Mark 9:2-10
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!” 8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
What a stunning vision was given to Peter, James and John! Is it any wonder that they wanted to stay within that glorious environment! But the Father’s voice appropriately interrupts the ‘glory-seeking’ thoughts of man. How soon they had forgotten Jesus’ words spoken to them just six days earlier. Peter had confessed Jesus as the Christ — Jesus revealed how His passion for the sake of man will play out — and then Jesus explained what the Christian life entails. “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” In other words, it’s not about ‘glory’ it’s about suffering and ‘dying.’
And so it goes again when the Transfiguration takes place. They get caught up in the ‘glory’ side of things, as this is the way of the flesh. But the way of the God is suffering and crosses. It’s a theology of the cross that is revealed in God’s Holy Scripture. The Transfiguration revealed what lies ahead — after a life of denying oneself — after a life of taking up ones cross and following the path of Christ — namely, losing ones life (dying, through baptismal remembrance), in order to find it (rising, through baptismal remembrance).
Dear Saints, follow Jesus first into God’s favor, through faith, and then through self-denial, sacrifice, and through death itself, follow Him into the lasting Paradise. He’s given you a brief vision of it today. This vision will help you die; but more importantly, it will help you to live through Christ Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life!
Let us pray: O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
