Lectionary: Matthew 17:1-9
Today, we celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ. But what does this word, Transfiguration, even mean? What is it that we are actually celebrating here today? As the disciples cower and prostrate before the blinding light that emanates from Christ, as he stands there atop Mount Tabor, what does this light even signify? And what does all of this mean for us?
Since even before history, across the many different religions that cropped up in the ancient world, there was always an acknowledgement, an understanding, that mountains bore a poignant and particularly spiritual significance. Mountains were places that you went to meet God. Mountains were viewed as these mega structures within nature, always the largest thing in the horizon. They were treacherous to climb, and they were difficult to navigate. So, it made sense to ancient peoples that the tops of mountains, which more often than not were nearly impossible to access, would be the perfect dwelling places for the mysterious, inaccessible gods that they worshipped. And so, when the One True God called down to his servant Moses, in the times after Israel was delivered out of Egypt, it made sense that he would be calling down from a mountain: Mount Sinai.
But what was radically different here is this: the inaccessible and unknowable God now made himself accessible. God invited Moses up to the top of Mount Sinai, and he met with him, and he spoke with him, and he revealed himself to him. God showed Moses, and showed us, that he is an immediate God, one that does not sit apart from us, untouchable and unreachable, but dwelling here amongst us. And then, with his Prophet Elijah, God goes a step further. He brings Elijah, body and soul, up into Heaven, ascending in a fiery Chariot. With Moses God showed that there is nowhere in Creation that he cannot reach us. With Elijah, God shows us that there are no limits to where he can take us, that even fallen man can be brought into the holiest of places, by God’s Grace.
And this is the message that God fulfills so perfectly today, in the Transfiguration of his beloved Son. Christ has invited his disciples up to the mountain and has now revealed himself to them. What has he revealed to them? Not something new, not something different.
Christ reveals to us today his Divinity. He reveals to us the uncreated light of God, a light that has always shone forth from him, as he always was, is, and will be God. He who shows forth the uncreated light of God on Mount Tabor is the very same God that revealed himself to Moses, and to Elijah. That is why these two stand beside Christ at the Transfiguration. They are witnessing God, they are witnessing their creator, they are witnessing Christ.
And all of us, along with these saints, then bear witness to the ultimate glory, as Christ descends from Mount Tabor, enters into Jerusalem, and goes to his voluntary death upon the Cross. We see that same God, the one who revealed himself to Moses, and to Elijah, and to these disciples, now reveal himself to us through his saving Passion and glorious Resurrection. Our God hangs upon the tree, suspended above us and bearing our sins, but even then he is not apart from us. He is immediate, he is here, he is revealing his glory to us through his ultimate humility.
And having borne witness to this, we ourselves are transfigured, now made able, by the Resurrection, by the conquering of death, to participate in Divinity. Our sins forgiven, our bodies and souls cleansed of corruption, Christ now leads us to walk in his ways, to live the Christian life, to be transfigured, to ascend.
So today, we celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord, as he reveals to us the uncreated and unfathomable light of His glory, as much as we are able to bear.
Glory to Jesus Christ.
