Revealing God’s Glory

Have you have had the experience of seeing someone’ appearance of their face changed because they have suddenly come into the presence of God?

I have. It happened one Sunday evening when I was leading worship with people of various abilities. There was one particular woman there, a woman of deep faith, who loved to worship God. When she was a child, she was not allowed to go to church with her siblings because, evidently, she could not sit quietly in the pews. That grieved her heart and she carried that pain with her for decades. So, when she had the opportunity to worship with us in a service where she could be her full and authentic self, she grabbed it with gusto.

I remember one time when I was standing near this woman as we were singing at the beginning of the service. I looked over at her – and the appearance of her face had changed. She was singing with all her heart and soul; her eyes were closed and her head was lifted up toward the sky and her face was glowing. Clearly, she was in a different place at that moment; as if she had suddenly come into the presence of God. It was a beautiful moment to see.

Our gospel reading this morning tells us story of the Transfiguration – the moment in time when 3 of Jesus’ disciples – Peter, John, and James – have the experience of seeing the appearance of Jesus’ face changed, as he (and they) suddenly comes into the presence of God.

It happened on top of the mountain where they had all gone up to pray. Jesus had a well established habit of prayer, of going off by himself, to be alone with God. This time, as I said, he took 3 of his followers with him to pray on the mountain.

They had plenty of things on their minds to pray about. Eight days earlier, Jesus had told his disciples he would soon face great suffering and be killed and on the third he would rise from the dead. And he had told them that if they wanted to follow him, they too would need to deny themselves and take up their cross daily.

So, Peter, John, and James go up the mountain with Jesus to pray, knowing that life was soon to change in ways they could not yet understand.

It is while praying that the appearance of Jesus’ face is transfigured; transformed; changed; his clothes become as bright as a flash of lightening; and Moses and Elijah appear with him, talking with him about his exodus; that is, about his journey to Jerusalem that leads to his death, a death that leads to freedom and liberation for all God’s people.

It was a wild scene. Peter, perhaps dazed and a little confused, offers to set up tents so they can stay on the mountain. In some way Peter recognizes the holiness of the moment and he wants to hold on to it. Alas, that’s not how life works.

And then the cloud appears – a sign of God’s presence surrounding them – and a voice from the cloud is heard saying – This is my Chosen – my Beloved; listen to him!

Then it’s over – Moses and Elijah are gone and Jesus is alone with his 3 disciples.

Life has changed in ways that the disciples can not yet understand.

Jesus has been transformed. His true identity as God’s Chosen and Beloved – the Messiah – is revealed.

Jesus’ true mission is revealed – he will die on the cross to set God’s people free from death and to bring them into new and abundant life with God.

Peter, John, and James are witness to these revelations.

In this moment of transfiguration on the mountain, Jesus’ divine glory – the glory of God shining through him – is revealed. And how does Jesus respond?

He returns to the valley, to the messiness of life, to the crowd of people waiting for him and the disciples and the distraught father and the beloved son under attack by an unclean spirit, whom the disciples could not drive out…but Jesus can and he does.

He returns to the people who are desperate to hear the good news of God’s love and grace for all people.

He returns to do the work God has given him to do; to share God’s love and to lead people into the liberating presence of God.

He returns to set his face toward Jerusalem, where he will suffer and die and be resurrected, so that we may live under God’s reign of justice and love forever.

Today we are witness to the glory of God revealed through the transfiguration of Jesus Christ on the mountain.

Today we hear the voice from the cloud say to us This is my Chosen – my Beloved; listen to him!

Today we stand in the presence of God, who loves us – and all people – with an everlasting love; a love that will transform us, if we let it.

Today, though, we also stand in the valley, in the messiness of life, where life in our country is changing every day in ways that we do not yet understand.

We are in the valley, watching as changes in public policy harm people by erasing their identity, threatening their immigration status, threatening to forcefully displace Palestinian people from their homeland, robbing them of their dignity and respect as people created in the image of God.

We are in the valley, where reductions in the federal work force (National Parks Service; Consumer Protection Bureau) and arbitrary budget cuts (MassHealth, Social Security, EPA) will soon effect all of us in noticeable and perhaps harmful ways.

How are we to respond in this time of change in our country?

How are we to respond as people of God, who are transformed by the glory of God shining through Jesus?

How are we to respond as people who want to follow Jesus along the way of mercy and justice and freedom and new life?

We respond as Jesus would respond…with love for all people; with a kind word and a healing touch and a prayer for peace for God’s world.

We respond as Jesus would respond…speaking truth to power; standing with and speaking out with people who are being harmed; naming the injustice and cruelty that underlies these policy changes.

We respond as Jesus would respond, proclaiming the gospel – the good news of God’s love and grace revealed through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – proclaiming the gospel in how we live each day – in what we say and what we do.

May you be changed by the experience of coming into God’s presence and witnessing the glory of God revealed through Jesus Christ and hearing the voice of God calling you Chosen and Beloved. May you follow Jesus along the path of mercy and justice and freedom and new life…for the sake of all God’s people.