Sunday 19 February 2023

Transfiguration Sunday

Today's Readings:
​Exodus 24:12-18: Moses and Joshua, at the command of God, ascend the mountain taking with them representatives of the people. At the half way point Moses and Joshua continue alone. God, signified by the descending cloud, meets them there.

Matthew 17: 1-9: Jesus takes three of his disciples up on a mountain. There he is miraculously transfigured before them and a voice declares, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with whom I am well pleased; listen to him!” The disciples, upon seeing the vision and hearing the voice, were overcome by fear.
 
Transfiguration is not a word which is in common usage. We are more familiar with the words transform, transcribe, transfix or transgress.
 
Transfiguration is one of those “church” words which have a specific meaning. Because this is Transfiguration Sunday, in this context, the word refers to Christ’s appearance in radiant glory to three of his disciples on the mountaintop. Before the eyes of the disciples Jesus was transformed into something more beautiful or spiritual. The Transfiguration experience was a revealing to the disciples who Jesus really was: God’s Son, the Messiah or Christ.
Jesus was changed so as to glorify – which is what, in this context, the word transfigure means.
 
The Sermon for today - Good things come to those who wait! – has been recorded and you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/Mb3AZz6rlDc