Last Sunday after the Epiphany

Mathew 17:1-9 & Exodus 24,12-18

Rev. Neli Miranda

         During the past weeks, our Christian spirituality has guided us through the Epiphany season in which we have witnessed Jesus’ divine manifestation. We have seen God lying in a manger, heard God’s voice at the Jordan River, heard the great announcement that the Kingdom of God is already among us, heard the call to be Jesus’ disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and we have listened to God’s Law on the Mount.  Today, our Christian spirituality invites us to move forward and begin a new path, the Lenten Journey.

The Epiphany season closes like it started, with a great epiphany known as Jesus’ transfiguration, which is a pivotal moment in our church year that guides us into the Lenten Season. The event of Jesus’ transfiguration was so central for the first Christian communities that Matthew, Mark and Luke—the synoptic writers—included it toward the middle of their accounts. This key episode preludes the beginning of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

The account of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain is poured out by the evangelists into a narrative that recalls Moses’ experience on Mount Sinai. According to the book of Exodus, God called Moses to go up to the mountain to receive the tablets with The Law and the Commandments. Complying with God’s instruction, Moses set out and went up into the mountain, and while he stopped short of reaching the summit, the glory of God settled on the mount and covered it for six days.  Meanwhile, at the bottom, the people of Israel witnessed the glory of God, “Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel” (24,17). On the seventh day God called to Moses out of the cloud, and he entered the cloud of God’s glory remaining there for forty days and forty nights. In the following chapters, we read that when Moses came down from the mountain with the tablets, the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (34,29).  Certainly, God had spoken to the Israelites amid a great Epiphany experienced by Moses and all the people.  

“Six days later” (on the seventh day) Matthew points out in his account that Jesus took three of his disciples and led them up a high mountain. There, the disciples witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration. The word “transfiguration” comes from the Greek metamorphosis, the same word we use to speak about the transformation of some animal species. Thus, on the mountain, Jesus metamorphosized before his disciples and his divine glory became manifest. His face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white!  Matthew adds, “Suddenly, there appeared Moses and Elijah, talking with him [Jesus].” (17,3).  They are considered the representative voices of the Old Testament: The Law and the prophets. Both had experienced God on the mountain, and now once again there, they meet God in a bodily form. They meet Jesus the Son of God.

In Luke’s account we read that Moses and Elijah spoke about Jesus’ exodus, his death and resurrection, which was about to be realized in Jerusalem. While they speak, Peter intervenes in the conversation by saying, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah...” (17,4).  What do you mean Peter?

In the preceding chapter, when Jesus announced his forthcoming journey to Jerusalem, Peter had responded with a rebuke trying to take Jesus away from the path of suffering and pain. Perhaps Peter had in mind the traditional image of Messiah, the future king of Israel, someone powerful and victorious over all his enemies. So, maybe Peter’s intervention on the mountain was his human effort to avoid suffering, that is, to avoid the way of the cross and to keep safe. God’s intervention interrupts his human desires. Mathew says that, “While he [Peter] was still speaking suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, this is my son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” (17,5).  In contrast to the epiphany on Mount Sinai when the Israelites received the Ten Commandments, the only commandment the disciples received in this new epiphany is “listen to Jesus”, the One who is the voice of God!

What does God want us to listen to? The announcement that the Kingdom of God is already among us; the sermon on the Mount, which speaks to us about justice; the invitation to follow Jesus through the way of the cross, which is a way of continuous metamorphosis and guides us to our final transformation.

How then should we read the passage of Jesus’ transfiguration at the closing of the Epiphany season and the coming season of Lent?

Jesus’ transfiguration speaks to us today of Jesus as the Great Epiphany of God and the only One we need to listen to. Also, Jesus’ transfiguration encourages us to walk confidently on our forthcoming journey to Jerusalem. Jesus’ dazzling clothes are a sign of victory and give us a glimpse of his final metamorphosis, his glorious resurrection. Therefore, Jesus invites us to go with him up the mountain and contemplate his Epiphany. Then, he wants us to come down, take our cross and follow him to Jerusalem where we will participate in the glorious Easter.

May you witness today the great Epiphany on the mountain. May the coming Lenten season be a transformative, metamorphosing journey. Amen.