LAST SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

A Sermon preached by the Rev. Elle Morgan

Last Sunday After Epiphany, Luke 9:28-36

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24).  Amen

Good morning, St. Philip’s Easthampton.

I can't fully express how happy I am to be with you today to deliver what my divinity school calls my "senior sermon.”  In my head, I refer to it as my "senior citizen sermon,” because it’s taken me my whole life to get here but I couldn’t be happier to be sharing this sermon with you today.

Although it has only been six or seven months that we've been apart, it feels like a lifetime in some ways. I am grateful for the rich experiences I encountered in Alabama: from learning that the word non-denominational doesn’t always mean what I thought it did (apparently sometimes it means Baptist), that “bless your heart” can mean the complete opposite, that sometimes Southerners hold special meetings to designate which workers must come to work when the temperature dips to 30 degrees because most folks think they can’t possibly make it in, and to learning what a sweat towel preacher is.  For those of you who don't know, (and I didn’t) it is a preacher who becomes so active in their sermon delivery that they need a towel to wipe the sweat off their brow from time to time.  I was gifted this University of Alabama sweat towel to bring along to my sermon today.  Between us, I don't think I'll need it, but I thought it was kind.

In addition to these lighthearted things, I learned many things that have transformed me, from becoming deeply immersed in pastoral care, to understanding cultural context differently, to meeting brothers and sisters in Christ from denominations that I never knew existed, to standing alongside fellow human beings during some of the worst days of their lives.  I’ve learned that “healing” means different things to different people and that how one views God's grace may depend on ideas I hadn’t considered before.  The experience in the South was indeed transformational.  But what does it mean to be transformed?  And how does that differ from being transfigured?  Is it the same or different?  The original Greek uses the same verb, "metamorphosed," in both definitions without distinction.

In today's Gospel, we celebrate the Transfiguration. About a week after speaking to His disciples about His coming suffering, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a high mountain to pray. As they reached the heights, the weary disciples struggled to stay awake while Jesus immersed Himself in prayer.

As Jesus prayed, His appearance transformed—His face shone radiantly, and His clothes were a dazzling white. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared beside him.  They spoke with Jesus about His impending journey to Jerusalem and the mission he would soon complete.

Peter, not fully awake, saw the extraordinary sight and overcome, exclaimed, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us set up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

As Peter spoke, a great cloud descended upon them and fear gripped the disciples. Then, from within the cloud, a voice resounded with divine authority:

"This is My Son, my Chosen; listen to Him!"

At once, the cloud lifted, and when the disciples looked again, Moses and Elijah were gone. Only Jesus stood before them; His appearance returned to normal. Silence fell over them as they realized they had just witnessed something beyond human capability to fully understand.

Some common interpretations describe the difference between “transformed” and “transfigured” with “transformed," meaning to change in form, nature, or function in a significant way that might be neutral or not necessarily better but is nevertheless thorough and dramatic, while "transfigured" means to change in a way that elevates or glorifies – to change in a way that becomes more beautiful and manifests as a profound revelation  -- Jesus was transfigured.

Our Gospel passage today records this profound event in the earthly ministry of Jesus. It reveals Christ's divine glory, his fulfillment of the law, and God's commandment for us to follow Jesus.  This passage of Scripture occurs after Jesus predicts his suffering, death, and resurrection, and immediately after he talks about the cost of discipleship and calls his followers to take up their cross.  Further, the event serves as confirmation that Jesus is the Son of God who should be emulated.  It signals that a change is coming.

Many vital themes come from this passage, but today, we will focus on three:

• The importance of prayer

• The critical point of remaining spiritually awake

• The divine nature of Jesus Christ

  
  

Throughout his earthly ministry, Jesus modeled prayer time and time again.  Indeed, there are 25 direct references in the New Testament that Jesus prayed to God.  For me, this signifies his respect for the Almighty, his reliance on God, and the importance of being in a relationship with a loving God.  Jesus provided both a model for prayer and specific teachings on how to approach God in prayer – and even today, we will follow that model when we say the Lord’s Prayer. His instructions emphasize sincerity, humility, faith, and alignment with God's will.

Jesus modeled praying early and often throughout His life.  Mark tells us: "Very early in the morning... Jesus went to a solitary place, where He prayed." (Mark 1:35).  He prayed before major decisions such as choosing the disciples, He "spent the night praying to God." (Luke 6:12).  He prayed for others – "I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail." (Luke 22:32).  He prayed in suffering – In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42) He prayed during unimaginably difficult times – "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34). And he prayed before the Transfiguration.  Prayer was a critical aspect of Jesus' life, and he made clear that it should be part of our lives, too.

