We are called to be transfigured

II Sunday of Lent Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, 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.”

Every year on the second Sunday of Lent we read an account of the transfiguration of Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell the story, and they are pretty much the same. This year we read Matthew’s account. The transfiguration is an Epiphany, like the story of the Magi, or the baptism Jesus. They celebrate Jesus’ revelation to the world; a revelation by God the father his only begotten son: Jesus. Why celebrate the Transfiguration at the beginning of Lent? What does this Epiphany of Jesus have to do with our Lenten Journey? What does it mean when Jesus once again admonishes his disciples not to tell anyone else about what they have seen? We understand what Transfiguration isn’t. We know that Jesus wasn’t transformed, he didn’t become someone different. He was the same Jesus before and after. He also wasn’t transported like in Star Trek. His molecules weren’t rearranged and he didn’t end up in a different place or a different time. No, when Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor, he was the same person after as before, he was in the same place, he still had to come down from the mountain and make his way on to Jerusalem. Peter, James and John all experienced the transfiguration. The transfiguration was for them. In the transfiguration, like all the epiphany stories it is a revelation of Jesus. Jesus was revealed more clearly to his disciples who he was, it helped them in their journey as followers of Jesus. When Jesus called the first disciples, they knew that there was something special about Jesus, but they didn’t know or understand that he was the second person of the Trinity. That he was fully human and fully divine. It was a revelation to them, they slowly came to understand who Jesus was. So maybe it wasn’t so much that Jesus was transfigured on the mountain that day, maybe the ones who were transfigured were Peter, James and John. Maybe as they came to clearer understanding of who Jesus was, they also came to a clearer understanding of who they were and what there call was as followers of Jesus. We are witnesses to the transfiguration as well. Jesus is revealed to us most especially in the seven sacraments, and today in this celebration of the Eucharist. Just as the three disciples caught of glimpse of who the real Jesus was at Mt. Tabor, we also catch a glimpse of Jesus in the celebration of the Eucharist. Jesus is transfigured in the bread and wine and like Peter, James and John we are witnesses to this miracle. At St. Patrick’s church in Bryan, way on the other end of the diocese there is a small chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved there is a banner that says, “if only the bread and become the body and blood what is the point?” which means that not just the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. We are called to be transfigured as well. We are called to be the presence of Jesus in the world today. Are you willing to be the transfigured presence of Jesus? Can you see Jesus’ splendor in your midst? Today? Here in Norwalk, northern Ohio? Like Peter, James and John we see Jesus. Our first step in our Lenten journey is to stop. To slow down, to be aware. Jesus is present everywhere; we only need to be aware. If you have not experienced Jesus’ presence in your midst, it isn’t because he is not there, it is because we are not aware. We must have courage to see the Transfiguration. We must have courage to be transfigured. In the Transfiguration the voice of God says, “this my beloved son, listen to him.” To listen is not to simply hear something, to listen means to pay attention to someone to follow them, to do what they tell us to do. We need the courage to listen to Jesus’ voice so that we can begin to respond to Jesus. Once we are transformed then we can begin to transform the world.