Homily – Sunday, the 11th February 2024

Reading: Mark 9:2-9

Kankandathellam Poi, Ini Kanapokirathu than nijam

Kelvipettathellam Poi, Ini Kelkapokirathu than nijam

Therinthukondathellam Poi, Ini Theria pokirathu than nijam

This Tamil saying can be interpreted as

What you have seen with your eyes thus far is not the whole truth- you are yet to see the whole truth

What you have heard with your ears thus far is not the whole truth- you are yet to hear the truth.

What you have perceived with your mind thus far is not the whole truth- you are yet to perceive the whole truth.

We have heard quite often of the Transfiguration experience of Jesus. During the last few weeks we were looking at Who Jesus Was and before we enter into the time of Lent it is good to take a look at the brightness of Jesus’ transfigured self and ask- what does that mean to me.

We have the experience of Peter who talks of the transfiguration experience of Jesus in 1 Peter 1:16-18

For 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. For he received honour and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

It is our story. It is our experience.

Saul had a life changing encounter with the dazzling brightness of Jesus at the gate of Damascus. We read in Acts 9:3-5

Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 

That was a life changing revelation in Saul’s life.

This was true with the experiences of several people across time. They lived acknowledging that Jesus was a good human being and nothing more. They were happy in their scientific temper with the ordinariness of Jesus. This changed when each of them had that experience of the extra-ordinary. Sadhu Sunder Sing for instance went to the extent of even burning the Bible because of his religious fervour and one day when he called out- If there is a God, that God should show himself to me- he is said to have had the great vision of Jesus Christ that transformed him to the Apostle with the bleeding feet who went to the nooks and corners of the world proclaiming this risen Lord.

Yes Transfiguration is a reminder- there could be beyond what you have seen thus far, there could beyond what you have heard thus far, there could be beyond what you have comprehended thus far. Just be open for God to act in your life with an experience of revelation and leave it to God’s appropriate timing.

Transfiguration as an eye-opening experience for the disciples- seeing beyond what you see

In the Lion King we have seen when the seeker for life with no Worries- Hakuna Matata is told how to find it- The prescription was simple- “To find it you must look beyond what you see”

What Peter, James and John had thus far seen of Jesus was more of his human identity and Jesus realises that it is time for them to see his ethereal identity.

And Jesus was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.

The Greek word metemorphothe (aorist passive indicative) refers to being transformed into a being beyond what was seen thus far.

An extra-ordinary image of the Divine.

We start with a post-colonial reading of the whiteness of the imagery

My close friend Raj Patta a Dalit theologian in his blog on the text writes

“A decolonial reading of the story of the transfiguration is an invitation to transgress the deeply embedded whiteness of Jesus’ transfiguration, for Jesus did not carry his ‘white dazzling clothes and face’ for the rest of his earthly ministry. The episteme of coloniality (again, the knowledge of the powerful) thrived by making the readers of scriptures ‘colourblind’: where God has been imaged and imagined in white – with white as a marker of the divine and the powerful – making white Jesus universal. Particularly, the story of Jesus’ transfiguration has been a white story. Here I use ‘white’ as both a colour and as a marker of coloniality.”

The focus of the story need not be on the whiteness but on the brightness that the disciples saw in Jesus.

There is beyond the brightness to this seeing

And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.. And in the synoptic parallel we are told that they were taking about his exodus- the departure.

Being able to see, albeit momentarily, what the ordinary eye cannot comprehend is a mystery, a miracle and a mystic experience.  Transfiguration is a pointer to such a spiritual experience. The fact that we have not seen it does not deny the fact it is a possibility. It is also possible that in the right time, when we are ready for it, we would also have visions beyond what the ordinary eye can comprehend.

Transfiguration is a pointer to such a possibility of seeing.

Transfiguration as an ear opening experience for the disciples- hearing beyond what you hear.

We live in a world with lot of noises around us. The distractions of the mind are such that we might not even hear what the person who is directly talking to us is in fact saying. And to be able to discern the voice of the Divine amidst these cacophony of noises is a challenge in itself.

