"Enlightened" February 18, 2007 Transfiguration Sunday

(First read the text for this sermon: Luke 9:28-43)

This is a mystical day: Transfiguration Sunday. We read one of the strangest passages of the whole year. Jesus takes three of his closest followers up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

Light is especially important to the theme of the Epiphany season. It is light that enlightens. An epiphany is an instance of something coming clear. (Look at that in this morning’s passage: you have Jesus’ face changing and his clothes becoming dazzling white; you have Moses and Elijah; you have God’s voice coming from the cloud that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” What more do you want?)

When we are enlightened by the light of Christ, we see the presence of Christ in everything.

That has certainly been my experience since coming home from the hospital in late November. I don’t take anything for granted anymore. I am so thankful! Each day, each morning is a gift from God’s grace. The ability to bathe and to dress myself is a gift of grace. The people who love me and pray for me are gifts of grace. The medical people treating me and that awful daily medication are gifts of grace. My work is a gift of grace. And, when the day’s work is done and it’s time for sleep, my warm bed is a gift of grace! At this point in my faith journey, after the trauma of my illness, it is so easy to see the presence of Christ. It is as if every small aspect of each routine day is illuminated by the light of Christ, enlightening me, so that I am conscious of everything as gift from God.

Have you had similar experience?

Listen to something that Symeon the New Theologian wrote, sometime in the 11th century, about the divine light:

"Light from light, light of immortality, light of the source of light, light of living water, mercy, peace, truth, the door of the heavenly kingdom; light of this heavenly kingdom; light of the wedding chamber, the nuptial bed, paradise, delights of paradise, sweet earth, crown of life, light of the saints’ garments; light of Christ Jesus, saviour, and king of the universe, light of the bread of immaculate flesh, resurrection, light of his face; light of his hand, his finger, his mouth, light of his eyes; light of the Lord, his voice, like light of light; light of the Comforter, the pearl, the train of mustard seed, the true one, the leaven, hope, faith: light!"

Symeon the New Theologian is as mystical as this morning’s gospel reading. But, of course, all of this mysticism is firmly rooted in the New Testament, with its many other references to the light of Christ.

For instance, there is the familiar prologue, in the first chapter of John’s gospel, which includes these verses: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. This is not simply a general enlightenment, remember, but the declaration that this light of Christ shows us who God is! We read these verses, also, in the first chapter of John: And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. … No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart, who has made him known.

Here’s another instance: the verses in Second Corinthians just following this morning’s reading. St. Paul continues his reference to both of this morning’s mystical stories, of Moses in the Hebrew Scriptures, and of Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain top. Listen: And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

When we are in deep darkness we know especially our desperate need for enlightenment by the light of Christ. In fact, we enact that liturgically – during the most moving service of the entire year, the Easter Vigil, the night before Easter. Worshipers enter into an entirely dark worship space. Not a single light is burning. We begin that service by entering into the darkness with the burning paschal candle, three times proclaiming: “The light of Christ!” Worshipers light their hand-held candles from that paschal candle symbolizing the light of Christ. In that act of liturgy, the light of Christ is “light shining out of darkness.”

You have experienced plenty of darkness. The light of Christ penetrates into the terror of a hospitalization for a life-threatening illness, to enlighten us with God’s presence. The light of Christ penetrates into the darkness of grief, to enlighten us with God’s presence. The light of Christ penetrates into the darkness of depression, or anger, or regret over something in the past, or fear of something in the future, to enlighten us with God’s presence.

Increased enlightenment is a gift of God’s grace that comes through prayer.

I’m not talking about self-centered prayer: prayer in which we think up things to ask God to give us. Increased enlightenment comes through mystical prayer, patient prayer, listening prayer, prayer during which we enter into the darkness of our lives and just sit there, with the Spirit. This is prayer that strips away illusions, and brings us to a clarity – of who we are and what we are, and who God is, and how God is moving in our lives. We come to a deepened awareness of God’s presence when we stop talking, in this sort of prayer, and simply sit in that divine presence. (Sometimes all of this can be figured out only with the help of a spiritual guide. Let me know if you’d like some guidance. I would love to walk with you in your journey.)

Jesus the Christ is our light into the God who is unknowable, because God is so much more than we can understand. Jesus the Christ is our light into God, who is indescribable, because God transcends any intellectual concepts we can have of who God is. The more conscious we become of this, through patient, listening prayer, the deeper our wisdom becomes.

For us Christians, it is enlightenment through the light of Christ.

Enter into the darkness, in your prayer.

Be patient. Listen.

Watch for the light.

Be enlightened.

In the name of God, who is Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.


Pastor Andy Ballentine
St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Williamsburg, Virginia