Matthew 17:1-9
1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3 Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 Then Peter said to Jesus, "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." 5 While he 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!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." 8 And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. 9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."
Reflection - Perhaps!
The voice of God, the brightness and the cloud all remind me of so many things. The voice of God reminds me of Jesus baptism. The brightness reminds me that Jesus is the Light of the world. The brightness and the cloud remind me of the Israelites being led by a pillar of fire at night and a cloud by day. The Israelites led by God.
There are times in life when we meet God. Perhaps we meet God in the prisoner reading a child's book into a recorder for an innocent child at home that misses his father. Perhaps we meet God in the conversation at the supper table with a single homeless mother. Perhaps we meet God when we pray with a friend in the hospital. Perhaps we meet God when we drop off cans of food at the food pantry. Perhaps we meet God on the hike to a mountain peak in the spring of the year. Perhaps we meet God in the selfless and constant love of a dog for the owner. Perhaps we meet God in the baptism of a stranger. Perhaps we meet God in the conversations of life with a colleague at work. Oh, how the ways vary in the "perhaps" of life when we meet God!
But what about the places that we meet God. Sure, for a moment here and there in life, we meet with God on the mountain top. We meet with God so much more often in the dirt and in the dust and in the humble spaces in which we live. That is where the disciples met with God in the Father and in the Son and in the Spirit in this passage.
The disciples met with God for a small amount of time on the mountain, but lived with God in the dirty and dusty roads of life with God's people, all the people, in the valleys and hills. We meet with God and work as Jesus' disciples in the actions of love that Jesus has shown and taught us to live in our lives. All because we know the life God gives in Jesus life, ministry, suffering, death and resurrection. We meet and obey God in the everyday lives we live with the fantastic unique and wonderful people that God sends to us each and every day in and through God's actions of love through and in us and our lives.
The Transfiguration from the passage above follows Peter's confession. It seems when we confess before God, we receive a little taste, perhaps a foretaste of the feast to come. We witness the deep love of God in Jesus and the forgiveness of sin. We witness the resurrection and we witness new life in ourselves. New life to live in and with the glory of our risen Savior, Jesus the Christ. We witness the source of Light where the sun is no longer needed because we live in the Light of Jesus. We witness the fulfillment of the Law in Jesus. We witness the Truth of the coming of God prophesied ages before. We witness God!
However, this witness is, for now, not the end of things. This witness, this forgiveness, this Jesus, this God, this Spirit, is a call to move. This is not a call to stick around in the glory of God. This is a call to go to the dusty roads, to the hospitals, to the prisons, to the homeless, to the ill, to all God's creation in the midst of great need to love God and to love those God gives to us.
Yes, as Jesus, Moses, Elijah and a friend, came to my door on Washington St. in Sidney Ohio those many years ago. This witness, this dream, this fantasy, this place, was not upon the mountaintop. This place was at the door of a humble house. This call was a call by Jesus for Billy to come out and play. Jesus calling a child that will always remain a child to come out into the world and play. To play in all the places Jesus chooses to lead me to and in all the ways that Jesus decides. A call not just for Billy but for all of Jesus' disciples.
So, we go out into the world. We go back to the roads of life, having seen a glimpse of the glory of God and having a foretaste of the feast to come, to love God and serve in the love of God in Jesus, our Lord, our Savior, our Messiah, our One and only God.
How could I NOT leave you with this song! Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr5Y63bDNNg
Prayer
Lord as you have come you call us to Go! So we go with you into the places you choose to lead us. We go in faith to act out the love you have shown us. Yes! Billy wants to go out and play... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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