THE SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE LENT

Whenever Moses was with God on the mountain he was transformed. Likewise Jesus was transformed upon the mountain as he was with God, joined by the great prophets of God, Moses and Elijah. The countenance of Jesus was altered and his raiment became dazzling white.

The human reaction to this transformation was initially fear, or we might say awe. This was a glory so stunning that only one as impetuous as Peter would utter mere words in the presence of such holiness. Most of us would respond as the prophet Habakkuk wrote, “The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Law in his hands, all the people saw his shining face and they were afraid to come near him. This fear, this reaction of drawing away from the full manifestation of God’s glory, is an involuntary reaction of mere mortals. But as we take heart and draw near to God through Jesus, we are also transformed. God is still inviting us to become companions with Jesus and one another in God’s mission. To the extent we draw near in faith to join this mission, we will also be transformed.

NEWSLETTER

The Transfiguration