Dwelling in Glory
Grace to you and peace from God our
Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
There is a
temptation to denounce Peter because he wanted to stay on the mountain, as
though he were foolish for not seeing what was ahead. Our fallen ears are so
corrupt that defeatists sound wise. We are afraid to hope for miracles. We do
not want to be disappointed. God means the Theology of the Cross to comfort us,
but we have used it as an excuse for despair. Is it not enough to weary men? Must
we weary God as well? Are you so proud as to refuse a sign from God? Are you so
proud that you will not ask for a miracle or trust in His providence and grace?
Repent.
Peter spoke the
truth on the mountain. It was good for them to be there. His desire to stay was
a godly desire. He desired a good and a noble thing. The Lord did not rebuke
him for this. Jesus simply reminded Peter that He is the beloved Son of the
Father, in whom the Father is well-pleased; He is anointed as a Sacrifice for
the sins of the world. Not the Cloud, the Light, nor the Voice were meant to
scare Peter. They were meant to encourage him. Peter was only afraid because he
was a sinner. Unlike Moses and Elijah, Peter had not yet passed through death
and into life. His flesh was still weak. God’s glory was too much for him, even
as it had been for Isaiah in the Temple,
as it had been for the Israelites at the foot of Sinai. But today is no longer
too much for Peter. Now, today, Peter and the brothers have joined Moses and
Elijah. They no longer reside in temporary tabernacles; they dwell in the place
prepared for them by their Lord.
God’s purpose in
the Transfiguration was not to scare these three, or to show how stupid they
were. This was meant to comfort them. He was showing them their own future and
planting in them the reality of His divinity. The Transfiguration gave
substance and authority to the preaching that followed the resurrection and the
coming of the Holy Spirit. It gave them comfort. Our Lord desires for you the
same strength and comfort that He gave to them.
Today we put our
Alleluias to rest for a time. We embark upon that great season of penance and
contemplation when the liturgy is dressed in sackcloth and ashes. But our
Alleluias shall return. The light shines in the darkness. He is not dead. And
we remember, confess, and proclaim even in Lent that the tomb is empty. Still,
this is a long time to remain focused, to wait for the return of uninhibited
and exuberant joy of the resurrection. And so, as we gather on this new Mt. Zion,
where God is present in His mercy for you, bread and wine are the cloud that
obscures the glory of the Lord. A slain Lamb is a living feast, given for
forgiveness and strength, for life and salvation. You will see that Moses and
Elijah, Peter, James, and John were here along, mingling their praise with
yours. Even today they cry out, “How long?” praying that all God’s people would
be fully united; praying that the peace of God would be revealed at last to all
creation; praying that the groaning, complaining, and despair would finally
stop.
Is that naive and
foolish to desire? Is that not what God promises? Is that not what we believe?
Do we not die in the waters of baptism, only to be raised to life with God?
There is no room here for despair. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Easter
is coming. It is good for you to be here. God Himself is present for you in His
Word and in His body and blood. And soon—very soon—the day will come when you
will stay, when Peter’s desire will be fulfilled, when we will dwell forever in
the glory of the Lord. Alleluia! In the name of the Father and of the Son (+)
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding will keep
your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus always.
Amen.
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