I always have mixed feelings about Transfiguration Sunday. It is one of the more significant Sundays on the church calendar and is known as a high holy day. You know it’s a really big deal when you see white or gold paraments on the altar for our worship service and that’s what we have today.
I get it. It is a special Sunday. Jesus takes the disciples up a mountain and he is transfigured right in front of them. His clothes became dazzling white. And then out of nowhere, Moses and Elijah, these two ancient biblical heroes appear next to him. That must have been an amazing scene.
James, Peter, and John don’t know how to react. It catches them off guard.
It’s interesting that we don’t make that big of a deal about Transfiguration Sunday. I don’t know of too many people who are planning big meals today to celebrate the occasion. But maybe we should.
Think about it. Peter, James and John were able to experience this very holy moment and they didn’t know how to respond or what to do in that situation. And then we’re told that Jesus didn’t want them to tell the other disciples about what had happened.
So we’re left with he question why Jesus didn’t want the disciples to tell anyone. Why would he say that? I can’t imagine keeping something as incredible as this to myself. How did Peter, James, and John manage to keep a straight face when they came down from that mountain.
“Hey, how did it go up there? Why did Jesus want you to go with him?”
“Oh, it was no big deal. He just wanted to show us something.”
“What did he show you?”
“Oh, just this spot on the mountain where the light can get really bright. He wanted us to see it. That’s all.”
I don’t know how they were able to not tell the other disciples especially since they were still trying to figure out what just happened.
Peter, James, and John got a glimpse of heaven on that mountain. They actually were able to see two Old Testament heroes standing there next to Jesus. I would have been asking for their autographs and I know for sure that I would have tried to get a group photo. This would have definitely been posted on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s not easy for me to live in the moment. I want to capture it with a photo or be able to record beautiful music at a concert. And I think the reason for this is because I want to share these special experiences and moments with others. They are too wonderful to keep to myself.
But on the other hand, while I’m reaching for my smartphone to take the picture, I run the risk of missing that experience for myself. And sometimes, that heavenly moment is already over as I fumble around for my camera app.
I don’t know how long this heavenly transfiguration on the mountain lasted. The way that it’s described, it doesn’t seem like it lasted more than a minute and maybe not even that.
Every so often, we experience heavenly glimpses in our day to day living. These are holy moments when it feels like heaven opens up and shines upon us. We don’t know what exactly to do. Peter wondered if they should build booths to mark the spot where this took place. And just like that, it was all over.
But what wasn’t over was the memory of this experience that they would be able to take with them. Even though they received just a small glimpse of God’s light shining upon them with these ancient figures from the past, that powerful moment reassured them that Jesus was truly God’s own Son.
I’ve had people ask me why God doesn’t make it easier for us to know for sure that God is real. That’s a question I sometimes ask as well, especially during those times in my life where I am in need of some reassurance in my faith.
I guess there’s two ways of looking at this. We can either be disappointed that these moments don’t happen nearly enough or, or … maybe it can motivate us to become even more alert and ready to be open to these holy moments in our lives. And maybe they happen more often than we realize and we miss them.
Now, for sure, Peter, James, and John, couldn’t have missed that transfiguration moment because it was so dramatic. Yes, it was brief, but the shining light, the appearance of Moses and Elijah next to Jesus, and voice from heaven all made this impossible for them to miss. But the truth is that we also have those mysterious holy moments that are sometimes dramatic and sometimes not as dramatic.
Or maybe that’s not a good way of putting it because any glimpse of heaven, any holy moment, whether it be dramatic or not so dramatic is a special gift reminding us that God is present in our day to day living. And maybe we shouldn’t worry too much about categorizing which of these glimpses of heaven have been more meaningful. In other words, let’s not rate them and make a top ten list.
They all are unique and sacred opportunities for us to know that God is not only real, but is also actively present in our daily lives offering to us holy moments.
I was conducting a graveside service on a chilly and overcast spring day. The ten or so people who were there were bundled up, protecting themselves from the cold chill that was sweeping over us on the top of that cemetery hill.
I was using the graveside ritual that I always use. The prayer had the line, “Give to us now your grace, that as we shrink before the mystery of death, we may see the light of eternity.”
I then concluded with a benediction and when the service was over, the widower, a soft-spoken elderly gentleman, was sitting in the front row of chairs there by his wife’s grave. And right after that benediction, he slowly looked up at me and it was obvious by the look on his face that he wanted to tell me something important.
After a few seconds of collecting his thoughts he pointed above me and said, “The sun. The sun came out from behind you just when you were saying the closing prayer. It was so bright and warm.” After saying this, he stared ahead processing what he had just told me.
He then very carefully stood up, grabbed his cane, and as he was walking away, I could hear him repeating, “It was the strangest thing. It was the strangest thing.”
I will never ever forget the look on this man’s face. He had experienced a transfiguration moment and I’m not sure that any of us who were there at that graveside experienced it in the same way that he did. Maybe we weren’t as spiritually alert in that moment as we could have been or maybe, that holy moment was specifically meant for him only and because he shared it with us, it left a lasting impression on us.
This is why it’s important for us to share these God moments or “thin place moments” as we like to call them here in our church with others. Sometimes we need others to point us to the presence of God’s heavenly light especially when we are turned the other way.
These holy moments often come to each of us in brief glimpses and when we do recognize them, it seems like time stands still.
This past fall when our building was closed and we were still only offering an online worship option, I drove uptown to buy a cup of coffee. I was feeling a little sad that morning since it had been six months since we first closed due to COVID19.
I walked out of the coffee shop and got into my car. As I started to drive out of my parking space, I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw the most beautiful sight behind me. There in my mirror I could see the early sun light shining so brightly behind our church steeple.
And of course, I just had to take a picture of that moment. Here’s the photo I took.
It was like our church building was saying to me in that transfiguration moment, “The Lord be with you, Robert.” And I mouthed the words, “And also with you, church building.”
And after I took the picture, I just stood there staring at that glorious light shining through our building. I remember thinking how I was probably the only one taking in that holy moment.
I felt a little like the disciples who didn’t know exactly what to do. Peter wanted to build booths. I wanted to take a picture.
That moment of transfiguration led me to pray for all of you as I drove home that morning. I gave thanks to God for shining brightly upon our church steeple even though our building was closed. My prayer was that God’s light would shine upon each one of us even though we would once again not be worshiping in person that morning.
On that early Sunday morning, I got a glimpse of God’s light shining through the darkness of a global pandemic. I felt God’s love surround me and it warmed my heart that morning.
Looking back on that thin place moment, I’m wondering how many of these moments I might be missing just because I’m not paying attention.
So on this Transfiguration Sunday, let’s give thanks to God for the many little and big ways that God is shining in our lives, especially when we are least expecting it. May these holy glimpses of heaven shine upon you as you go throughout your week. And may they lead us to say with Peter, “It is good for us to be here.”
Glimpses
After Peter witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus on that mountain he responded with, “It is good for us to be here!”
Share a time when you experienced a “Thin Place Moment” and felt led to share those words from your heart.
Offer this transfiguration prayer as a way to help you be more alert for those moments when God is made present to us in a very real way.
God of true love, shine upon us with your grace, that we might see what frightens us and be willing to face what threatens us. Flow through us with your mercy, that we might sense your presence, even when we have run away, and that we may know your love, especially when we feel unlovable. Abide in us with your love so that we would be your faithful followers. Amen.
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