Many moons ago when I was still doing a lot of theatre, I was in a show called The Apple Tree. It is really three shows in one, because each of its three acts tells a different story. I was in only in the third act, a spoof of the Cinderella story, called Passionella.
As the story begins, you see a very frumpy woman with a nasally voice, singing and dancing with her chimney-sweeping broom. He nosed is stuffed up, her hair is a mess, and she looks to the chimneys that she cleans as a safe haven-a place of comfort. Now what this pitiful woman really wants in life is to be a movie star. She sings about it, she dances the way that she thinks a movie star would dance. It's pretty bad. But, alas, each and every night when she is finished with her work, she simply goes home and in a darkened room watches other movie stars on TV, dreaming of what it would be like to be one of them.
One night, as she sits in her bathrobe with her hair in pin curls, her television does something strange. It begins to glow! And emanating from the glowing screen comes a deep and powerful voice telling her that she is about to undergo a change. Her wish is going to come true-she is going to be a movie star!
As the music plays a very short introduction, the character runs off stage and is transformed. In my case, I had three or four dressers working on me. I would drop my robe, step into a pair of shoes and a gown, a rhinestone necklace placed around my neck, blonde wig a-la Marilyn Monroe, and bright red lipstick! All in four measures! It was nuts, but I made it every night!
Voila! The frumpy chimney sweep was transformed into a movie star. She couldn't believe what she looked like, or how she felt! It was amazing! For the rest of the story, she saw herself in a different light, she saw herself as a glamorous movie star. And that is how everyone else saw her as well.
She is treated differently; she is popular instead of rejected. People flock around her, instead of run from her. They want to be like her instead of laugh at her. Because they are seeing her in a different light, they are able to believe what they could not before. Today Mark tells us of Jesus' transfiguration on the mountaintop. The three disciples who are there, Peter, James and John, are alone with Jesus. They are privileged at that moment to see Jesus in a different light. His clothes become dazzling white-whiter than any earthly bleach could possibly make them. He is joined by Elijah and Moses, who speak directly to Him. It seems to the disciples that Jesus looks like He is no longer of this earth; He looks like He is from the heavenly realm.
Why is the story of Jesus' transfiguration such an important one? And why do we dedicate one Sunday each year-just before the beginning of the Lenten season-to remember and study this particular event?
The reasons are many. In order to understand the impact that the Transfiguration of our Lord had on the three disciples, we need to look at two things-first of all, how Mark speaks of Jesus throughout his gospel, and secondly, where Mark places the Transfiguration in relationship to the rest of Jesus' story.
Throughout Mark's gospel, Jesus' humanity is emphasized. We see Him as a person who needs physical rest, a person who needs to eat, a person who becomes angry and frustrated. A person who is fully human. In addition, Jesus continually calls Himself the Son of Man, not the Son of God. Only God at the baptism and transfiguration, the demon-possessed who recognize who Jesus is and the Centurion at the foot of the cross call Jesus the Son of God in Mark's gospel. And, when those possessed with demons recognize Jesus, He tells them not to spread word of His identity. Keep it a secret, Jesus seems to be saying. It is in the act of Transfiguration that the disciples first hear the voice of God declaring, "This is my Son, the Beloved." Then God adds, "Listen to Him."
Aren't they listening to Jesus already? This is where looking at the literary order of Mark's gospel becomes vital. You see, just before the Transfiguration story, Mark tells us of Jesus' first passion prediction. Jesus is trying to prepare the disciples for what will soon come, His crucifixion and resurrection. They are already making their way toward Jerusalem, but the disciples do not want any part of what Jesus is saying. They are not listening.
In chapter eight of Mark, Jesus says to the disciples, "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." This is the first of three passion predictions in Mark's gospel. But the disciples reject what Jesus is saying to them. Peter rebukes Jesus-using strong language-like the language that Jesus has used in rebuking evil spirits. Peter and Jesus have a terrible argument, just because Peter does not want to hear what Jesus has to say. That is why God says to the disciples, "Listen to Him." He is my Son, the Beloved. You can trust what He is telling you. Pay attention. This is important.
In the Transfiguration, the disciples and all who read Mark's gospel, see a transformation in Jesus from total humanity to total divinity. Throughout Mark's telling of Jesus' life, we have all seen the very human Jesus, and now we are privileged to see the very divine Jesus. Same unique being. Same Jesus. Just a new light. It changes everything.
In the act of Transfiguration, Jesus the man becomes transparent, letting God's transforming love shine through. That is what the disciples are seeing and that is what changes everything. As our passage from 2 Corinthians states, we are able to see: "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
What better passage than that of the Transfiguration of Jesus to prepare us for the time of Lent that we begin this coming week? During the Lenten season, we are making ourselves ready for Easter, for the glory of resurrection. The Transfiguration is like a sneak preview of that time-Jesus in all of His resurrected glory. Jesus as is truly is, fully human and fully divine.
Jesus takes the disciples with Him on His climb up the mountain that they may see and understand the totality of who He is. That they may hear the voice of God and begin to understand. That they may begin to listen and obey. That through the memory of the His glory they witness that day, they will be able endure His suffering and death. That they may believe His glorification in Resurrection. That they may be ready for Easter. That they may believe what they could not before-what they were unable to accept. That they may see Jesus as He truly is. Amen.
Peace,
Rev. Cynthia Bacon
Minister
You may email at:
cbacon@heritagemadison.org
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This page was last updated on March 3, 2003.