Luke 9 28-36 The Transfiguration                                       dc.ca 8-5-04

Reading this week’s gospel selections, from the lectionary, we hear of two occasions when the disciples “were frightened”. The first earlier this week, when Jesus, “as if walking on the water”, came to their rescue during a storm on the Sea of Galilee. Today they are frightened after a cloud surrounds them and they hear a voice from heaven saying “This is my chosen Son; listen to him”.

To understand today’s gospel it is helpful to read the entire first verse.  The beginning of the verse reads “About eight days after He said this”, and it continues with what we read today. “Jesus took Peter, John and James up the mountain to pray”. // What he had said before concerned his passion and death// today’s gospel deals with his resurrection being  dramatize by his transformation before his disciples.

Combining these two thoughts, that of being scared and the transformation, we can come up with some lessons to be learned.

First and most obvious is// disciples have emotions too.//

I think, some times we ourselves, being followers of Christ, and believers in God feel that nothing should cause any type of extreme emotion in our lives. We can see this isn’t so even with the original disciples//that were in the physical //as well as spiritual presence of Christ. We will on occasion be afraid, // among the many other types of emotions we can have. These prompt some type of response from us.

Secondly, Jesus is the one to look to for direction; not only during an emotion filled experience but also during our every day, work a day lives.

Here on the mountain they pray, part of Jesus “basic training” for everyone. During prayer Jesus is transformed before them continuing their, and our, understanding of his passion and death. Telling us that his passion and death will not be the end// but result in his transformation, resurrection, what we know as the Pascal Mystery. Jesus is also seen talking with Moses, representing the Law and Elijah representing the Prophets, telling us of a continuation and harmony with both.

Although Peter did not fully understand, and wanted to contain this great knowledge in tents, Jesus, of course, had other ideas. His desire is to share the Pascal Mystery with us, which he does when we become baptized members of His community. So when we fear we are drowning in the sea of confusion// or doubtful of our security in a world that appears to be falling apart// it is good to remind ourselves of the hope filled instruction given to us “This is my chosen Son; listen to him”.