Transfiguration Sunday, Again.
August 6th 2023
Year A; 10th Pentecost; Transfiguration Sunday
2 Peter 1: 13-21
Psalm 99
Luke 9: 28-36
Luke 9:28-3
Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” —not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
2 Peter 1:13-21
I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Homily by Rev. Megan Limburg
In the name of the Holy Three. Amen.
As you listened to the gospel this morning, and perhaps noticed on the cover of the bulletin that today is the Sunday we remember the Transfiguration of Jesus, you would be forgiven for thinking, wait a minute, haven’t we already done that this year?
Yes, we have, on Sunday February 19th, which was the last Sunday in Epiphany, the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, and the Sunday we always hear the story of the Transfiguration.
So why today, in the midst of August and the long season of Pentecost, is the Transfiguration suddenly here again?
Well, the 6th of August is designated as the Feast of the Transfiguration. On years when August 6th is a Monday Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, we are not required to observe this day.
But when August 6th falls on a Sunday, it is Transfiguration Sunday. So, here we are, and we won’t see it in another August for 6 more years, so what can we learn from a 2nd look this year?
When we addressed the transfiguration in February, we were on the brink of Lent and were keenly aware of our call to join Jesus in his walk to Jerusalem and the cross, the walk we take in Lent and Holy Week.
The transfiguration is truly and literally a mountaintop experience for Jesus’ closest friends and disciples, Peter, James, and John. By seeing Jesus transfigured for a few moments, seeing him in the light of his full godliness, and in the company of Moses and Elijah, his friends are be strengthened for the walk ahead of them, the terror and confusion they will experience at his arrest, seeing his deep suffering at the crucifixion, and his death on the cross.
But, though, Jesus has told his close friends he must suffer and die before he can rise again, they, like all of us, often want to put off facing difficult news.
Peter, James, and John are dazzled by the sight of Jesus in his glory. And though he is talking to Moses and Elijah about his departure, his coming death, Peter especially chooses only to hear and see the glory.
And thus, Peter tells Jesus it is good for them to be there on the mountain in the light and glory, and he offers to build three dwellings, three containers to box Jesus, Moses, and Elijah into this place, away from the terror and betrayals that are ahead of them.
And the text reminds us, that Peter was “not knowing what he said”, that in short, Peter did not get it.
We can not box in our faith, or our Lord. Jesus, and we as his followers, are called to help and to sacrifice, to suffer, to be misunderstood, to have courage, and to keep acting in God’s love, no matter how strong the temptation is to do otherwise.
The gospel ends today, after no dwellings, no boxes were built, and as quickly as the dazzling light and the prophets were there, all is gone, and the ordinary scene of the quiet mountain returns:
“And they kept silent and in those days told no one of any of the things they had seen.”
They did keep silent and told no one, until later. And that brings us to our passage from 2 Peter, one of the letters that Peter wrote many years later after he first stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached for the first time, and had since for years preached and taught, risked his life, been in prison, and been misunderstood and persecuted, and still kept acting in God’s love, no matter how strong the temptation was to do otherwise.
In the letter Peter recalls the events of that day many years ago. And he does NOT say:
“Oh man! I still wish Jesus had let me build those dwellings and box him in! Then we would have had none of the pain and suffering and mess of his death. Of course, we would have missed the resurrection, but a small price to pay to keep things boxed in, and predictable, and unthreatening.”
No, Peter is looking back with the wisdom of experience and seeing how crucial this day was to understanding who Jesus was, and how crucial it was to both know and see his glory, and then to walk with him to Jerusalem.
But by the time Peter is writing his letter some people are spreading lies about the events of Jesus’ earthly life, as Peter calls them “cleverly devised myths” and he explains that he is writing now while he is still alive, “in this body to refresh your memory”.
Peter now knows humans well, and how many will twist the facts and the truth to suit only their own needs, manipulating the story of Jesus, to line their pockets and serve themselves only.
In the paragraph that follows our reading today, Peter expands on those cleverly devised myths saying:
“ But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They’ll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other—biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back!.... They give the way of truth a bad name. They’re only out for themselves. They’ll say anything, anything, that sounds good to exploit you.” (2 Peter 2:1-3, The Message)
Keenly aware of these lying prophets, Peter returns to his call since that day on the mountaintop, so much more deeply and fully understood years later, to yes, keep acting in God’s love no matter how strong the temptation was to do otherwise.
And Peter reminds his readers to pay attention to the truth he brings as an eyewitness to the transfiguration:
“You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
A second look at the Transfiguration this year can remind us of how Peter grew from an impulsive fisherman to a wise and perceptive leader, time and experience his teachers.
And as Christians we too are called to grow in our faith, to work to recognize those using faith to divide and exploit. And we are called to follow in Peter’s weary and wiser footsteps, to join him in acting in God’s love, no matter how strong the temptation is to do otherwise.
And always we are called, with Peter, to be vessels of the light shining in the darkness, followers of the morning star, our brother and savior Jesus.
Amen.