He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them

Transfiguration mosaic - St. Catherine's Monastery, Sinai - late sixteenth century

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.  And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.  And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."

- Mark 9:2-13

Yesterday, we read that when Jesus had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?  For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."  And He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power."

 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves . . .  Jesus has allowed six days to go by after Peter's confession that He is the Christ.  It's six days lapsed since He's told them that He is going to suffer and be killed, and told Peter to "Get behind Me, Satan!" after Peter's protest that He should not.  It's six days passed since He said that all those who follow Him must be prepared to take up their cross, and not to hang onto the lives they think they know and want, and follow Him.   We are awaiting the seventh, the fulfillment of all they've had to think about that has been given them.

. . . and He was transfigured before them.  His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.   To be transfigured is to be changed, transformed.  The root word in Greek is metamorpho, the source of the English word metamorphosis.   Roughly speaking, meta is change, morpho is shape or form.   This powerful transformation or transfiguration takes place first of all as a stunning, brilliant light shining out from his clothing.  In icons of the Eastern Church, this white is painted with a blue tinge to it, showing it is not an "earthly" light, but something beyond it.  The light tells us what this transfiguration is all about, its origin, its nature, something "no launderer on earth" could bring about.  It declares the presence of the Spirit.

And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.  Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.  Moses and Elijah represent the Prophets and the Law, the pillars of Jewish spiritual heritage.  Jesus confers with them as the culmination of all of it.  This high mountain experience is the fullness of the Old in the revelation of the New.  Peter's somewhat disjointed statement reflects the notions of the Feast of Tabernacles, which was the feast of the Coming Kingdom.  At that time the people commemorated the days of wandering in the wilderness by building tabernacles (tents or booths), also in honor of the time God moved with the people in the tabernacle.

And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son.  Hear Him!"  Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.   This is a theophany, a revelation of God, in the fullness of the Trinity.  The overshadowing cloud, with all the dazzling brightness of Christ's clothes from which shines light over the mountain, gives us the presence of the Spirit just as the cloud led led the Israelites in the wilderness -- as my study bible puts it, "the visible sign of God being extraordinarily present."  The voice of the Father declaring Jesus the Son, combined with the light of the Spirit gives us all the Trinity, just as all three were present at Jesus' baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist.  Just as suddenly as this revelation occurs, they all return to the "worldly" -- they are alone on the mountain with Jesus.

Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.  So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.   They've just seen Jesus transfigured in the reality of the Kingdom of heaven, the presence of God the Trinity.  He has already spoken to them of "rising again," but the understanding of what is to happen in His Passion and Resurrection will take a long time to sink in, to nurture, to understand.  Here He reveals again to them what they are to keep secret, a mystery, to themselves.

And they asked Him, saying, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"  Then He answered and told them, "Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?  But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."  The appearance of Moses and Elijah on the mountain top expresses more than the Law and the Prophets; it's also an indication of all beings alive and dead, and those who are to come.  Moses as the the great Prophet of the Old Testament represents all those who have died, but Elijah is the one who did not die a natural death, but was taken to heaven in a "chariot of fire."   He tells us of those who live and are to come.  Together, Moses and Elijah, who speak with Christ and are recognized by the disciples, teach us about the communion of saints, of all those -- past, present, and future -- who live in Christ.  In this way, the disciples can understand the prophecy of Malachi as indicating one who comes "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (as Luke's Gospel puts it) before the Messiah, John the Baptist.

Today, August 6th, the Feast of the Transfiguration in celebrated universally in the Church, East and West.  Transfiguration is a strong pivotal point for Jesus' ministry and His revelation of Himself to His disciples.  Perhaps like no other moment, Transfiguration is central to our understanding of who Jesus is, the great question the Gospel seeks to answer.  Is He just a man?  Is He only God?  These questions, and so many others related to Jesus' identity, would take up the history of the Church for all of its early centuries and universal councils.  But we can keep this image for ourselves as a great answer, the answer affirmed in the Councils:  He's both God and man.  Jesus' transfiguration isn't just a "statement" or revelation about Jesus.  It becomes a teaching about us, and about human nature, about our capacities and what we're created to manifest.  In the famous words attributed to St. Athanasius:  "God became man so that man could become (a) god."  In other words, Jesus' transfigured nature tells us that human nature is also capable of sharing in grace, in taking on attributes and qualities of God.  St. Paul will write about the "fruits of the spirit," aspects of the manifestation of grace in us human beings.  The apostles will share the gifts of Christ, and the power of Christ.  The Epistles speak to us, as well, of all the gifts of the Spirit that make up the parts of the Church.  The Transfiguration, in addition, elevates the disciples' minds after being told of Jesus' impending suffering and death.  How is this possible for the Messiah?  And what of the prophecies about the return of the Elijah before the Messiah comes?  The Transfiguration is a pivotal event, a revelation for the benefit of the disciples, to illumine events that are to come, and so that they can accept and understand them better.  In this way, it also teaches us about Christ, affirming His divinity, even as we know He will be killed.  We have to remember the great problem of the death of the Messiah, which is still essential to many religious disputes in our world today.  How can God be killed by human beings?  As St. Paul puts it, it's a "stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles."  It remains a stumbling block and foolishness to many in our world today, but this central event and revelation of the Transfiguration gives us who are faithful to Christ an understanding of both the spiritual and the worldly in our faith, our nature as human beings, and Christ's nature as Messiah, both divine and human.  He is the Suffering Servant as predicted in Isaiah, just as John the Baptist is returned in the spirit and power of Elijah.  But most of all the Transfiguration is the centerpiece for our understanding of ourselves as followers of Christ, both as human beings who each bear our own crosses, who perhaps will suffer or sacrifice for love, and those who may transcend and be transfigured as well in the work of the Spirit in us and with us.  Let us not forget the things that our faith opens us up to, the mysteries it reveals, and the things to which we know we can aspire!  This is central to who we are as Christians, central to how we handle the struggles in our lives, central to the strength of faith, and to the help that is present -- from Christ and all those in the communion of saints, which includes our brothers and sisters who pray for us as well.  Where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there also.  Let us remember the great gifts and fruits we, too, are capable of manifesting through His grace and help, and look toward our own "transfiguration" -- so central to our faith throughout the centuries.   This is an icon, an image, of our hope:  the Transfiguration defines our capacity to transcend and to fulfill what God declares we are.  Let us not forget in the struggle for the strength of faith.

