FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION A

[cappie]

The Feast of the Transfiguration, which is fixed on August 6, is one of only a handful of feast days that, when they fall on a Sunday, are given priority. It was a momentous event in the life of Jesus. This event on the mountain serves as a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus, offering us insights into His divinity and the significance of His mission.  

The story of the Transfiguration unfolds on a mountain. Just as Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai and Elijah encountered God on Mount Horeb, Jesus leads His disciples to a high mountain, inviting them to witness His metamorphosis. This choice of location emphasizes the continuity of God's redemptive plan through the ages. Likewise, God invites us to ascend the mountain of His presence, to seek intimacy with Him through prayer, meditation, and Scripture. It is on this mountain of transformation that God begins to reveal His glory to us.

As Peter, James, and John witness the Transfiguration, they see Jesus' appearance change before their eyes. His face shines like the sun, and His garments become dazzling white. This divine radiance reveals His true identity as the Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah who fulfills the Law and the Prophets.

In this moment, Jesus' divinity is unveiled, signifying that He is not just an extraordinary teacher or prophet, but the very Son of God. The presence of Moses and Elijah confirms the continuity of God's redemptive plan and the fulfillment of Scripture in Jesus. The Father's voice from the cloud further emphasizes this truth: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him" (Matthew 17:5).

The Transfiguration is not just an extraordinary event from the past; it holds profound significance for our lives today. As followers of Christ, we are called to learn from this event and apply its truths to our journey of faith.

The Transfiguration reminds us that God's glory is not reserved for a select few but is available to all who seek Him with an open heart. Let us not shy away from God's glory but draw near to Him in worship and prayer, allowing His presence to transform our lives.

Listen to Christ: The Father's command to listen to Jesus is an imperative for us as His disciples. In a world filled with noise and distractions, let us prioritize the voice of Christ through His Word. His teachings guide and sustain us on our journey of faith.

 The disciples were changed by their encounter with God's glory on the mountain. Similarly, when we experience the transforming power of God's presence, we are called to live as transformed disciples 

The Transfiguration of Jesus stands as a pivotal moment in His earthly ministry, revealing His divine nature and confirming the fulfillment of God's plan through the ages.

Now we are called to follow Jesus—and the thing about Jesus is that he never stays put in any one place very long! That’s why Jesus didn’t say, “In order to be my disciple, you must set down roots and stay put!” No, Jesus says, “If any want to be my disciple, let them take up their cross and follow me.” We must journey into places that we don’t necessarily want to be, amidst people we’d rather not deal with, and into situations that we’d just as soon stay out of.

In some ways, this is the pattern of our worship, too. We come here each week, gathered in community, to meet Jesus in Scripture and Sacrament. But we can’t stay here. Just as the procession leads out of the church at the end of the liturgy, and we are charged to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord,” our work is to follow Jesus out there into the world, wherever he might lead.

 May we embrace God's glory in our journey of faith, listen intently to Christ's teachings, and walk the path of discipleship with hearts transformed by His love. Just as the disciples' lives were forever changed on that mountain, may our lives reflect Christ's transforming power, drawing others closer to Him and His eternal light.

Let us go forth, spreading the message of the Transfiguration - that Christ is the Son of God, our Savior and Lord, the Light of the world.