On this last Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent begins, we see the disciples at a moment of transition. Before, each of the disciples dropped whatever they were doing to follow this compelling man, beginning a journey that would end up changing the world. Along the way they have seen miracles - Jesus feeding thousands with meager rations, Jesus walking on water, Jesus healing people of lifelong illnesses, even bringing a woman back from death. They have heard Jesus teach, calling the faith of the religious teachers into question. Ultimately, they learn that Jesus calls people to live lives of faith, not just follow the rules that some believe would get them into heaven.
But here, just before today’s scene, Jesus made a turning point first. In Mark 8, he speaks of his impending death. This is concerning to the disciples and Peter tries to rebuke Jesus, not understanding how or why this prediction could come true. But Jesus immediately sets Peter straight. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men (Mark 8: 33)." It is only a short time later that Jesus takes Peter, James, and John away to a high mountain away from the crowds. Here an amazing thing happened, for on that mountain they heard the voice of God and their lives were never again the same. This gave them a new understanding of who Jesus is… not Elijah, not just a prophet, but the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one of God.
And because the experience was so momentous, Peter decides to preserve the moment by building altars, permanent places to come and worship, not just God, but their experience of God in this place. This would have been an acceptable practice for most Jews; Abraham, Moses, and Jacob each left an altar in the wilderness as a testimony of their encounters with God. But Jesus stops them in their tracks – there is no need to preserve the mountain for posterity and remembrance because Jesus is still here. He is not done with them yet.
I love photography – not so much candids or portraits, but of places and events that are significant to my story. I got through the March/April/May chapter of our current pandemic by going on a daily walk and taking pictures of how Spring was unfolding in spite of our ability to be out and about in it together. When I look at those pictures, I don’t see confinement. I see and feel the glory of God’s creation and I give thanks.
But they will never be enough. It’s not that capturing our lives in film and talking or blogging about them is bad. It’s a wonderful way to remember the amazing experiences we have in life. But first, we have to actually live in the moment of those experiences. As beautiful as they are, the photos and videos we take are a pale representation of what we experience. Travels, family, historic monuments… sacred or funny events… We can take all the pictures and videos we want, but they can never fully capture what life is all about. Living in the moment … soaking in all in… that’s what changes our understanding of the world, of the depth of our grief and our joy, our pain, and our love. Could it be that in our drive to preserve our lives we may actually be missing something even more monumental -- experiencing a God-given moment in time.
Peter’s reaction is a great example of that. He sees Moses and Elijah standing with Jesus and thinks, “My life will never be the same after today. Let’s keep this moment alive forever.” It’s a moment so awe-inspiring and miraculous Peter never wants to leave, at least not without leaving a record of what happened there. Peter, of course, had no camcorder, no digital camera, no mobile phone to capture this extraordinary moment. He’s just a guy, on a mountaintop, trying to figure out how to make this memory permanent.
In the beginning, walking with Jesus was about the promise of faith (1:16-20). Along the way, the disciples were sometimes sidetracked by misunderstandings and fear. Following Jesus was hard and required something new from them every day. And just when it looked like they might never understand, something happened that reminds them of who Jesus is and who he is calling them to be.
Peter was absolutely awestruck. It was supposed to be a quiet retreat from the crowds, but instead, an extraordinary event unfolded. It was a moment so sacred that Peter lived up to his self-proclaimed title as Vice President in Charge of Doing Something. Building a booth or kiosk or shrine – whatever – to preserve the moment – that would totally fit the bill. Did he have a hammer and saw ready or a few fisherman's tools in his belt. We don’t know, but always remember that Peter was never one to let details get in the way of a dream.
Before Peter could throw anything together, a cloud dimmed the moment, and out of it came a voice: “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” (v. 7). God didn't say: “Get a shot of the three of them over by that cedar tree.” God didn't say, “Be sure to capture the moment!” or “Everybody say, ‘Cheese,” God just said, “Listen to him.” Like tourists who see Paris through their viewfinders, Peter, who wanted to keep the moment from passing, was in danger of passing the moment by.
Mark's gospel tells us that Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to this mountain exactly six days after reminding them that “those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel will save it” (8:35). Turns out their mountaintop experience was a catalyst to help them understand that their lives would never be the same again.
Jesus’ words are aimed at us, too. Living a faithful life means asking what it looks like to lose our lives for Christ. And at the same time, we have to ask what will we lose if we forget that following Jesus is what life is all about? Do we ask ourselves enough, “What would Jesus have me do?”
God's advice is to us is the same as to Peter: “Listen.” Listen to the children, listen to life, listen for the sacred, seek the divine. Listen to Jesus. And then do as Jesus did. We see in the lesson that before the disciples could build their memorial to the moment, Jesus left.
And down the mountain, he came upon a man. And the man had a son – a son who was sick, possessed of an evil spirit. And the disciples who were left behind had not been able to heal the boy. So, Jesus drove out the spirit, and although the crowd thought him dead, Jesus took the boy’s hand and helped him to his father’s side. And he continued to be with the people.
The glory of God's revelation in Jesus is seen in the midst of his work to bind up the brokenhearted, feed the hungry, and care for the sick. Putting the stories of the Transfiguration and the healing of this boy next to each other was no accident. The mountaintop experience and the healing down below connect Jesus' glory with the power to render broken lives whole. The awe-inspiring and the mundane life next to each other – think about the crucifixion and the resurrection – how much more of each can you get?
Jesus’ glory cannot be contained in a booth and set apart. It is instead a glory that is let loose in the world, one that seeks out people and places, one that calls for healing, wholeness, and restored relationships. As the disciples continued to follow Jesus on the way to and through Jerusalem, the cost of this glory became clear. But here in the middle of the story – in this transfiguration story – we are given a sneak peek of Jesus' identity as the Christ, and at that moment, there is hope for our own transformation, too.
This was not the last hill Jesus climbed. The disciples followed him down, only to see him go up again, the last time carrying a cross. Every year, we are offered a period of time set apart to learn about the sacrificial death and glorious Resurrection of Jesus during the seasons of Lent and Eastertide. Through this grand story, we see the depth of God’s love for us. Jesus is the love of God personified – made flesh. He did not come only to inspire us to do good works, but also to prepare us to unite with the Father when our work here is done.
The real question is this: What do we do with that good news, with this revelation? Do we file it away like an insurance policy, waiting until the end to collect on its benefits? Do we distill our faith down to one moment in time, which we display in a frame and remember fondly when we walk by? Or is this good news a story we live out in our lives every day – sometimes in big ways, and sometimes in small ways – always striving to see Christ’s call in the decisions we make?
In the words of the Father: Listen to him. In Jesus, we are saved. We are transfigured. Follow him to glory. God loves you no less than Moses or Elijah. He values you as a disciple no less than Peter, James, and John. Make loving, praising, and thanking him the focal point of your day, of your life. And you will be transfigured, too. Thanks be to God!
Amen.
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