Readings: Exodus 24. 12- end
2 Peter 1. 16-end
Matt. 17 1-9
The last remains of Christmas are gone, the decorations down, the last mince pie eaten and this week on Wednesday in our ash Wednesday services we will enter into the barrenness and darkness of lent. But today we are given one last blast of brightness to carry us through the darkness to come.
The liturgical year can be like the patterns of human life, periods of joy and light and periods of darkness and despair and everything in between. In the dark times of life we can often reach for things that we think will help or give us temporary comfort, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of wine, a cuddle with a teddy bear. Some of these things are better for us than others, but they all only provide temporary comfort.
In the story of the transfiguration that we heard today, Jesus is for a few moments transfigured into the glory that will become his for eternity at Easter. It is a glory that points to a better future for all mankind. Yet right now that better future feels almost like a lost hope. The days feel dark and damp and cold. Somebody said to me the other day, I would rather it snowed, there might be a bit more light then, but all we seem to have is dark, damp, greyness. Looking beyond our own immediate concerns, the news from the world around us just seems to be an unending stream of conflict and hatred of one group to another. Sometimes, the thought of grabbing alcohol, chocolate , a teddy bear and hiding under my duvet seems very tempting.
The transfiguration however, means that that is not an option for us. The light of Jesus’ transfiguration shines on us as it did on Peter, James and John and tells us that there is hope, there is a brighter future. The transfiguration appears a very strange event to 21st century western minds. It would be easy and to some people tempting perhaps to dismiss it as a vision or a hallucination, these things don’t really happen. Yet Peter is quite clear in his letter, written to some of the early churches when he became concerned about the spreading of false teaching. He says “for we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
The transfiguration is no cunningly devised fable or vision or hallucination. It was a real event, but then what are we to make of it? The story of the transfiguration in Matthews gospel is preceded by a conversation where Jesus asks the disciples who they think that he is. Peter says that Jesus is the messiah and the son of God but then the conversation moves on and Jesus tries to explain about what must happen to him and Peter denies it. At the transfiguration Jesus’s identity is confirmed as it was at his baptism with a voice from heaven, this is my son. The disciples are, not surprisingly, somewhat afraid, but then Jesus comes and touches them and tells them “get up, do not be afraid.”
There is a contrast here, you have the dazzling, holy, figure, the son of God the almighty, surely someone to be worshipped and in awe of. Then you have the simple, human touch, the acknowledgment of what the disciples must be feeling and the gentle encouragement, do not be afraid. Words that am sure would help the disciples in the weeks to come. Words that can give us strength today when we face the problems of the world.
When Moses came down from the mountain the people saw that he had been changed, transfigured, by his encounter with God. Taking time during lent to deepen our encounter with God and our understanding of our reliance on God in times of struggle and temptation can change us. It can lead to our own transfiguration, to us growing more like the people God wants us to be.
Fr Edward, in some of his sermons, has introduced us to the concept of theosis. How we can grow to become like God and share in his divine nature. The first stage of this process is to learn to trust God when we feel despairing or tested. The spiritual disciplines associated with lent such as fasting and self examination or confession can help us with this. Fasting helps strengthen our resisting temptation muscles, and give us strength to make more God focused, rather than me focused choices. Self examination and confession can help us face up to the truth about ourselves, not always an easy thing to do, but only when we do this can we change for the better. People often look at taking up a new prayer practice in lent and this can lead us into a deeper relationship with God. A relationship that can sustain us not just through lent but through whatever else may be to come.
This process can lead to our own transfiguration. Whilst I don’t expect us all to be shining like Jesus and Moses were, maybe this lent our spiritual discipline can lead to changes in how we are, in how we act. Changes that others may notice and start to question. Like Jesus we can say to people do not be afraid but come and know God, come and let the light reach you. Others may then be transfigured and light spread against the darkness. In one of our post communion prayers we pray that we whom the spirit lights will give light to the world. This lent do not be afraid, allow yourself to be transfigured and to be light to the world.
