Come to us, O God, for you are living mystery in our lives. Your glory and your power energize us, your light and your love warm our hearts. May we know the power of transformation that you demonstrated to Jesus’ friends, and share with others in a new chapter of your story. Amen
Transfiguration Sunday is the ending of “ordinary time”, according to the Revised Common Lectionary. It is the last Sunday before Lent begins (Ash Wednesday), its special colours (white and gold) celebrate “holiness”. The Anglicans, RC, celebrate transfiguration in August, but still use the same readings this Sunday. This Sunday builds on the theme of increasing light, and discipleship, and being called in Epiphany, where Jesus’ inner/true light is completely revealed – it is the culmination of season’s teaching.
READ Exodus 34:29-35
Sometimes the passage is chosen because of a theme, we don’t take into account the context. This week the theme, because of transfiguration, is “light” or “glory” or “shining”
Moses is touched by God’s presence – his face “shines”. And yet this is the conclusion of a much longer story, starting in Exodus 19:
When Moses went up the mountain to meet God, the first time, God gave him a very long and detailed law, and Moses was delayed in returning. The people got nervous and crafted the golden calf. Moses came down with the tablets, saw the idolatry, and broke the tablets. He made a second trip up the mountain to speak with God, atoned for the people, then God renewed the covenant, and started over…
THIS TIME, Moses face shone – was it God responding to the people’s need for “something extra?” Or was it that this time Moses had gone the extra mile and it really was something special?
A mixture of sources can be taced with literary criticism: older and newer mixed together.
Narrative (oral tradition, with some newer editorial passages to maintain continuity)
Temple Law (from a more socially evolved time)
Community law (Perhaps even older than the narrative?)
2 interesting terms:
Qaran’or panaw – his face appeared to shine – the verb qrn “appeared” usually refers to horn/horns
St Jerome, who translated from Hebrew to Latin, said Moses was “horned” (see Michelangelo's Moses!)
But because the whole passage also includes words meaning “shine” “radiant” or using the root qal, more translations use the reference to Moses' radiance.
Masweh – veil – veiling was used by priests, or masks – when entering most holy place. So Moses is backwards – God sees the whole face, people see the veil.
Question for Reflection: What do you think makes your face “shine”? Time away from busy-ness? Time to be “with God”? Time with others? Excitement in the crowd? How can you ensure there is time for the things that make your face shine?
READ 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
The context of 2 Corinthians is much the same as the first, except the conflicts in the city and the church had deepened, and Paul had to defend himself against false accusations. Perhaps there was another letter in between… They are becoming reconciled, but Paul is still harsh against “false teachers”
This passage from 2 Corinthians is chosen because it is Paul’s interpretation of Moses’ story: the ancient people of God relied on stone tablets, but for God’s new covenant, it is written on their hearts. The people needed a veil to look on Moses, but in the new covenant they all reflect God’s glory.
Paul’s negative reading of “old” versus “new” covenant – is it anti-semitism (from a Jew?) He certainly saw Jewish opposition to the good news as a “hardening of the heart”, an inability to see God’s purpose.
Paul tries to make the choice clear and simple – rather than looking on the glory of God BE the glory of God. It can be confusing because Paul often refers to Jesus as “the Lord” but in this passage uses “the Lord” to refer to God.
Verse 13: “end of the glory that was being set aside” – From Paul’s perspective, that old covenant was time limited, coming to fulfilment in Jesus.
Verse 14: makes reference to the Pharoah’s heart being hardened, in this case, their “minds were hardened”.
Paul suggests that followers of Jesus still read the Hebrew scriptures, but must do so in light of the story fulfilled in Jesus Christ - perhaps in face of opposition from Jewish Christians who disagreed with new interpretations
Verses 17 to 18 “if the old had glory … how much more the new…” There was only one Moses, but so many more who believe in Christ, and who will carry his light forward.
Paul will go on in further chapters to write about living up to the glory given, and approp[riate ways to represent Christ with their lives.
Question for Reflection:
Paul was not afraid to re-interpret tradition on the basis of his new and living faith. How do you feel when you hear about a tradition being changed?
READ Luke 9:28-36
Luke was writing 50 years after the death of Jesus – the resurrection “harvest” was not coming as quickly as they first believed, questions of Jesus identity and purpose of his followers abounded.
This section (Ch. 9:7-50) addresses the question posed by Herod in verse 9: “Who is this about whom I hear such things?”
• Feeding the 5000 (caring for all)
• Peter’s confession (Messiah of God)
• Jesus foretells death, resurrection (a different kind of Messiah)
• Transfiguration (Son of God)
Keys that underline the importance of this text: 3 witnesses; takes place on a mountain; Elijah and Moses represent Law and Prophets; Jesus has gone to pray.
VOICE from heaven: Jesus’ baptism “you are my Son”/ Transfiguration “Listen to him!”
Question for Reflection: What does this story mean for us? Do we seek confirmation of our faith by “transfigured” supernatural moments? Or do we seek to be more like Jesus in everyday life, knowing that the mystery exists within the ordinary?
Take a moment to close with prayer:
“At the bottom” - A poem by Thomas Shuman
On the mountaintop
Where the air is crisp and the silence clear,
We see your glory and want it to shine forever;
We hear your voice as its whisper echoes in our hearts;
We want to build a cathedral to capture you.
Yet at the bottom,
where the stress lingers to greet us,
we cannot wait to embrace its murky madness.
At the bottom where the forces
Of the world grab us by the arm,
We cannot wait to listen
To their shrieking seductions;
At the bottom
Where everyone is astounded by the latest celebrity
We cannot wait to follow
The latest updates.
At the bottom, where your glory is changed into obedience,
Where your voice cries out for justice,
Where your followers are sent to live and serve;
It is there we will find you, Transfigured One,
At the bottom.
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