More Than Just Dazzling Clothes

Was Jesus' Transfiguration just an ancient Tide ad, like this one? (http://bit.ly/2ElkWyE)

Last Sunday evening, as our youth gathered around a television screen to watch Super Bowl XLII—enjoying food and fellowship in the process—I could not help but chuckle a few times. We were playing advertisement bingo, so the room grew a bit quieter during the commercial breaks when we all tried to figure out if the next spot would bring us closer to yelling those marvelous words, “That’s a BINGO!” Some people claimed that this year’s lot of ads lacked luster, but at least a few drew rave reviews from our youth. One of our favorites I dare say was the Tide detergent commercial.

The advertisement in question begins with a somewhat familiar actor—David Harbour from the Netflix series Stranger Things. Harbour steps from one type of endorsement to another: “Just your typical Super Bowl Car ad, right?” “Or a hilarious beer ad,” Or a fragrance ad. But nope, we soon find out it’s a Tide ad. The other actors do not seem to comprehend that they are in a commercial about laundry detergent. They wonder, “What makes it a Tide ad?” The main character replies, “There’s no stains. Look at those clean clothes. What else would this be an ad for?” The humor heightens as Harbour debunks all the other potential advertisements—for diamonds, or cola, or a workout plan—leaving the audience pondering are all commercials with actors wearing clean clothes actually Tide ads? Mind-blown-emoji!

With this commercial fresh on my mind (pun intended) I found myself turning to our text for this morning. To tell you the truth I had a hard time getting passed Jesus’ dazzling white attire. How did his clothes become so bright? Was it a Tide Ad? No, beyond the bleaching power of that day and the mighty cleaning ability of today’s detergents, Jesus shone brightly before Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain. If we get stuck on the appearance of Jesus—and his special guests Moses and Elijah—we might simply believe this story highlights the mighty stage effects that the Son of Man could so easily conjure up (eat your heart out Super Bowl halftime show performers). And yet, this story of Jesus taking his inner circle of disciples onto a mountaintop gives us much more than a stunning wardrobe and marvelous special effects.

But, what actually happened when Jesus was transfigured? And, why does it matter to us?

How often do you use the words transfigure or transfiguration in your normal conversation? I bet not that often. I know I don’t say when spraying Shout onto my son’s dirty onesie, “Wow! That outfit was transfigured!”

Even the New Testament writers only employed this word four times. Once here in Mark, once in Matthew’s parallel Transfiguration account, and Paul utilized this word a couple of times in his letters (Romans and 2 Corinthians). While the same original word appears in all of these instances, we have been handed different interpretations of what this word means in our modern English.

Jesus was transfigured—as in his appearance changed—up on a mountain top in Mark’s and Matthew’s sharing of the Good News. Paul though used the same word and we hear it as a transformation of one’s mind. So which is it? Is it simply the appearance of someone changing or is it a fuller transformation that is taking place?

Right before Jesus took his disciples up that high mountain, Peter recognized that Jesus was the Messiah. Peter also denied that Jesus would willingly undergo any suffering, which resulted in Jesus calling Peter Satan. And yet, a thread connects these events: Peter recognized Jesus as the Messiah, then Jesus appeared in a manner befitting the Messiah.

So, it’s just about one’s appearance being bright? Are we back to our Tide ad here? Is it only about looking good? Is it simply about showing up in dazzling white attire? No, the Transfiguration calls us not only to see Jesus changing before our very eyes, but also God transforming us!
When Jesus was transfigured before the disciples his appearance changed, but as he came off of that mountain he was not still dazzling bright blinding everyone in his path. So, maybe this moment was about the disciples’ reception and understanding of Jesus changing as much as his appearance being altered? We do not often talk about transfigurations in our own lives, but we do speak frequently about transformation!

We celebrate the Transfiguration every year at the end of the Season after Epiphany and right before the Season of Lent. In a moment when we experience an Epiphany about who Jesus is we are challenged not to get too attached to it. We cannot build booths to hold onto the experience. Instead we are called to allow this moment to transform us. This Transfiguration is not only about Jesus’ appearance, but it is about also our perception of him as the Messiah.

Here we see the transformed, transfigured Jesus in our very midst, and how can we not be changed? This is why we celebrate this occasion every year because we are people who witness the Messiah’s transformational power and we cannot help but be overcome by it! The Transfiguration of Jesus calls us to be transformed too. But, what do we do after it’s all over, after the cloud goes and the words “This is my Son the Beloved, listen to him” fade?

Jesus did not hide away on a mountaintop basking long in the loving words of the Father. Instead, Jesus knew what lay ahead and he came down off that mountain. We too must walk this way with Jesus. Life in Christ calls us to go through peaks and valleys both! Certain moments we recognize quite clearly the bright, shining figure of Christ in our midst. Then, sometimes we can barely make out the obscured outline of Christ seemingly in the distance, but Christ dwells always more intimately to us than we can know or imagine!

We celebrate this moment of dazzling clarity right now because we love happy mountain moments—like hosting Diocesan Convention so very well this weekend, but the Transfiguration changes us such that we cannot stay up here. No, we are called to keep on walking, walking back down to everyday life in Christ, and soon to walk the pilgrim way of Lent. We journey with Jesus on this way to Jerusalem.

In this time between mountain and valley may we keep on focusing upon Christ and keep on walking with him! May we follow Jesus not just when things are bright and beautiful, but also when things appear dark and dreary. When the construction is noisy, when the bathrooms keep moving, when our favorite ministry is on hold; when we have more questions than answers, when we are annoyed with the way the world works, when we are frustrated with the powers that perpetuate the status quo; when we are sick, when we are frail, when we are broken; when we are burnt out, belligerent, or jaded. In those times just like when things are all sunshine and dazzling clothes—yes, like in a Tide ad—may we recognize and celebrate that Christ walks with us.

Christ Jesus walks with us transfiguring and transforming the way we go. As we go down the mountain to Jerusalem to Lent to Holy Week may we celebrate the Transfiguring love of Jesus who changes even the Cross and Death into Resurrection and Life. So, while everything is not a Tide Ad everything is a reminder of the Transfiguration, for everything is about God’s transforming love.