“TIS GOOD THAT THE LORD IS HERE”
The Transfiguration of The Lord: 10 February Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
The blinding light of The Logos—“in the beginning; let there be light”—created light, “created” by He Who is before the beginning; He Who is Light of Light, of the same essence as The Father.
The light radiating from the burning in the shadow of Mt. Sinai. The uncreated fire which burned but did not consume the green tree, the bush, from whence The LORD spoke to Moses.
The light from the smoking, thundering, (mysteriously volcanic?) self-same mountain when the same Moses received The Law from the finger of God Himself…lightning and pyro-technics painting the sky with omnipotent essence. “And the sight of the glory of The Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount.” [Ex. 24.17]
The light—the power of the pillar of flame hovering over the desert tabernacle; the fire from “on high” that Elias called down to consume the water-soaked sacrifice; all supernal light from The Blessed Trinity—focused in the face, form, and countenance of He Who provides the eternal light in St. John’s Revelatory “New Jerusalem” where again no sun, moon, or stars are needed. It is This Lord Christ Jesus Who takes Peter, James, and John with Him as He ascends, temporarily, the Mount of Transfiguration.
So What? What’s the relevance? Cool story? Deep penetrating Biblical facts and figures to chew on, question, debate, and pontificate upon?
No. The Transfiguration of Our Lord is the presence of The God/Man for you: Now. The Transfigured One, “back then,” transfigures you Now.
Your fallen nature has such weak and vacillating faith that it wanes to such degrees that you don’t realize, most of the times, “what’s going on,” “what’s happening,” and Who you’re in the presence of. All lackadaisical, relaxed, and casual approaches to The Mass are the result of not believing as one should: Perfectly. All attempts to reverence with laud and honor The God Who serves you forgiveness, life, and peace, is salutary and good. As one practices and tries to form a Biblical “attitude” assisted by The Holy Ghost, one’s inner faith is strengthened. The life of a Christian is more than notational, intellectual, and icily detached comprehension. The organic unity is Scriptural. You see it with Moses bowing and removing his shoes: “for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground; I AM The God of thy father, The God of Abraham, The God of Isaac, and The God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face (bow?); for he was afraid to look upon God.” [Ex 3. 5-6] And that was in the presence of a flame of fire from the midst of a bush.
“…And His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”
One either believes that The Transfiguration happened as Saint Matthew records, or one doesn’t. One either believes The LORD revealed His Name to Moses as recorded in Exodus, or one doesn’t. But it’s not simple “head knowledge.” We believe….and then what? What do the Symbols inform us of? You believe, teach, and confess. Your actions, yes, your “good works,” your attempts to fight the good fight of faith daily drowning “Old Adam” and striving by The Holy Ghost to amend patterns, habits, and chronic failings of sinning presumptuously are part of The Justified life. Your gestures, movements, prayer postures, and anything that your body does should give glory to your mental accession, consent, and belief. Take off the blasé and protestant “slumming at the lecture hall” mentality. This is not “casual Friday” But The Feast of Immanuel: God WITH YOU! GOD.
Yes, that’s all Law. And loving The Lord perfectly, the First Table of Torah, is, as Luther correctly writes: “we should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” That love is not emotional but neither is it only mental. That trust is not part-time but total and unconditional. And that “fear” must need manifest itself in your life, in how you act, react, and accept The living Presence of The Living God/Man Christ Jesus. Now is not the time for a course in rubrics and devotional attitudes. The Word works. Those who believe The Word will be normed, shaped, and formed by The Word.
Even when their Rabbi and Master was glowing like a super-nova the three Disciples were not yet genuflecting, bowing, and hiding their faces. And please note how this revelation of Jesus’ Divinity—God of God and Light of Light—was given to them; through The Word. Not visually only but through The Word. They beheld their pastors, The Rev’d Moses and The Rev’d Elias speaking. To be sure, talking with Jesus but also, I submit, talking to them and all of you. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
The Transfiguration is not a miracle…per se, but “like” the miracles it is a “sign” showing forth something more than proof of Divinity or Gracious compassion. The Transfiguration is Jesus—the same yesterday (on The Mount) today (on the Altar, Font, Pulpit, and in you) and tomorrow (The Heavenly Rooms of splendor). It shows I AM, the Telos (the completion—the end that never ends) your eternal future.
Fear came upon Saint Paul when Christ as blinding shining light from “heaven” touched him in the awesome power of Law. But when the man from Tarsus was touched by the water of + Life in Holy Baptism, by The Gospel Word, He was reborn. Are you Baptized? Then you are transfigured too: “for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in The Lord; walk as children of Light.” [Eph. 5.8]
It’s not the God/Man whiter than snow, whiter than any fuller’s sope could bleach Him that did Peter, James, and John atoning salvation and peace. It was the Word. Moses and Elijah, The Law and The Prophets “testify of Me” said Christ [Jn. 5. 39] They were talking with Jesus and about Jesus and the 3 Galilean fishermen heard. The “sermon” was about Christ’s Exodus—His work of mercy at Calvary—His Body to be given and His Blood to be shed. On the tree The Lord is truly glorified and transfigured for you. At the Altar The Lord truly glorifies, justifies, sanctifies, and transfigures you as He gives you Himself, even as He gives you Himself now in His spoken Love. “Be not afraid.” “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I AM…I am well pleased, hear ye Him.” Hear Him sons and daughters of your heavenly Father. “And Jesus came and touched them” take eat and take drink. You are forgiven.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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