Imagine what it would be like if Jesus also took us with Peter, James and John and led us up a high mountain to be alone with him. We would probably be puffing and panting by the time we had reached the top. The mountain might remind us that God’s secret designs and promises where heard on mountain tops and we sense that this climb had a purpose. Then we are startled by what is happening to Jesus. We shade our eyes as his clothing becomes dazzlingly white, whiter than any cleaning agent could make them. We squint our eyes to try and take in what is happening to him. Then we see that we have company Elijah and Moses – mountain top people. Prophets to whom God had revealed God-self of old. We hear them talking to Jesus and we crane our necks to catch something of what is being said. We hear snippets of the conversation, enough to make out that Jesus was setting his face towards Jerusalem and they are talking about his exodus. Jesus’s face was aglow as if he had discovered something of his Father’s design for him “the awareness that God would bring messianic salvation …in the divine way of love and sacrifice.” (Flowers in the Desert p.90) He realised that the journey ahead to Jerusalem would end in self- giving love through the sacrifice of his life. The discovery did not bring dismay but filled him with light – a light that shone meaning on his journey towards Jerusalem. That inward insight through prayer filtered through his whole being right through his clothing.
Then Peter’s booming voice could be heard speaking directly to Jesus: “Rabbi,” he said, “it is wonderful for us to be here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah”. Did Peter made some connection to the Jewish feast of Shelters when Jews dwelt in make- shift dwellings in their gardens to remind them of their exodus journey when he suggested making three tents? Or was he just trying to hold on to the experience as long as possible? The confusion that followed on his face gave a sense of bafflement and un-characteristically of Peter “He did not know what to say”. Then all three of the apostles felt very frightened. And if witnessing what happened to Jesus was not sufficient revelation “a cloud covered them in shadow; and there came a voice from the cloud ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him’.
Imagine what it would be like for us to join them under that cloud and to hear the Father’s declaration as to who Jesus was, His Son His Beloved. We hear echoes of his baptism but here with the added command “Listen to him.” We might ask what are we to listen to? We are to listen to Jesus, the wisdom teacher, who for the rest of Mark’s Gospel teaches the way of self -giving love through sacrifice. The experience ends as suddenly as it began. “…when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore but only Jesus.” We watch Jesus looking back from Tabor to Galilee, the place of crowds and miracles of healing. In the rest of Mark’s Gospel there are only two healing miracles since the role of the teacher comes to the fore.
Reflective Questions on the Transfiguration:
What are the Galilean periods of your life?
What gives meaning to the mystery of suffering in your life?
Does reflecting on the mystery of the transfiguration throw any light on the experience of self giving love through sacrifice?
Moya OSU