Sacred Illumination 3-2-25
Sacred Illumination
2 Cor 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36
2 Cor 3:12-4:2
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
Luke 9:28-36
Now about eight days after these sayings 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.
Prayer – Come to us, sacred Jesus, transform this hour of worship into a time of revelation. Lift us out of the mire of everyday life, and give us an epiphany on the mountaintop. May we, in the music, preaching, and prayers have our world, transfigured. May we come to a clearer understanding of who you are and what you intend for us. Revealed yourself. Give us an epiphany. Tell us truth we cannot tell ourselves. Show us wonders we could not have seen unaided by your grace. Amen.
Back in 2015 there was an Amazon Original series entitled Transparent – the show was pretty controversial in that it focused on a man who had been living a lie for a long time who finally decided to claim who he was. And for the first time he was transparent and began to transition from Mort to Maura, bringing to light what had been hidden in him his whole life.
I have always thought that transparency was a vaunted value for people of faith. And then, I have to admit that I haven’t always been transparent about my own life, and I had to make a conscious and daily decisions to be transparent – and sometimes that has been a blessing and sometimes not so much. I believe that transparency is important and vital to integrity in all walks of life – even when it may create bigger challenges.
As I reflected about this TV show and how things are much different in our current context in relationship to our Transfiguration story from Luke this morning, I’m deeply aware that the season of Epiphany illuminated one unexpected revelation after another, as things that have been hidden in Jesus are now transparent and visible. A shining in him awes the Magi. His aura wows John the Baptist. His shining declaration, from his hometown pulpit, that healing, freedom and justice for the least of these – the weak and vulnerable – are his mission, first inspires, then enrages his hometown crowd. Jesus learned quickly that not everyone wants transparency.
As the season of Epiphany concludes with Jesus’ sacred illumination on the mountaintop in the presence of a couple of his close disciples, it is a divine story. Every one at that time knew one had to go to the mountaintop to encounter the divine, even if it was simply to pray as Jesus told his disciples. As an unexpected light falls over Jesus, revealing him in intimate conversation with Moses and Elijah, the sainted patrons of Judaism, his disciples are struck with awe and fear as each of these sacred people are illuminated with divinity.
Peter, seeing this, realizes they are all really one, yet distinct in this sacred light. Their oneness is the shimmering light around them, and that light is, somehow, God ordained and revealed. This transfiguration, this divine transparency transcends time and personal space. And Peter, like any of us begs for the moment to last, to be somehow embedded into the collective reality. He stammers out that he will build little houses for them, so they can stay right here in the midst of this sacred illumination. And like most sacred moments, as soon as he says this, the moment ends. Jesus reminds them that they must go back down the mountain now, to all those who are waiting for them.
This moment insists that commitments and relationships are never in any way to halt or prevent the sacred transparency that may be reflected. Jesus had been shown to these disciples in the divine light, perhaps making them think they were not worthy to be in his presence. Jesus reminds them that sacred illumination is not a reason to exit relationships that have been in existence for a long time. The bonds of love are still real bonds, even as one may change.
Truth, truth is not to be buried under lies and subterfuge. Nor is light to be hidden under a bushel. Who we are, how we love, who we love is not to be denied nor called depraved. None of us are who we were when we married our spouses. None of us are the same as we were 5 years ago, 10 years ago or 20 years ago. We are constantly changing, evolving and hopefully growing is faith – all to illuminated by the divine.
At the transfiguration, Jesus learns, perhaps for the first time, that there is more in him than he has known. And yet, he remains compassionate about our human mess. He does not abandon us for happier days with his sacred illuminated friends Moses and Elijah. He returns to our confusions and lost lives, leading us to discover who we can become when we try to be faithful, rather than wanting to bask in his light all the time.
When Jesus, Peter, James, and John reach that mountaintop, they receive a representative vision of the ultimate destination or end of the embodied ministry of Jesus. They receive a glimpse of restoration, recreation, and jubilee. It is a promise that the coming struggle, like their trek up the mountain, will yield a breathtaking destination that will be worth the sacrifice, suffering, and terror the work of redemption and reconciliation will require.
For the first time Jesus has shown the disciples the future that awaits him as God’s Messiah, encompassing both suffering and glory, and for a larger audience he has begun to spell out the implications for the life of the disciple. Alone with Jesus while he is praying on a mountain, three disciples now witness an extraordinary scene of revelation, a sacred illumination that is very different than they thought. A voice from heaven affirms Jesus’ identity as Son of God and, with assistance from Moses and Elijah, ratifies what Jesus has just disclosed about his role and destiny. Looking over the disciples’ shoulders, the Lukan audience, too, witnesses a preview of the future glory that Jesus will enter through his “exodus”—suffering, death, and exaltation—at Jerusalem.
The transfiguration story is one that is filled with veils of mystery and very subtle illumination. It was life changing for Jesus and his disciples. If we go back a moment to the first time God spoke directly to Jesus, it was at his Baptism which began the first part of his ministry. Today, we hear of God speaking to Jesus again, and it precludes his journey to Jerusalem and the second part of his ministry. Both occasions God’s voice and a sacred light shone upon the Christ. Divine transparency and truth enabled Jesus to walk that path.
As listen to these words at the conclusion of our season of epiphany, I wonder what God may have in mind for us as we move towards Jerusalem with Jesus. I wonder what light might shine from above and guide us on this journey. I wonder how we might respond to potential sacred illuminations – will we want to freeze the moment in eternity, or will we return to our ordinary lives knowing that God’s words and light can shine on us as well.
My prayer for myself, for you, for all of us is that we too may experience God’s sacred illumination and go forth as a beacon of truth, transparency and transformation, so that our world will know the depth and breadth of God’s shining presence in each and every one of us – this day and every day – thanks be to God – amen.