Second, today’s passage reminds us of the charge to remain spiritually awake.  Peter, James, and John often served as witnesses to special revelations with Jesus, and the theme of remaining vigilant is often present. This is a call to us to stay spiritually awake. In the quiet moments of our lives, God speaks to us—urging us to awaken and to live with intention, awareness, and love. In our busy world, it is easy to become distracted by the requirements of everyday life and miss these important interactions. Yet, Jesus' model and the scriptures remind us to nurture this vital relationship with God -- we are called to be vigilant and watchful.

Being spiritually awake invites us into a transformative or transfigurative encounter with our living God. To be spiritually awake is to live with purpose and compassion. It calls us to serve our neighbors, extend forgiveness, and be agents of healing in a wounded world. When we awaken to God's love, we recognize that each person we encounter reflects that same divine light. As with the disciples, this practice may not come easily and requires intentionality and perseverance.

Finally, at the time of the Transfiguration, God emphatically reminds us of the primacy of his Son. I use "reminds" because the same statement was made at Jesus' baptism. The experience of the Transfiguration is an extraordinary revelation, where the disciples were granted a glimpse of the divine glory of Jesus. This event was more than a display of celestial majesty—it was a call to the disciples, and us, to heed the words of Him whom God has chosen.

God's declaring Jesus as His Son expresses divine authority and boundless love. These sacred moments call us to awaken to God's presence in our lives. They challenge us to listen deeply.  Recognizing Jesus as God's beloved Son compels us to see ourselves and others as God's children. This identity is not defined by our mistakes and shortcomings but by the love and grace that God pours out in our lives. We are invited to walk in the light of this truth, confident in our worth as children of God.

The transformation seen in the Transfiguration calls us to renew our hearts and minds continually. We are challenged to let go of the old self, embracing a life that mirrors our Savior's compassion, humility, and righteousness, recognizing the dignity of every human being.

Is Transfiguration possible for us? Definitionally, I think it is, but it requires incredible commitment.  It is more important than ever that we radiate the light of Christ, a world where the light of goodness, while still present, feels dimming.  Speaking the truth about Jesus' teaching and how he has commanded us to treat each other is more important than ever.  God's truth cannot be subverted or changed, and it is our commitment and honor to share those truths, and mocking those who share them feels misguided and dangerous.

I've been thinking more about how to more actively share these truths.  Evangelism can feel daunting, and I've always tried to demonstrate Christ-like principles rather than proclaiming the Gospel – but I am reminded of the role of a Deacon. I challenge all of us to do more around sharing the light of Christ in these difficult times.  In a group of fellow chaplains, one discussed some issues he was experiencing with a senior pastor at church.  He expressed that he was concerned he might need to find another congregation.  When I exclaimed, “I think you’d make a great Episcopalian!”  He laughed and asked, " Are you meeting your evangelism requirement for the year, Elle?"  He was joking, but it gave me pause about how actively I proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ outside the church doors.  How do people see the light of Christ reflected in me, in my words – in addition to my actions?

In these perilous times, it is incumbent on us more than ever to model Christ-like attributes and demonstrate our commitment to goodness, peace, justice, and love. We should show kindness more often – kindness should be easy.  I think exhibiting those actions helps others to see God’s light more radiantly in the world.

The Transfiguration was a remarkable experience for Peter, James, and John, and we are blessed to share in the benefit of that experience millennia later.  What we take from the account is up to us, but I challenge each of us to reflect on how we can be not merely transformed but be transfigured and share the radiating light of Christ in a world that feels like it’s taking a turn for the worse.  Let’s turn it back.

I will close with the words and challenge of Frederick Buechner who invites us to share Christ’s light and recognize it in others:

“It is as strange a scene as there is in the Gospels. Even without the voice from the cloud to explain it, they had no doubt what they were witnessing. It was Jesus of Nazareth, all right, the man they'd tramped many a dusty mile with, whose mother and brothers they knew, the one they'd seen as hungry, tired, footsore as the rest of them. But it was also the Messiah, the Christ, in his glory. It was the holiness of the man shining through his humanness, his face so afire with it they were almost blinded.

Buechner continues: even with us, something like that happens once in a while. The face of a man walking his child in the park, of a woman picking peas in the garden, of sometimes even the unlikeliest person listening to a concert, say, or standing barefoot in the sand watching the waves roll in... Every once and so often, something so touching, so incandescent, so alive transfigures the human face that it's almost beyond bearing.”  May we accept Buechner’s challenge to see the light of Christ in all – and I use the word “challenge” with great intentionality.

In the name of Jesus Christ, who loves us across eons and serves as an example for all we do – Amen.