Jesus takes James, John and Peter to a high mountain. Yes he takes them apart from the noises and the din and buzzle of ordinary life. There he shows them the transfigured self.

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.

Note the imagery- An overshadowing cloud and in that shadow the voice that affirms that This is My Son- the Beloved and the heavenly call is simple- Listen to him- Give him your ears.

Despite the baptism affirmation it would have been a natural question in the minds of the disciples- Is this the one that we were waiting for? Is he truly the Son of God?

The answer comes from the clouds- Yes- This is my beloved Son- now Listen to what he is saying. Jesus was about to tell them about the deeper mystery of the ultimate transformation that was awaiting, and it was not easy for the human ear to hear or understand. Therefore, the heavenly voice says- Listen to him.

Yes the message that we could take home from this text could be this- Just Listen to him. Tune your ears. Listen to the promptings of God in your lives.

Lent is an opportune time to Listen. Listen to what the Divine has to tell us to make our lives more meaningful and worth the living.

Transfiguration as a heart opening experience for the disciples- understanding beyond what is normally comprehended.

Life beyond the limitations of human comprehension is clearly in display here. Moses and Elijah flashes before the eyes of the disciples- so real that they offer to build three tents for their stay.

It is also worthwhile noting here what Jesus tells them as they walk down the mountain

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

The very idea of the rising of the Son of Man- far beyond human comprehension is being introduced and explained here.

Bharat In his vlog defines transfiguration beautifully thus-

Then, one might ask, why did Jesus transfigure? 

In the context where people have been disfigured due to the oppressive systems and structures of the society, Jesus’ transfigured body is his identification with those whose bodies have been battered, bruised, humiliated, excluded, and rejected, offering hope and dignity to all. The colonial Roman empire in Jesus’ time disfigured several bodies using violence and unjust public executions on the cross, and Jesus’ transfiguration is a symbol of offering hope to all bodies. In the context of the justice discourses, Jesus’ transfiguration is offering hope to the disfigured bodies who have been disfigured because of colour, caste, gender, and sexuality: for Jesus transfigures to identify with everyone, celebrating new life in all bodies, transcending all barriers.

Transfiguration was a preparation for the ultimate journey to the cross and the affirmation that death cannot hold him for long. The ultimate triumph would be his- the exodus event would be the ultimate transfiguration that is coming.

Transfiguration was thus a prototype of the forthcoming transformation of Jesus.

Are you walking tough paths now? Is the future looking painful? Open your eyes and see beyond the horizons. There is beyond the pain of the cross. There is the joy of resurrection awaiting.

The limitations in comprehending the larger plan of God can be seen in the naiveness of Peter who says- “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” The writer adds- He did not know what to say, for they were terrified.

The temptation to stay in mountain tops where the extra-ordinary happens and the temptation to hold the divine presence in the limits of human made tents have to be closely read herein.

Jesus affirms that the realities of the valley awaits him and he has to keep apart the brightness for us- to attend to those in the valleys. He is not to be contained in tents- Jesus walks down the hill and Moses and Elijah were no longer to be seen with their human eyes.

Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them anymore, but only Jesus.

Not that they were not there, only that Peter and James could no more see them.

Lent is an invitation for a deeper understanding of the Divine, for a closer understanding of the cross and a profound understanding of what resurrection should mean in each of our lives.

Conclusion

What does transfiguration mean for us today.

There is beyond what our eyes have seen

There is beyond what our ears have heard

There is beyond what our cognition has comprehended

The Divine waits to reveal the Divine self more clearly, more visible

At the carnival parades we will keep calling Nari- Naro, You are a Fool and I am Fool but beyond that foolishness in the invitation of the Lent.

On Ash Wednesday we come for the Eucharist and the cross of Ashes is a symbol of a new desire to begin afresh, leaving behind what needs to be left behind.

May this Lent experience be an experience of seeing, hearing and comprehending for each of us

Vinod Victor

11.02.2024