The season of Epiphany, "the shining"---begins with the "star in the heavens"
and ends with the "light on the mountain"--and Easter will dawn with that same light spilling from the
doorway of the empty tomb. As a symbol, "light," as seen in the sun or in fire, is the traditional scriptural
representation for divine power. It is a blinding, white-hot light seen by Moses in the burning bush, by Daniel
in the fiery furnace, by Peter, James and John at the transfiguration, and later appearing as tongues of fire over
the heads of the apostles at Pentecost.
As an event, the "transfiguration" marks the mid-way point between Christmas and Easter. It gives us
something to both remember and anticipate. More than anything else, it is a startling new "vision"-like
the "vision" that marked the passing of authority from the great prophet Elijah to his disciple Elisha,
and although recorded in all of the first three gospels, it was seen as mysterious an occurrence then as it is
considered to be now.
Such stories were more easily embraced in the less logic drive world of the East than they are for us Westerners,
where "mystery" was considered an important part of faith. Still, there is a degree of logic that drives
the telling of this tale for the members of the early Church communities. All three accounts were written between
thirty to fifty years after the crucifixion. For all three gospel writers Jesus was without a doubt the long anticipated
Messiah, but the Messiah had come, had suffered, died, been resurrected and had returned to heaven,…and the Kingdom
as it had been previously understood had not come. The Romans were still in power, the priesthood was still corrupt,
and life was no better for the people of God than it had been before.
If there was any good news why wasn't it more clear? That's the question being asked of Paul in our greeting this
morning, written before any of the gospel accounts, and it was the primary question early Church leaders were being
asked to address. Why was the gospel veiled?
And so, we have a magic moment on a mountaintop, leaving the inner circle informed but terrified, with Jesus resigned
to his fate, and giving only a stern warning to "listen" and wait for future directions.
An ancient proverb teaches that "Some beauty is blinding, while others are simply blind to beauty." It
means that not everything we need to see is pleasant to observe, but there are many great lessons to be learned
which can be found no where else. It is difficult for example to be with someone we love when they die, but there
is no greater act of loyalty or love then to stay with someone until their last breath is taken.
All aspects of separation, even in healthy acts of independence such as children pulling away from parental authority,
relocation of home or personal loyalties, the "ending" of anything-contain within an inherent sadness.
It is so much easier to try to avoid painful realities, to make up unrealistic explanations, catch phrases that
seem more palatable - like the concept of a "quick war" for example.
We would rather not see what we cannot accept. Elisha could not stand to face the fact that his beloved teacher
was leaving, despite the fact that others knew and kept trying to prepare him for the inevitable. The disciples
could not bear to hear about Jesus impending death and return to the Creator, despite the fact that he had been
preparing them for that moment from the first. They all ask, "Does the glory of God, the joy of the moment
have to be so fleeting. Can't we make the good times last forever?"
If it must be so, then Elisha wanted some assurance that it would be all right when the end came. He wanted to
know for certain that he would have all that was required of him to carry on. He asks for the "double portion"
which was the customary inheritance of the firstborn - the one who would lead when the mantle of authority was
passed.
The very curious requirement of Elijah for that to happen is that Elisha will have to see his beloved teacher "go,"
and just like the disciples who will follow some seven hundred years later, he is terrified.
The "Listen to him" of verse seven, pay close attention, is that wonderful segue which ties in with the
Psalm: "The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
// Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. // Our God comes and does not keep silence"...
hence,. the importance of listening…a skill most of us are terrible at!
In the Eastern Orthodox Church it is believed that Jesus was radiant in his glory all the time. He never changed,
but at the transfiguration the disciples changed and were finally able to see him as he had been all a long. It
was they who were transfigured or transformed by this extraordinary experience. They were brought face to face
with reality for the first time. The greater the light brought to a situation the greater the illumination. The
object doesn't change at all, but we see in it things we never saw before.
We listen to so many voices today, all of which seem wise and attractive -- pundits, columnists, commentators,
political analysts, religious gurus, celebrities, tempters, seducers. They promise us health, wealth, and happiness,
but seldom live up to their promises and often lead us toward ruin. Is there any trustworthy voice amidst the cacophony?
At this clarifying moment the voice from the cloud says that we can always trust Jesus -- "Listen to him!"
We say, "But Jesus is too idealistic to understand the bare-knuckles world in which I live!"
The voice says, "Listen to him!" We say, "Later, perhaps, but I have other things to do right now!"
The voice says, "Listen to him!" We say, "But I am not sure that I truly believe." The voice
says, "Listen to him!"
How many broken hearts and broken lives could be avoided if we would just listen to him? Clearly there are many
people who regret not listening to Jesus. Do you know one who is sorry for having listened?
We will hear again this Wednesday that God doesn't need specific external show to be impressed by our understanding.
God doesn't need our sacrifices, isn't in fact even looking for such actions. What God seeks is an inward change
of heart. A place prepared for the indwelling of the Christ.
This event seems to have happened at the end of the fruit-bearing season, when the Hebrew people would have been
celebrating Sukkot- The Feast of Tabernacles. It is an eight day festival celebrating the fall harvest, and one
of the three times each year when all able bodied Jewish men were required to come to Jerusalem. Often, the whole
family would make the trip, and they would build a booth of sticks and vines to dwell in for the duration. So it
was no wonder that Peter was thinking about putting up his booth here on the side of the mountain. The last day
of the feast is the celebration of Simchat Torah, which represents the last day of the "lectionary" year
of readings of the Torah. In a very symbolic way, the Transfiguration is saying that all of the Law and the Prophets
have led up to this moment in time, that this awareness that Jesus brings is the Kingdom, the very one to whom
the Law and the Prophets have always pointed.
In the end, "They no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus." He was the message! His is the end time
which is now, and yet is still to come. The Holy Spirit at work in their lives was the foretaste of the fulfillment,
and that inspired them to go on preaching Jesus and living his way.
They had seen it all, the miracles, the wonders, the cross, the tomb, and now the Truth. To get there however they
had to first face the truths about themselves. Lent begins again with the words "Remember you are dust."
Our humble beginnings, and our humble end, but always in the hands of God. The true essence of our being never
fades. Those we have truly "seen" become one with us, and are with us forever. The couple who walk to
the communion rail, or occupy that pew, the particular pastor who brought meaning to your life, the one who always
offered her hand, they are always with us.
If I see God's judgment that is a fearful thing, but if I see God's love, and behold God's glory…I know in whom
I have believed, and I am never far from home.
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