Does It Show? (Transfiguration Sunday)

Exodus 34: 29-35 & Luke 9: 28-43

Roger Lynn

February 23, 2020

(CLICK HERE for the audio for this sermon)

“I’ve never seen her so happy. She was glowing.” “He was so pleased with himself, he was positively beaming.” “You look great. Your life must really being going well.” Such comments are a part of our language because they reflect a common reality – our internal experiences are often displayed through our external appearance. It may be a smile, or a glint in the eye, or a particular way we walk or carry ourselves. It is sometimes difficult to describe exactly what it is, except to say that we know it when we see it. But in any case, it is not uncommon for people to be able to “read” our internal moods just by watching us. 

In both scripture readings for this morning we find examples of this kind of experience. Moses and Jesus are each seen to be radiating or glowing following a particularly intense encounter with Divine Presence. Experiencing God in that kind of close and personal way left its mark on both of them. They were changed by the encounter. It was a change which was apparent to those around them. 

And it was a change which led them into action. Moses was empowered by his divine encounters to continue leading the people of Israel on their journey towards the Promised Land. By his own admission when he first heard the call of God in the burning bush, Moses was not a natural leader. But through the compelling power of God’s activity in his life, Moses was transformed into one of the central leaders in the entire history of the Hebrew people. 

Jesus drew strength from such encounters as well. The very next section in Luke’s Gospel finds him healing a boy who has been possessed by evil spirits. Indeed, throughout his ministry, whenever he finds himself drained by the demands of his mission, he takes time to re-energize his strength through intimate prayer. 

One of the dangers of focusing on stories such as these is that we are tempted to think of them as “hero” stories. The central character in each of the scripture readings is a larger-than-life figure who we see as different than us. Of course people like Moses and Jesus can have that kind of transforming encounters with God. But glowing with faith is not the sort of thing which happens to those of us who are mere mortals. And when we approach these stories in this way, we miss out on a larger truth. Their appearance wasn’t transfigured because they were special people. They became special people because they were transfigured by the overwhelming presence of God. And that presence is available to each of us at any time.

In the section of Matthew’s Gospel which we have come to know as “The Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus picks up the image of light and says this, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to God in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) Shining with the light of God is not an experience limited to a chosen few. It is something which can occur in all of our lives when we open ourselves to God’s loving and transforming presence. It probably won’t show up in the form of light streaming from our faces, but it will be something which can catch the attention of those around us. It is simply not possible to be in relationship with the God of creation and remain unchanged. And it is equally impossible to keep such changes completely hidden inside. It is the nature of God’s light to break forth and shine into the world. John begins his Gospel by telling of the coming of God’s light into the world. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5) 

So the question which we might ask ourselves is, “Does it show?” Does my relationship with God shine through in my life in such a way that the people around me are illuminated by it? It is not a matter of trying to show off or be conspicuous about our faith. It is simply a recognition of the reality that genuine faith will have an impact not only on our lives but also on those with whom we share life. If our lives are no different with faith than without it, then perhaps it would be worth examining the quality of our faith experience. If the faith which we experience inside is not being reflected in the ways we actually live, then perhaps there is some resistance or fear which is preventing us from fully realizing the benefits of God’s presence in our lives. In John’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) When we have that sort of joy in our lives it shows. People notice. It makes a difference. What do people notice when we’re around?