We have been talking a lot about Jesus these last few months.  We talked about his birth, his baptism, that he was tempted by Satan, the calling of his Apostles.  We talked about prayer, his miracle at the wedding, his announcing the Kingdom of God.  We learned the Kingdom of God turns this world upside down – a kingdom of mercy not vengeance, a kingdom of love, not hate, a kingdom of forgiveness and healing, not violence and grudges.  Jesus gives us this new vision in the Sermon on the Mount where he offers us the road map to happiness.  Today we will talk about a seminal event – the Transfiguration (Matthew 16:13 - 17:13).

The origin of Transfiguration is mostly religious. While the Latin root, transfigurare, means "change the shape of," Transfiguration was first used in English to mean "the change in appearance of Christ." 

The disciples knew Jesus well.  They were with Him constantly for years.  Just a few days before the Transfiguration, Jesus asks them who people think He is.  Peter is the only one who blurts out that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  He’s right– that’s exactly who Jesus is.  But did Peter really believe it?  Did He really see that Jesus was the God incarnate – fully human yet completely God?  

 

In the Gospels we read about the event known as the Transfiguration.   What happens?  Jesus leads his three closest disciples, Peter, James, and John, up a mountain (Mt. Tabor).   At the top of the mountain, Jesus is transfigured. His face shined bright, and his clothes became dazzling white. 

On Mt. Tabor, Peter must have thought back to his words.  When he saw Jesus’ glory fully revealed and heard God speak to Him, He must have realized that what he had blurted out in a quick moment was actually the greatest truth anyone could ever know!   

When all the glory and light and wonder fades away, the disciples look up and see only Jesus.  Peter writes in a letter years later that God Himself revealed the glory of Christ – and then said it to Peter himself!  This changes everything for Peter – what he thought he knew about Jesus was nothing compared to who He really was!

Two miraculous events occurred. First, Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus and spoke with him. Then a voice came down from the clouds of heaven saying, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”  

In the Old Testament, Moses went up Mt. Sanai and conversed with God and his face turned dazzling white - not because he was transfigured but because he had talked with God.  This event is reminiscent of this moment in the Old Testament, except here, Jesus is God and he is revealing to the disciples his identity as the glorified Son of God.  

Second, in the Old Testament Moses and Elijah both met God directly on Mount Sinai (also called Mount Horeb): Moses encountered God in the burning bush and Elijah experienced God’s presence in the still small voice.   These two people are critical to the Jewish religion as Moses is the deliverer of the Law (the 10 Commandments and other laws) and Elijah is the greatest prophet during the divided Israel.  Their presence is to show the disciples that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).   He is fulfilling all the promises of God in the Old Testament.  However, Jesus is more than a prophet like Moses and Elijah. Jesus is the Son of God.

Third, they hear God’s voice.  The other time you hear God’s voice in the New Testament is at Jesus’ baptism – the two times Jesus’ identity is revealed by God.   

It would have been amazing to stay there on the mountain spending time with Jesus, Elijah and Moses!  Think about how happy and in awe the disciples would have been.   Peter wanted to pitch tents for each of them so they could all stay there on the mountain together.  He doesn't mean he wants to go camping with them, he wants them to dwell with him on the mountain.  Tent in Latin is translated as Tabernaculum or Tabernacle.  This is reminiscent of the Old Testament when God "tabernacled" with the Israelites in the desert.  He dwelled in their midst as well as in the Temple.  

However, this was simply a foretaste of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist for all of us to experience.  Peter was constricted by the Old Testament way of thinking where God was limited to one spot.  In the New Testament, God dwells everywhere.  Jesus dwells in our churches in many Tabernacles – the Monstrance at Adoration – and we receive Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist.  By the power of God and by virtue of their priestly office, our priests have the ability to change the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ - body, blood, soul, and divinity.