19 February 2023 - Transfiguration Sunday

 

Theme

This week’s readings reflect on the transfiguration of Jesus and its link/similarities to Moses meeting with God on the mountain in Exodus. Exodus tells of Moses and Joshua ascending Mount Sinai to receive commandments from God. Peter explains that Jesus’ transfiguration shows us that he was honoured by God. Matthew shares the story of Jesus’ transfiguration where a voice in the cloud declares Jesus as God’s Son.

Scripture Readings

  • Exodus 24:12-18 - Moses and his assistant Joshua climbed Mount Sinai, where the Lord gave Moses the tablets of stone with instructions and commands. Moses told the elders to stay and wait for them and to consult Aaron and Hur if any disputes arose. The Lord's glory appeared at the summit like a consuming fire and Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
  • Psalm 2 - The nations are angry and waste their time with futile plans, but the Lord laughs and rebukes them in anger. He has placed his chosen king on the throne and proclaims that he will give the nations as an inheritance. Kings and rulers are warned to serve the Lord with reverent fear and submit to God's royal son, or they will be destroyed. Those who take refuge in him will find joy.
  • 2 Peter 1:16-21 - Peter reminds us of the powerful coming of Jesus Christ and the majestic splendor with which he was honored by God the Father. Peter encourages us to pay close attention to the words of the prophets, for their words are a lamp in a dark place until the Day dawns and Christ shines in our hearts. He emphasizes that the words of the prophets were not from their own understanding, but from the Holy Spirit, and from God.
  • Matthew 17:1-9 - Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain, where his appearance was transformed and Moses and Elijah appeared. A voice from a cloud declared Jesus as God's Son, and Jesus commanded the disciples to not tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had been raised from the dead.
  • Psalm 99 - The Lord is praised for being king and sitting in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all nations. His name is holy, and he is a mighty king, lover of justice, and has established fairness and acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel all called on his name, and he answered them, speaking to Israel from the pillar of cloud and giving them laws and decrees. He is a forgiving God, but also punishes when they go wrong. All are called to exalt the Lord and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem.

The Context

This week Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday. It is the last Sunday of ordinary time before we begin the season of Lent this coming week on Ash Wednesday.

The author of Matthew often tries to link Jesus’ story with Moses’ story. In this example, Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain mimics Moses’ ascension of the mountain to meet with God. The reason for this is to show the Jewish people that Jesus was chosen and directly called by God, just like Moses.

Personal Application

It strikes me how often characters in the bible would withdraw into a time of solitude and reflection after encountering the Divine. In our readings this week, Moses stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. After meeting with God, Jesus asked his disciples to not go and talk about what they had seen.

I think that this could possibly be because an encounter with God can be so overwhelming that we miss much of its significance when we rush back into our every day lives. We need time to process these significant encounters.

Too often, when we encounter God at work in our lives and the world, we perhaps offer a prayer of thanks and then go on about our daily lives like nothing significant happened at all. Perhaps it would be wise to spend more time reflecting on our encounters with God and considering what transformations they can bring about in our lives.

Think back to the last time you encountered God in a significant way. Did you cherish that moment or did you forget about it shortly afterwards? How did that encounter with God change you?

Communal Application

The author of Matthew’s Gospel compared Jesus to one of the great heroes of the Israelite faith, Moses. Modern Christians might lose the significance of this comparison. God chose and called Moses to be a liberator of God’s people after years of oppression living in slavery in Pharaoh’s Egypt. Matthew compared Jesus’ story to Moses’ to show that Jesus too has been chosen and called by God to liberate God’s people and offer them salvation.

While modern day Christians might miss the significance of Matthew’s version of Jesus’ transfiguration, the Church should be using a variety of ways to help people understand Jesus’ role as liberator and saviour to all.

Do we still believe that Jesus is the saviour who has come to liberate all God’s people? How can we best help people understand Jesus’ role as liberator and saviour in the world today?

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