Most of us have been in some complicated situation, in our family life or at work, which has caused us great worry and stress. Often some friend outside the situation will say, “you need to get some perspective on this” or, “you need to step back so you can see the whole picture”. Such friendly advice is the modern version of an ancient wisdom: if you are carrying a great burden of responsibility for which you need spiritual guidance . . . withdraw from your daily routine to a solitary place, preferably at the top of a mountain.

So today, we are thinking about several people climbing a rather steep mountain, one of them carrying a great responsibility. At the top, something quite extraordinary happens, which changes all of them. In the rest of their lives, they referred to the event on the mountain, but did not really describe it, for they had understood something, they had experienced something, that cannot really be expressed in words.

I am speaking, in the first place, of Frodo and Sam in The Lord of the Rings, at the end of their long journey carrying the ring of power. They scarcely have the strength to climb Mt. Doom, and yet it is only there that Frodo’s task of destroying the ring can be accomplished. They climb in the knowledge that there will be no return home: surrounded by enemies and entirely without food, they see clearly that they are climbing to their deaths. They are motivated by their commitment to rescue Middle Earth from the Dark Lord, by destroying the ring of power. But they do not die: they are carried to safety on eagles’ wings, and do not say much afterward of what it took.

I am speaking in the second place, of Moses and Aaron, in the book of Exodus, who climbed Mt. Sinai several times, along with Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu, to see God, and to bring back God’s word to the people. On the first journey up the mountain, Moses was told of God’s choice of Israel to be a priestly kingdom. On the second journey, God spoke in thunder and lightning, and Moses came down to warn the people not to come near to Mt. Sinai. On the third trip he received the commandments, and on the fourth trip, accompanied by Aaron and sons, they received instructions for worship. On the fifth trip, Moses and Aaron actually saw God, and ate a fellowship meal with God. Because of these many encounters with God, Moses’ face was transformed, “glorified”, and so he put the veil over his face, perhaps because the people found it difficult to look directly at him.

I am speaking, in the third place, of Jesus and his disciples Peter, James and John, who climbed the steep Mt. Tabor, a few weeks after Jesus had predicted his passion for the first time. Our text says, they went up the mountain to pray, and we know from last week’s lesson that Jesus had done this before. Something quite extraordinary happened while they were in prayer . . . and at the end of the passage, it says that Peter, James and John kept silence, and told no one. In the light of Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi, that Jesus is Messiah, and in the light of Jesus’ prediction of his suffering and death, they KEPT SILENCE! They told NO ONE? I asked myself why they were silent: what could possibly have caused them to keep this experience secret?

The only way I could answer the question was to imagine that I was one of those disciples, and then to imagine what their conversation must have been, as they came down the mountain. Eventually, I imagined what each of them might have said . . . so I will repeat this possible conversation in the first person, speaking in turn as Peter, James, and John.

Peter said:   Now that the Master is far ahead of us, out of earshot, I want to know: did you see what I saw? I was drowsy for a few minutes, and when I opened my eyes, I saw Moses and Elijah standing next to the Master, talking to him in an ordinary way. There was a bright glowing light all around them. Moses and Elijah were telling the Master what will happen in Jerusalem. I wanted to make shelters for them, but they didn’t want shelters. Do you realize what this means? Moses and Elijah came to approve his teaching: the Master truly comes from God. What he is saying is a fulfillment of the law and the prophets. This confirms my guess at Caesarea Philippi!!

Then James said:   Wait a minute! I did not see all that. Certainly, there was a heavenly light, but not Moses and Elijah. But I want to know is, did you hear what I heard? I was asleep too, just briefly, and then, I sensed the presence of the Holy One, Blessed be He . . . and I heard the voice of God . . . well, I’m not sure if I heard with my ears or heard in my heart. The hairs on my neck stood up, and a chill went down my spine. He said, “This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him”. I will never forget it. It must mean that the Holy One, Blessed be He, speaks through the Master, or is in the Master. So we must take very seriously everything he says; and we must remember every word. Then we must find someone who can write it all down. Didn’t you hear the voice, John?

Then John spoke:   No, I didn’t hear a voice, and I didn’t see Moses and Elijah. But I did see the most glorious golden light all around the Master. Something else happened that neither of you mentioned. It was not something that I saw, and it was not exactly something I heard . . . but I felt it strongly. I can hardly find the words to describe it: I felt the Holy One give all His love to our Master (and I don’t know how I know this). Then our Master looked at me, and I felt their love pouring into me, it overwhelmed me, like a great wind or wave. Along with the love, came a sense that they completely understand who I am, and how I’ve fallen short, and what is important to me. I wish I could tell you how I feel now, so full of love, so eager to share His love with you. The Holy One and our Master were showing me how to live: not so concerned with purity, but giving love to everyone. All those judgements I used to make: who is worthy to listen to our Master, who should be kept away from him--all that is gone. I’m sure this is the central message, that we should love one another. We were so foolish to compete with each other. There should be no jealousy or boasting or keeping score. We are called to live in love . . .

Peter spoke again:   My friends, we have a problem here. We all saw the heavenly light, and felt God’s presence, but otherwise our experiences were quite different. I saw Moses and Elijah, but neither of you did. James heard the voice of God, but neither John or I did. John felt the love flowing from the Master, but neither James nor I did. To make matters worse, each of us has a different idea of what it meant--whatever “it” was. How are we going to tell the others? They’ll never believe us!

John replied:   It doesn’t matter--we don’t have to tell them. We can SHOW them by our love, by our refusal to compete, that something big has changed.

James interrupted:   Yes, it does matter--the Holy One is giving us a new law. “Listen to him” he said. We must convince the others to remember everything the Master says. We must agree on one version of what happened . . .

Then Peter said:   Listening to you two has convinced me. We’ll have to keep silent, unless or until the Master explains it, or something like it happens again, and we all agree. But don’t forget what happened today. I think we will understand it some day, and it will be VERY IMPORTANT!

And so they agreed to keep silent, and to say nothing. It was much later, after they saw the Risen Christ, that they told the others, and it helped them understand who the Master was, and is. Every since then, it has been the custom among Christians, to discuss those memories of Jesus’ life on earth, and to share with others whatever experience of Christ each one has.

Today we will formally recognize two adults who are preparing for baptism, and invite them to join in the discussions we are having. Just as Peter, James and John each had a slightly different perception of the Transfiguration, so each one of us can contribute our perceptions and our experience to our candidates, Eri and Tuan.

Amen