osprey july 31

july 31

August 6, 2005

The Transfiguration Mt 17:1-9

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother, John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying,
"Rise, and do not be afraid." And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.

As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, "Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

"Rise and do not be afraid" Again the message for the disciple is to not be afraid. The face of Jesus shone like the sun and his clothes were as white as light. This is an echo of the encounters that Moses had with God and his face was changed.

The cloud also is how God came to Moses. On the mountain, Jesus and Moses and Elijah spoke with each other, three prophets of God. There were three disciples, Peter, James and John. The voice of God comes from the cloud just as it did in the baptism of the Lord and the message from God is very much the same. This is my beloved in whom I am well pleased, listen to him.

The transfiguration is a foreshadowing of the resurrection of the Lord which is yet to come in the order of the Gospel of Matthew. I think of this reading as being very trinitarian and also rich in Christian symbolism. There are many artistic interpretations of it. The changing of the appearance of Jesus after speaking with God is a thought and image that stays with me today that I will rethink and pray about today. The light and shining as a result of contact with God...