“As they were coming down the mountain . . .” (Matt. 17:9a)
I always approach preaching on Transfiguration Sunday with more fear and trembling than usual. I’m often drawn to the voice in the cloud instructing us to: “. . . listen to him!” But, the whole scene on the mountain is truly other worldly. I am reminded of an episode that I saw years ago from
Touched By An Angel
when an autistic boy looks at Monica and sees God’s glory about her, but he keeps saying, “Too shiny, too shiny, too shiny.” How are we earthly creatures to preach on something that is so far beyond our ken?
And that is why I really appreciate the fact that the lectionary includes the 9
th
verse of Matthew 17. “As they were coming down the mountain . . .” We don’t get any insights as to how the Disciples felt or what they were thinking. We are left to wonder and imagine.
Was Jesus changed on the Mount of Transfiguration, or did the Disciples finally see what had always been there? As they were coming down the mountain did they see the glory of God, or did they see the man that they had followed for so long – or perhaps a bit of both? Were they wondering – “How could we not have seen this glory all along?”
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to sit down with leaders from a number of the ministries in the Iowa Annual Conference. It’s budget time and we were talking about how the ministries in the Annual Conference will be able to sustain and support themselves going forward. As I sat there and listened to these leaders talk about their ministries, I was privileged to see that heavenly glory come shining through. We heard from Clint Twedt-Ball who directs the Matthew 25 Ministry in Cedar Rapids; we heard from Lee Schott, the outgoing pastor at Women at the Well; we heard from Bryan Johnson and Ryan Russell who oversee our camping program. There were also those who weren’t there – Campus Ministries, MUMMs, and so many others.
These are ministries that I have come to take for granted because they’ve been around for a long time. Yet, each one is doing Christ’s work, each one is proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, each one is building the Kingdom of God. As I drove back home on a very foggy afternoon, I wondered how was it that I had not seen the light of God shining forth from these ministries. They are not up on the mountain, they are down in the valley. They are doing God’s work.
Recently, my wife has been diagnosed with some very significant heart and lung issues. We have shared her journey with the congregations that I serve. There have been innumerable expressions of concern, my wife has been flooded with cards, some have offered to take her to appointments. Again, I am amazed at how I did not always see this heavenly glory shining through. These are my parishioners, but they are truly being the Body of Christ. They are living out the love and the grace of God.
On this Transfiguration Sunday, let us remind each other that Jesus went down from the mountain, he lived and acted in the everyday things of life. Yet, his glory did indeed shine through for those who had eyes to see.
Gracious and loving God, help us to see your glory in those around us. Help us to be the instruments that you use to bring your love and grace to all humankind. Amen.
Note: Bill Cotton has been in the hospital recently. In his absence Paul Burrow has written this MEMO. Paul is the Senior Pastor at Perry/Minburn/Rippey/Fairview United Methodist Churches.
