“…SAVE JESUS ONLY”
Saint Matthew 17: 1-9
The Transfiguration of our Lord: 17 January Anno Domini 2016
Father Jay Watson SSP
“God of God, LIGHT OF LIGHT, very God of very God.” Amen!
“Darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said let there be light, and there was light.” [Gen 1] But that primordial light was a created light. He who spoke it was the Son of God, the Logos, the Second Person—Alpha and Omega, the Ancient of Days, the always existing I AM, Who is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.
“And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” [Gen 1]
“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart.” Creation was good but re-creation, redemption, salvation is better. Eden was grand, but the New Jerusalem of both Church now, and heaven hereafter, will be even better. The Old Testament—the first covenant, was salutary, but the New Testament of His Body and Blood—His family in His side; His bride His very Body; and the two shall be one flesh, is Grace-filled beyond comprehension; Peace which passeth all understanding.
After six days of the second full week of January 2016, Jesus taketh the parish of Augsburg, you His brethren, and bringeth you up into this high mountain of His font, pulpit, and altar, apart—that is, sanctified and made Holy!
You, your “old Adam” likes the shiny and glowy Jesus. You can always appreciate a powerful and sovereign God who crushes evil and banishes demons. Beware glory, for it leads to both pride—the sin of Satan, and to disappointments. Eschew largeness, power, popularity, numbers, prestige, and earthly trappings of success, for those larger and newer barns you build, for all of your mammon, your grain, will be of no use if your souls are called for this very night. Follow the Christ of Scripture and not the mirage of your sinful hearts. If you crave only to stay with your subjective “god” on the mountain top of sunshine and light, you will be soon entertained and dined upon by he who can masquerade himself as an “angel of light.”
He who lives by a god of glory will apostatize from a god of glory when that idol fails to intercede to the demands of his sinful heart. Did the transfiguration save your parents from dying? Did the white, that was purer than snow, rescue you from getting a horrible disease? Did the light, as blinding as the sun, stave off old-age, depression, job loss, the death of siblings, and the tragedies of daily trials and temptations? Sometimes, yes, but most times, no. St. Paul was beheaded. St. Peter was crucified upside down. Stephen stoned, James defenestrated, Polycarp and Hus burned alive, and John exiled.
But Saint John is a good one to look to. The same son of Zebedee who beheld the Christ’s transfigured form, witnessing that His friend, rabbi, mentor, and Messiah, was in fact the Great I AM, THE LORD of Moses’ burning, fiery, radiating bush, was also brought with Peter and James into the inner recesses of Gethsemane to witness the Christ sweating great drops like blood, anguished, and, suffering in the flesh, over the upcoming passion and sacrificial death. John knew later that there is no crown without cross and no glory with suffering. The Cross of Christ saves not the transfiguration experience. The pierced Body He resurrected from the tomb on Easter saves, not the blissful awe of mountain-top worldly detachment.
So fellow warriors, brothers-in-arms, bloody outstretched cruciform siblings….man up! Gird your loins, put on your sandals, take up the armor of God, which is Jesus’ Words and Washings and Suppers, and set your face upon Him and Him alone. HE will set His face towards Jerusalem and the Tree to pay for your sin and to die for your badness.
Jesus said, and says, “lo I am with you till the end of the age.” He means you. Jesus is with you. There’s no transfigured miracle flaming in your face but there is JESUS. Look to Moses and Elias, read the Old Testament and Jesus steps out of the pages into your face, your countenance. Be with Peter, James, and John—both the New Testament, but also, the new disciples and apostles, called Pastors, who hold the apostolic office.
Though you hate the cloudy days of January, when snow skies and dreariness soaks up your human spirit, you still know that the sunny and bright blue skies of April and May are coming. Be content that the cloud of the Cross, the burden of suffering with Jesus, is all for your benefit and eventual glory. The cloud of The Spirit hovered over the face of the deep. The cloud of the pre-incarnate Emmanuel lead the Israelites through the desert days of Exodus. The cloud of The Lord descended over the Ark in the Tabernacle and Temple filling the space with holy smoke. The cloud of the Father and The Spirit temporarily overshadowed The Son, and the three Apostles, so that fleshly eyesight beholding glory might give way to faithful “earsight” receiving the voice of the Father. This is the way faith is focused upon The Word! “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.”
The key, the whole point, is not the shimmering bright God of God, light of light. The answer, your answer, your deliverer, is in the Son of Mary, the Suffering Servant MAN/God who wears your flesh and has your blood. They were afraid, and you are afraid. Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings: “…Jesus came and touched them, and said, be not afraid. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.”
He touches you and forgives you. Lift up your eyes and see, and have Jesus.
In the Name of The Father and of + The Son and of The Holy Ghost
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