The church calls this event the Transfiguration of Christ. Jesus was "transfigured": the figure, the image, the look that he had, the face that showed to others was changed over. The appearance of his face changed. Jesus had a different look.
Transfigurations are big business today. And many of us work hard and spend a lot of money to get one - a new face, a new look, a changed appearance. We are very aware of the face we present to the world. And we will alter our face to our advantage if we can. Sometimes the change is not just in looks but in our whole image -- including our name.
Larushka Shikne did not like the image he thought his name projected, so he changed his name to Laurence Harvey. Issur Danielovitch Densky did the same thing and became Kirk Douglas.
In the same way, Frances Gum transfigured herself and her image into Judy Garland. Archibald Leach became Cary Grant. Aaron Schwalt became Red Buttons. Marion Morrison became John Wayne.
Remember that in Holy Scriptures many people got new names to go with a new life and a new image. Abram became Abraham. Sarai became Sarah. Jacob became Israel. Saul became Paul. Simon became Peter, "The Rock."
Transfigurations are not the exception. They are the rule. We are all being altered in the appearance of our face, our countenance. We are all changing. To live is to be continually transfigured.
I don't mean to suggest that Jesus' transfiguration was a triumph of cosmetology. It wasn't. He did not have it done to himself, it was given to him. St. Luke's Gospel says that Jesus was praying when it happened.
And as it turned out, it happened at the best of times. It happened just before Jesus' life changed direction dramatically, just before Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem, toward danger, toward death. The transfiguration turns our attention to the suffering that Jesus will endure. St. Luke calls it "his departure which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem."
I say that Jesus' transfiguration happened at the best of times because just before suffering, just before trial, just before a difficult test, just before a dangerous journey is the best time to receive reassurance and the best time for your friends and family to receive reassurance too.
All of us need to see the glory of God before we face the hard times. All of us need the reminder of God's presence and God's purpose when we go through any "valley of the shadow of death."
Over the centuries, Christians have learned to trust that sequence, even to bet their lives on it; suffering will come, yes. But before the suffering, there will be a strengthening visitation of glory, a reminder that one is never asked to face suffering alone.
You may be thinking that I am mistaken. "If we are going to face suffering, we will first receive an experience of God's glory." "Not likely," you say. That's not the way your life has been. If glory comes at all, it comes after the cross, not before. And if you are thinking that, you have a strong argument. Life is often like that. We don't see the light until after the darkness. We are unprepared for the cross until we see the resurrection.
But my point is: We are not as unprepared as we think. Sometimes we get our own special transfiguration before a crisis, our assurance that no matter what happens we will be safe with God. We always have Christ's transfiguration to encourage us. Through the Scriptures that we read and hear and expounded in our homilies and by faith that our church teaches, we can see God's glory before the cross; we can glimpse God's plan before the suffering, we can believe God's purpose in the crisis even before we live through the crisis.
Certainly these Peter, James and John needed all the reassurance from the Lord. They had difficult missions for which they were to suffer much. Peter, the first head of the universal church, was to be crucified in Rome. James, the first bishop of Jerusalem, was killed there by his enemies. John, the inspiration of sacred books, was thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil. They remained steadfast in their faith and they were filled with hope because they received a great encouragement and reassurance.
We too, need inspiration today. So many things pull us down. You are troubled about the slow trickle flow of money in your work and business. You are worried that your children are not showing a sense of direction. You are sad in feeling betrayed by the person you love most. You are impatient as to when healing from sickness will come. You are praying that your big break will finally arrive. Like the apostles, many times we feel so low and sad in our lives. We open our eyes every morning and feel so little to be happy about.
This Lenten season, Jesus invites us to come with him to the mountain. There we will discover a great reassurance. There we will be given a great power and grace.
You and I can be witnesses of Christ's transfiguration just as surely as Peter and Jesus and John were. We are in that story too. Through faith we are with Christ in the glory of his transfiguration. And his glory gives us strength.
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