Are you fascinated by light? In the past year, we have had observed some wondrous displays of light in the sky. Many were lucky enough to take a rare sighting of the Aurora Borealis as we ‘city dwellers’ experienced the rare opportunity to view the Northern Lights. Many of our fascinations with light originate back to our early years when we experimented with a prism. With the prism, we began to see how light is composed. Light entering the prism reveals its wonderful rainbow component parts and you are treated to, yet another, light display bringing delight and wonder. Light is truly amazing, isn’t it? It shines onto an object and back into our eyes and allows us to distinguish many aspects of an image: its shape and colour and texture. It is really light which defines to our eyes the shape of the object, its texture, and the temperature and specific colour the object holds. Light, then, comes to define much of our reality: what we see; and what we don’t. Are you fascinated by light? How could we not be!
This morning’s texts, I would suggest, take us into a deep dive of the spirituality of light. Wandering through Epiphany: the season of light, this morning we arrive at the pinnacle of this period…or what the church calls the Transfiguration! In the first text, we see God’s light reflecting upon Moses’ face. Through the guidance of Moses, the Hebrews had been wandering through the wilderness fleeing Egyptian slavery and seeking residency in the Promised Land. When they were hungry, Moses had found food: manna; when they were thirsty, Moses found water: water gushing from a rock. When they sought a way to walk in harmony with God, we see Moses (in this morning’s text) walking down the mountain with the two tablets containing the 10 commandments! And that moment would be forever remembered…because that is the moment that Moses’ face SHONE! He descended from Mount Sinai having met with the holy presence of God and the text reports “the skin of his face shone”. It was that kind of moment that would be indelibly left on the hearts and minds of all who would remember the story: Moses’ face shining with the pure light of God! And for the past 3 ½ millennia Moses’ radiant face has continued to be remembered! From Moses radiated the light of God! And people could see God’s light emanating from him. And they have never forgotten this!
Others would continue to shine with the light of God through time. The second text tells Luke’s version of the Transfiguration story of Jesus’ shining. Again, like Moses, the setting is upon the mountain top. This time we have the original disciples (Peter, James and John) who had gone up with Jesus to the mountain top to pray. And there it happened, yet again! God’s light shining! Jesus’ face shone and his clothes were dazzling white! On either side of him were those who had shone to previous generations: Moses…liberating the Hebrews to the Promised Land, the giver of the Law. Elijah…representing the lineage of the many prophets who continued to speak God’s voice to the people. And between Moses and Elijah shone Jesus…revealing God’s pure light to all! At this moment, God’s light shined so brightly it would continue to shine across the centuries; across space and time; it would continue to shine to people in all lands; it would shine to people living in every strata of existence….God’s light would shine fully in Jesus revealing who he is!
This Transfiguration moment is a very significant one to hold, I believe, for it is central to our faith. Jesus’ radiance reveals God’s pure light shining upon him and His own divine nature shining forth for all who follow. John, the gospel writer, would later describe it this way: “Jesus is the Light of the world” (John 8:12). And the moment Jesus shone for Peter, James and John, His transfiguration would be THE moment when His divine glory was revealed to His closest disciples and (even 2 millennia later now). He would continue to be revealed to us as the very source of God’s light that continues to illuminate our living.
I began this morning’s conversation considering the fascination of light we share. It is quite exciting when we come to realize that the objects we see are only revealed by the light that is shining upon them interacting back with our eyes. We see this golden cross on the communion table. Yet, we realize that light is the main factor in revealing what we see! It is light shining upon the cross that allows us to see it as we do. The light reveals the golden colour of the cross; its shape, its shine…light interacts with the cross and cascades back into our eye and we see this focal point of our faith. The light reveals the object that we see.
On Transfiguration Sunday (more than any other Sunday I would suggest), it provides an opportunity to consider the light source that we choose to shine upon us. Because, make no mistake, no one is invisible. We are, each of us, visible to many others in the world through the light that shines upon us. We can receive and, in turn, shine Christ’s light…or not…the choice is ours! The choice we have is what light we allow to shine upon us. And how we will be revealed to the world. So…Transfiguration Sunday triggers the question: What is YOUR light source? What version of light do you open your life to? What forms of light do you avoid? What version of light do you welcome and allow to shine through your living?
The choices of light that reveal our living, of course, are many. Many sources of light would love to shine upon you! We might welcome the light of selfishness or greed. None of us will likely put our hand up on this one; however, it is important to pause from time to time and ponder if greed or selfishness is shining more light upon us than we would like it to. To be sure, it would be an easy one for us. In these times when it seems like there is not enough for everyone, the light of selfishness and greed could be very appealing. The light of Jesus that calls us to care for the last and least is much more challenging to receive. What source of light do we allow to shine upon you? What source of light shines forth in your living? It is a good ‘Transfiguration question’ isn’t it?
I think that the choice to receive the Christ light is a significant faith decision for people occurring through their life. It is one we certainly take on at baptism, but it is (also) one that we continue to renew and re-evaluate throughout life’s ebbs and flows, as decisions are made, and as the complexity of life unfolds. When Moses came down the mountain to the people, they knew he had been with God…for his face shone. When Jesus was revealed in full light, they knew he was God’s Son…the full revelation of God. When we spend time with God; when we open our hearts to receive God’s light and guidance…we, too, also shine. We shine with the light of God. It is evident because we shine! When Jesus was fully revealed in light, God spoke (as God had before at Jesus’ baptism), ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’
And that brings us to a close and shifts us towards the season ahead of Lent that I know we are all preparing to enter. If I had to summarize what the Lenten season is about…I would go back to that concluding verse in Luke: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” In Lent, some of you will give things up…clear space for God and truly listen more deeply: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”. Others will take things on…a new prayer practice, acts of care or service. And as we do these things, we will draw ever closer to God: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”. We will receive God’s light in deeper ways. There is a stark shift from the wonderful luxury of sumptuous pancakes, syrup and sausage to the simplifying life where we focus more deeply on God: “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” That shift is all about more fully opening our hearts to God’s light to fill us.
May we shine bright with the Christ light; may we shine fully with the Christ light; may we shine as Christ’s people now and always. Amen