“RIGHTEOUS REUNION”
Saint Matthew 17: 1-9
The Transfiguration of our Lord: 29 January Anno Domini 2023
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
What a reunion! The two greatest and most impactful Hebrew Saints—Old Testament warriors of The Lord—now get to have God talk to them eye-ball to eye-ball and truly face-to-face. They behold the image of God in Its/His fullness. This is a harbinger, a herald and precursor of your own imminent reunion with your Lord and God. The Apostle writes: “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” [1 Cor. 13.12].
On that mountain top the “Law” (Moses) and the “Prophets” (Elias) behold, hear, talk, listen, and give succor, to He who made them (and you), saved them, and preserves them (and you) until the greatest reunion at the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come!
No, Moses and Elias were not there when The Son of God, The Word, spoke LIGHT into existence. Now that must have been bright and blinding, and beautiful (Gen. 1). The two of them did not see the shining one—the Seraphim at the border of Eden with the sword of fire banning your first traitorous parents—whose deeds were as foul as Judas himself.
But, Moses did “see” The Lord—numerous times—after a fashion. The good shepherd Moses while working for his father-in-law had a shining revelation bestowed upon him: “…and the angel of The Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed” [Ex. 3.2]. And, at the delivery of the Two Tablets of Torah: “And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of The Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of The Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes…” [Ex. 24. 15-17]. Moses records in the next chapter: “And The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there” [Ex. 34.5] but the beholding was still “held” (Jesus held his own revelation from the Magdalene in Gethsemane and from the Emmaus duo) as you’re informed in the beautiful story showing Christ is our “rock of ages”: “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” [Ex. 33.11], and yet it wasn’t what is truly face-to-face, not as it is in our Gospel. For Moses further explains: “And [God] said, thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live. And The Lord said, Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand while I pass by: and I will take away Mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts: but My face shall not be seen” [Ex. 33. 20-23]. Ah, but The Transfiguration!
Elias too had “seen” God in His word of bright and blazing power—the truth of The Law. The Prophet had beheld: “the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed [the Captain of Ahab] and his fifty (men),” (three times) [2 Ki. 1.12]. The Lord’s bright fire of vengeance came down to destroy the false prophets of Baal as well. And who can ever forget the Bible story you all learned in Sunday School of Elias’ own transfiguration—or at least his translation—form earth to be with Jesus: WITHOUT DYING: “and it came to pass, as they went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses [I submit the Lord Himself, The Son, was the very driver of the chariot], and parted them both asunder, and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven” [2 Ki. 2.11].
Elias saw The Christ but not in His true omnipotent glory and transcendence. “And, behold The Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains…but The Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but The Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire; but The Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave” [1Ki. 19.11-13].
On the Mount of Transfiguration Elias again hears that “still small voice” as He speaks to and hears from The Word—the voice of God, of The Trinity.
That’s it. The Word of God. Not fire, not flaming swords and chariots, not burning-bright bushes; not even Christ’s own Transfiguration whiter than any fuller’s sope could bleach, as the very sun in the sky itself. For Jesus’ Trinitarian Deity and Glory makes our sun look like a burnt-out coal-black ember of mud. But, THE WORD.
Your God, The Blessed Trinity—“iconed” by Christ centered by Moses and Elias, even as He once appeared to Abraham flanked by two other angels. Even as He would soon be on another hill framed by two thieves to His left and right. Christ with His Law and Prophets, Christ The Gospel in the flesh observed by Peter, James, and John, our own early Trinitarian identity of all those Baptized + Into Jesus Name in the thrice-fold washing of Water (and Blood) from His crucified and risen side.
Listen. Listen and hear as Peter, James, and John struggled to do. Moses and Elias spoke comfort to Christ and support for His upcoming Exodus (desert journey) to Calvary. But Moses and Elijah were too, given sustenance and heavenly food from their Righteous Rabbi, and Merciful Master.
It always about The Word: Jesus—Jesus’ Person (God of God, and LIGHT OF LIGHT) and His work—crucified, dead, and buried… “and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures” (Moses and Elias).
Not on Mount Sinai, not in the desert; not on Mount Carmel, and not even on Calvary. But where The still small Word speaks and gives you absolution and washing and supper.
He fed Moses with manna, quail, and cool water. He fed Elias, by black ravens (birds in their proper clericals) bread and meat in the morning and evening, and water from the brook.
He feeds you now His own Godly Body and Blood and you are transfigured again into His own Body. What a comfort, what a strengthening for you! What a reunion!
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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