Thus story of Jesus' transfiguration
shows up in four of the canonical
scriptures—
the three synoptic Gospels
and the 2nd century letter of
Peter—
and all of the writers re-shape the story
to fit their own
narrative.
Most agree that Mark's version is the first of these four.
Luke
shapes his version—today's Gospel—
so it is parallel to his later scene
of
Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Some scholars think
that both
the transfiguration and the ascension
come from the one and the same
experience of Jesus
by his
followers.
_______________________________________
What really happened,
and what does it mean for us?
We can be fairly certain
that Jesus often
went off alone to pray,
just as he regularly went to the synagogue.
That
he was a man of prayer comes across loud and
clear.
_______________________________________
We know, from own
experience and observation,
that periods of meditation and prayer
can have
visible results.
Sometimes we see that a change has taken place in a
person,
like after a retreat.
Sometimes we see people
acting on
decisions or commitments or re-commitments
that they made while at
prayer.
_______________________________________
So what's going on
here?
Jesus goes apart to pray and has a profound experience,
hearing God
deep in his being, affirming him:
“You are my chosen one,” he hears;
“In
you I am well pleased.”
Jesus has been working hard to bring extraordinary
change
to the way people live,
the way they act toward one another,
the
way they share the goods of the earth with all
instead of accumulating them
for themselves.
Jesus finds the strength to continue on that path.
He
feels God’s affirmation and is transformed by it,
so enlivened that Peter,
James, and John
see the change in him—
he's literally
glowing.
_______________________________________
We know the truth of this
story
because it has happened to each of us at some point.
We've had that
uplifting experience,
that moment of clear vision
and firm
commitment
and affirmation.
Maybe it was at graduation,
confident and
ready to head into a career
that was before only a dream and a hope.
Or
when we stood at the altar and said “I do,”
committing our life and love in
marriage.
Or when a child was born.
We don't have words to really
communicate
what we feel at times like that.
Like walking on air.
Like
being in a cloud.
It's surreal.
We are changed, and so are the people
around us.
_______________________________________
Jesus feels God’s
affirmation and is transformed by it,
so enlivened that the disciples see him
literally glowing
—transfigured.
Peter wants to stay in the moment—
put
up some tents to keep everything where it is,
capture that time
and live
there forever.
But he has to leave the moment behind,
leave the
mountain,
go forward,
continue on the
way.
_______________________________________
We have to go forward,
too.
Graduation day passes into job hunting.
The wedding turns into
marriage.
The baby needs a diaper change,
gets an ear infection.
The
affirmation we experienced in prayer
becomes an imperative to action.
We
know what we have to do,
and now it's time to go on and do
it.
_______________________________________
For Jesus, life with God means
going to Jerusalem,
continuing in God’s way of peace and justice.
For us,
life with God means the very same thing.
Lent can be one of our times on the
mountain,
a time to pray and reflect,
to get ready for those next steps
along the way.
And on that path, on the way with Jesus,
we, also, will be
changed.
We will be transfigured.
--
Holy Spirit Catholic
Community
Saturdays at 4:30 p.m./Sundays at 5:30 p.m.
Holy Thursday, March
24, 5:30 p.m.
Holy Saturday, March 26, 5:30 p.m.
at 3925 West Central
Avenue (Washington Church)
www.holyspirittoledo.org
Rev. Dr. Bev
Bingle, Pastor
Mailing address: 3156 Doyle Street, Toledo, OH 43608-2006
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