(Audio)
We did not follow cleverly devised myths
when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Peter wanted to assure his readers that he did not follow myths precisely because he was telling them something which had an aspect of mythic proportions. As Peter, James, and John watched Jesus "received honor and glory from God the Father" in a visible way.
And he was transfigured before them;
his face shone like the sun
and his clothes became white as light.
The three disciples were granted a glimpse of a heavenly reality.
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
The one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
Peter realized that a vision like that the one Daniel described in our first reading might seem to be some merely mythical or purely poetic description of religious realities. Even Jews who believed the Scriptures would be reluctant to connect that heavenly reality with anything that one could behold on earth, since even holy things on earth were only shadows of their heavenly counterparts. For Gentiles, it would be natural to consider the supernatural aspects of the life of Jesus as equivalent with any other myth, interesting and inspiring perhaps, but without any basis in concrete history. The temptation to deflate Jesus to a purely human person would be tempting for either group, just as it is for us today.
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven
while we were with him on the holy mountain.
Peter wrote to give his readers confidence in the revelation of the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased;
listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
Jesus was the place where heaven and earth met. He was the place were the deepest longings and inspirations underlying all myths met with the concrete reality of a historical person. Though he was fully human he was also fully divine. Though he emptied himself and took the form of a servant (see Philippians 2:7) nevertheless it was in even in this human form that he revealed his divinity. He did so by his teaching and by his miracles. His divine nature was revealed especially powerfully in his Transfiguration, when the veil over his majesty was pulled back, even if only slightly. Peter and the others found the experience overwhelming.
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate
and were very much afraid.
Peter found the experience overwhelming, yet it gave him deep certainty. It was doubtlessly involved in giving him the courage to come back to Jesus after his denial and abandonment. Although he could not set up camp in the glory and skip the difficult parts yet to come he was nevertheless correct that the transfiguration was meant to be an anchor for his soul. It was so undeniable, so certain to him, that he knew it could be an anchor for his readers as well, just as it can for us.
Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable.
You will do well to be attentive to it,
as to a lamp shining in a dark place,
until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Let us spend a few moments on the mountain beholding the glory of Jesus today. We will probably still have years and years which include experiences that are anything but mountaintop revelations. We will probably still spend more time than we would like in the dark valley. But this glory can be the hope that guides us home.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness are round about him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
Songs In His Presence - Like a Son of Man
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