Jesus' Transfiguration: Do I Get it?

Today we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Tabor! On this Mount, Jesus spoke to Moses and Elijah about his impending death, His agony on the cross, His crucifixion.  How difficult it must of have been for Jesus. He tried to share his pain with this apostles. But they simply did not get it!  It was important for Jesus to be able to talk to someone who would understand what he was going through. His Father knew that and arranged for this meeting with Moses and Elijah!

Jesus takes Peter, James and John with Him up to Mount Tabor. As Jesus begins to pray, His face "changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem."    The three apostles fall fast asleep! Only when they became fully awake did they see Jesus' "glory and the two men standing with him." Baffled and not knowing what to say, Peter blurts out a request: Jesus, let us build three tents here--one for you, one for Elijah and one for Moses. As he was speaking a "cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, 'This is my chosen Son; listen to him.'"  Then, all of a sudden Peter, James and John are alone with Jesus and "[t]hey fell silent"!

Even on Mount Tabor, the three apostles do not get it, as obvious from Peter wanting to build three tents there for Jesus, Moses and Elijah!  They sleep!  How often do you and I not get it and are truly asleep to what is going on spiritually.  How often are not our eyes closed to God at work in our world, in our lives, in the lives of others, in our church, our society, our families.  How often are we not living in a fog, so to speak, or simply are too busy focused on our desires, whatever they may be--building tents or doing whatever, babbling anything because we don't know what to say. Yes, we easily miss the point of what God wants and how ordinary reality, every day,  is being transfigured into a reality of God's Presence and God's power at work!

"Be still and know that I am God,"   the psalmist tells us in Psalm 46:10!

Building a Relationship with Jesus

Imagine being Peter, James and John, whom Jesus "led up to a high mountain apart by themselves." That, in itself, is an incredible gift! Alone with Jesus, the Son of God, the Most High God!  Every day, you and I are also invited to spend time alone with Jesus in prayer.  Is "the mountain" too high for us to climb? Or do we simply dismiss the invitation, proclaiming to be too busy?

On that mountain, Jesus is transfigured before them. "...his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them."  Seeing Jesus in this way alone was more than enough but that was not all. Moses and Elijah appear and begin a conversion with Jesus.  Flabbergasted and bewildered, Peter does not know what to say and blurts out: "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah!"  Following that suggestion, a cloud covers Peter, James and John and they hear a voice say to them: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."  Suddenly, the three apostles are alone with Jesus! As they walk down the mountain, Jesus instructs them to share the experience with no one until He has risen from the dead! "Risen from the dead?"  Their unshared response: "What the heck does that mean?"

There are lots of mysteries in our faith. And like Peter, James and John, we find it difficult, many times, getting our arms around them, so to speak!  What we do know is that, like with the apostles, Jesus will and does prepare us for what is to come. That is why He took Peter, James and John up this mountain before going up to Jerusalem for His passing through death into eternal life, where the Father would bestow upon Him "dominion, glory, and kingship" (See today's first reading:  Daniel 7: 13-14).  

Peter, James and John had developed a very close relationship with Jesus and, therefore, were open to Jesus' invitations to send special times with Him alone.  What about you and me?  Are we willing each day to set time aside with the Lord to get to know Him, listen to Him, share our secrets with Him and He with us?  I hope so!