The Startling Reality

            In today’s Gospel reading we find ourselves up on a high mountain with Jesus and his inner circle of disciples, Peter, James and John.  Since mountains are often places of revelation, often associated with being near heaven, we can safely assume something special and important is happening here.  This story of the Transfiguration which appears in all three of the synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, always appears in our lectionary at the end of the Epiphany season.  As we have had many epiphany experiences, manifestations or examples of God’s glory, throughout the last several weeks, today the season after Epiphany ends with a spectacular passage of Jesus in all his radiant glory.

            No doubt, these three disciples are delighted to be able to get away privately with Jesus, to talk to him without all of the crowds that have so often been present.  When they get to the top of the mountain Jesus is transfigured before them, his clothes become dazzling white, he is radiant with God’s light, Elijah and Moses appear and they hear God’s voice!  Imagine the terror and amazement they must feel, imagine the shock, the surprise, the confusion and then the joy that accompanies this glimpse of the divine presence.  This is a moment that reveals the eternal splendor of Jesus as the Son of God, a glimpse of the here and now as well as a glimpse into the future.  This is such a strange scene that perhaps it can be more easily comprehended intuitively than logically.   Here we see the revealing of the startling reality of Jesus’ inner nature, the reality that Jesus is God.

            And how does the disciple Peter respond? “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  He may have associated this moment with the end times, where Sabbath rest had been promised; hence, it would have been appropriate to construct these booths or dwelling places.  He also, though, may have simply been wanting this holy moment to last, wanting to prolong this moment where the divine presence was so compelling, so spectacular, so “real.”  Peter is one of us!  The Divine Presence has gripped his heart and even though he cannot fully comprehend its significance, he wants it to last.  And yet this moment, this amazing and holy moment, does not last.

            Moses and Elijah disappear and Jesus and his inner circle head back down the mountain.  They head back to the valley. Worse yet, Jesus, as so often happens in Mark’s Gospel, tells them not to tell anybody what has occurred until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.  Can’t you just envision maybe two of the disciples hanging back a little while Jesus walks with the other one, whispering, “WHAT is he talking about? How are we going to keep this a secret?  And what is all this rising from the dead language about?” These disciples must have been affected by what they experienced, this encounter with the Divine, even if they could not explain it, even if they could not understand it in that moment.  And maybe it was a gift that they were not to tell anyone so they could just let the experience germinate in their minds and hearts and contemplate the mystery of it and not be persecuted and cast out as lunatics.

            Have you been to the mountain top?  Had a moment when you know you have encountered something quite spectacular, something holy; where you have encountered the Divine Presence? Maybe you did not even know it was the Divine Presence but you were deeply moved or touched?  Epiphany experiences can happen in all kinds of ways, in all kinds of situations because God is present in all things.  An encounter with the Divine can happen in church but it can happen anywhere else, too.  We have glimpses of the Divine when we witness beauty, perhaps through a particular painting or through music, through gifts of forgiveness, received and offered, through acts of love. You know that moment when you see it or when you hear it, when your heart is “strangely warmed” (John Wesley).   As much as we want to hold on to these experiences, like Peter wanting all three of the holy men to stay in their dwellings on the mountain, we need to remember these moments for the gift that they are, reminders of the startling reality that God is with us, sometimes seen and unseen, known and unknown. 

            This past Wednesday night, I had what I would call a mountain top experience.  One of my very dearest friends Robin was ordained an Episcopal priest in Blackstone, Virginia.  The entire service was an uplifting one but there was one moment which seemed particularly holy.  As is our Episcopal tradition, when the Bishop prayed for the Holy Spirit to come upon Robin, he laid his hands on her head and all of the other priests, there were actually about 35 of us, laid our hands on her as well.  I had a wonderful vantage point and could see what looked like spokes in a wheel as each hand and arm reached toward my friend.  The Holy Spirit was very obviously present.

            When asked later what she felt in that moment she said that she felt this deep peace within and support coming from every side, reminding me of St. Patrick’s breastplate – “Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ behind me, Christ above me”!   The joy in the church was so palpable, so luminous.   The memory of it brings all of that joy right back to me.  Can I fully understand the significance of this mountain top experience? I am certain I cannot. I am left to contemplate the mystery of it.  And I know from experience we do come down from the mountain at some point.  Back to a world where there is conflict and difficulty. But for all the wonder that these epiphany experiences can bring, this interfacing of the earthly and the heavenly, we need to remember that Jesus walked back down the mountain with his beloved friends. He was in the valley with them every bit as much as he was on the mountain.

            We all have moments when it is difficult to remember that God is with us, when we are experiencing health problems, or family difficulties, frustrations with our political leaders, fear in our economic situation or when we become apathetic or caught up in our own small worlds.  And yet God is indeed with us, not watching from afar with disinterest, but up close and personal and offers his luminous light in every situation if we can trust him. We want these elusive moments with God to last.  The startling reality is that God is everywhere, in every situation, on the mountain top and in the deepest valley, in every moment offering his radiant love.  Do we have eyes to see it?  Do we have faith with which to receive God’s love?

Amen.