with good health practices, we can also enhance our spiritual metamorphosis with good spiritual habits and discipline.  In the Gospels, the English word transfiguration is used to translate the Greek word from which we get the English word "metamorphosis."  I think metamorphosis as spiritual process is perhaps more indicative of the goals of spiritual manuals such as the Gospels are while the word transfiguration seems just to refer to the appearance of changes in Jesus on the Mount with his disciples.

The Gospels were written as manuals of spiritual transformation for the communities who embraced the teachings of Jesus Christ as they became transmitted through the followers who came under his influence.

The story of the Transfiguration is found the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  It is not found in the Gospel of John, but one of the chief metaphors in the Gospel of John is proclaiming Jesus Christ as the Light of the World.  The theme of the season of the Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as the Light of the world, especially the Gentile world and so we always finish the Season of the Epiphany with visit to the Mount of the Transfiguration.

How can we use this Gospel event to inspire us in the spiritual metamorphosis of our lives today?

First, we can rely upon the best insights that we have received in our lives to help refer us to what is going to be the next phase of our spiritual growth.  Who were two of the best in the traditions of Judaism?   Moses and Elijah.   Moses was the one who went up on Mount Sinai into the cloudy and fiery presence of God and there he received the Law to express the covenantal relationship between God and the people of the earth.  When Moses came down from the mountain, his face shone so brightly that he had to veil his face for people to be able to look toward him.   Elijah was the famous prophet who tried to restore the rebellious people of Israel in their covenant with God.  Both Moses and Elijah were apocalyptic figures during the time of Jesus; they were regarded as being involved the end of life and afterlife messages. 

Does your past hinder you from doing new and better things in the future?   From a good insight we may settle into a view:  "Well, we've always done it this way."  Sometimes we can take our best insights and be so impressed with them that we put them in a museum.  And what does a museum house?  Dead artifacts of the past.  The church historian Jaroslav Pelikan made an interesting contrast between tradition and traditionalism.  He wrote: " Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living."  In the event of the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah reappear, not has wax figures in Madame Taussaud's, they reappear as great figures in the past affirming the greater witness in the present.  And what was Peter's reaction?  He thought, "This is too good; we need to build shrine tents here to memorialize this event.  This is cool.  Let's just camp out and live on the mountain top"  The heavenly voice quietly told Peter to keep quiet.  How do you and I regard our very best insights of the past?  Well, they are milestones but they are not to become idols which limit us from surpassing ourselves in future excellence.  Let us appropriate our traditions, even our Episcopal Tradition as a living tradition propelling us to a better future.

The Transfiguration event was full of clouds.  Why does language have the word "mystery?"  Because not all meaningful and true events in our lives can be fully explained.  Not everything that happens in our life can be repeated in a controlled way like a scientific experiment.  Sometimes the events that change our lives are "once in a lifetime events" and they gather to them a sense of God's providence because of how they affect our lives.  Sometimes, the insights of dream-like material swamp our conscious lives and provide for us a strange sense of God's caring presence, even though, we cannot explain it or make such events recur to us at our command.   We need to accept the clouds of mystery sometimes in humility knowing that we don't and can't understand everything.   We need to honor mystery which can reinforce in delicious ways new insights.

Great biblical events happened on Mountains.  Mount Sinai and Mount Tabor.  Mountains are the place where the earth kisses the heavens.  Mountain top experience symbolize mystery of how the superlative values are manifested or made known in our lives.  The best values can't be always anticipated or planned but when they happen, they are marked as the highest which become exemplars for our imitation.  I would invite each person here to trace the highest values of your life.  Think about the 10 top life changing events in your life and contemplate the positive providence of these events for your betterment.  The Gospel writers understood the contrast between giving of the law and the revelation of Jesus Christ.  The law was written upon stone and page but Jesus Christ was the eternal Word of God written fully in a human person and who would become the Risen Christ born into the lives of all who wanted him.

The Transfiguration was an event of light.  Jesus is called the Light of the world.  His face shone symbolizing how much of God's glory he was able to surface in his appearance.  Our spiritual lives are transformed through events of light.  Light symbolizes what we can see more clearly because of the experience of divine enhancements.  Light is becoming aware of our interior life as being the residence of God's Holy Spirit.  As we surface the grace of our inner charisma, we are able to shine with a witness to what is good, kind and loving in our world.  As we learn how to "surface" the Holy Spirit through manifest appearances in our lives of kindness, love and justice, we become the transfigured little lights of God's Spirit.

The most telling event of the event of the Transfiguration was the account of the voice of God declaring about Jesus:  "This is my Son, the beloved; with him I am well-pleased.  Listen to him."  The early church proclaim the uniqueness of how Jesus as Son of God was understood.  This was different from the messianic Psalm: "The Lord said to me: you are my Son.  This day I have begotten you."  It was different from the Roman Emperors who were declared to be gods and sons of gods by the Roman Senate.  This same heavenly voice declaring Jesus as God's Son was also associated with the baptism of Jesus.  Jesus was God's Son.  That is central to Christian confession.  Adam too was God's son; God's wayward son.  Jesus was the perfect expression of being God's Son.  And while we confess the uniqueness of Jesus as God's son,  Jesus himself, did not wish to take to himself being an only child.  This means that you and I are blessed when we can hear God announcing in us that we are sons and daughters of God too.  If we can hear this we will live our lives differently.  We will live as those who wish to please our heavenly parent.  We will live our lives with a sense of esteem that we can receive from no one else.

On Wednesday, we begin our Lenten journey with some intentional disciplines to implement some permanent amendment of life.  As we contemplate the challenges of making changes in our lives, let us remember all of the elements of the event of the Transfiguration.

Let our traditions of excellence encourage us to continue to improve.  Let us not be afraid of the clouds of mystery which may accompany the new occasions for improvement.  Let us reflect upon the past mountain top experiences of our lives.  Let us seek to find the Light of the Spirit of God within us and become filaments for being lights of the world.  And let our ears be attentive to the loving parental voice of God saying to us, "You are my beloved daughter, you are my beloved son.  with you I am well pleased."  If we can hear this whisper of affirmation, our lives will be transfigured forever.  Amen.