The Transfiguration

"Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them."

I like you have heard these reading hundreds of time since my childhood and I have found it hard to experience on a personal level. It seems more like us getting a window into the experience of James, John, and Peter.

This Sunday I was struck, however, by the contrast in God's message in the reading. On the one hand we have this vision of Jesus appearing with Moses and Elijah, and then God the Father saying in a booming voice that strikes fear into the apostles, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” If the apostles were looking for a sign of Jesus' divinity they got TWO signs that day: a vision, and the voice of God saying, "Listen up, it's more than just a nice vision, I'm trying to show you that this is the Son of God, my Son. So pay attention and listen to him!"

This is the Old Testament God I'm used to hearing about, the one who reminds me of the booming voice of the Wizard of Oz who scares the Bejesus out of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.

Then in contrast, we get the gentle, loving companionship of Jesus. "Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” He touches them. He says, "It's okay. I'm with you. Don't be afraid." Thanks the kind of God I need today, a God who touches me. "Rise, and do not be afraid. It's gonna be okay. I will help you. My Father just wanted to show you who I am. I'm sorry He frightened you."

Last year I was blessed to travel to Israel and walk up Mt. Tabor with my fellow pilgrims. It is a very scenic, yet challenging 30 minute walk. I image Jesus walking with Peter, James, and John. This was his inner circle of friends. (They would later be with him at Gethsemane also.) What would they have talked about as they wanted up the mountain? What was the conversation like when they came down?

I imagine they had some kind of hope in their hearts as they walked up the mountain, and that hope was transformed as they descended. This hope was now more than just a feeling, they were shown by God that this hope was real. Jesus was the Son of God, and he was walking with them.

That day the heavens touched the earth in a supernatural way, but the Son of Man also reached out and touched the apostles on the shoulders and said, "Don't be afraid." I'm going to hang on to that idea and sit with it this week.