He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

- John 6:1-15

Over the course of the past several readings, we have been reading about incidents that took place in the temple, at the time of the Festival of Weeks, or the Jewish Feast of Pentecost. Jesus first healed a paralytic man, telling him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." The authorities challenged the man, saying he was violating the Sabbath; he told them that the man who healed him said to take up his bed. When they found Jesus, they confronted Him about doing these things on the Sabbath, and He said, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working." Therefore they wanted to persecute Him all the more, because He said He was God's Son, and made Himself equal with God. Jesus than began to teach about Himself. He did as the Father willed, was given all things by the Father. He will do greater works than they have seen, for in Him is also the life in the Father. Moreover, the Father has committed Judgment to the Son. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. He told them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live." In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued. He offered four witnesses to His Sonship: the Father, John the Baptist, the works that He does as given by the Father, and finally the Scriptures of Moses and the Old Testament. He said, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?"

After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. While John reports seven signs altogether in His gospel, we are also told that many signs were performed that the Gospel doesn't mention. In this way, Jesus is already very well-known, and has many people -- "a great multitude" -- who wish to see Him. Now He has crossed back over the Sea of Galilee after the Festival at Jerusalem and the events there we read about over the past several readings. Now the Passover Festival draws near. My study bible tells us, "The Passover coincided with the Feast of Unleavened Bread which commemorated not only the Exodus from Egypt, but the first food from grain eaten in the Promised Land after the crossing of the Jordan."

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?" John gives us a glimpse here into the mind of Jesus: He's testing Philip, because He already knows what He is going to do. That's a very interesting understanding. Often we may read in the Old Testament Scriptures about God's testing of Israel throughout its history. Here, we also have a fulfillment of "type" -- the multitudes follow Jesus onto a mountain top, as the Israelites leaving Egypt into unknown territory for the Promised Land. Can one buy bread in the wilderness? My study bible says that Philip was tested because he needs to understand who Christ is. Jesus continually reveals Himself -- especially in this Gospel -- through the things people don't know and don't understand, what they cannot see. He reveals the potentials inherent in His identity, and in relation to those who have faith in Him and to His Creation. Two hundred denarii is a large sum for these working people, about 200 days' wages for a laborer. Andrew looks to see what is on hand, but can't understand what can be done with such small provisions. By noting that these are barley loaves, we get a picture of the people who follow Jesus: they are the poorer people. Barley cost less than wheat, and, my study bible notes, was ready for harvest in the springtime at Passover.

Then Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. The feeding of five thousand (this is the number of men, a traditional way of counting -- there would also be women and children present) is reported in all four Gospels. It is a preview of the Eucharist: to "give thanks" in the Greek is the verb eucharisto. The food is blessed, distributed to the disciples and then given to the people. This is Jesus' fourth sign in John's gospel. Here in this setting, and at this time, it is a revelation of the divinity in Christ in the "type" of the feeding of Israel in the wilderness after the Exodus in the gift of manna.

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost." Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. The twelve baskets are symbolic: the Twelve Apostles will go out into the the world with the food of the Gospel, for all the world. My study bible says, "As with the manna in the wilderness (Ex. 16:16-21), nothing of the gift of God should be lost. In contrast to the manna, here we have an abundance of twelve baskets of leftovers, one for each disciple."

Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world." We contrast this with Jesus' speech made to the temple leadership, which John has just reported in the verses previous to today's reading. He told them, "Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?" Jesus was referring to the verses in Deuteronomy, when Moses foretold of the Prophet who was to come: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him" . . . "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him." Here, those who have seen this sign believe that He is that Prophet, as predicted by Moses. The witness or testimony of the sign has been in a certain sense grasped by these people who are fed on the mountain top, but not by the leadership in the temple. Their expectations of this Prophet are not in keeping with Jesus' identity nor mission -- John once more gives us truth through the people's misapprehension. My study bible says, "The Galilean Jews, with their misguided messianic enthusiasm equate Jesus with the Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15-19, whom they expect to be an earthly, political leader who will lead them against the occupying Romans, as Moses led his people out of bondage. Because He is not to fulfill these expectations, Jesus withdraws from the crowd." He is another kind of Leader, one who seeks those who will worship God in spirit and truth, the Teacher for all of us.

In yesterday's reading, Jesus contrasted the love of God with the love of the praise of men. He spoke of those who understand only the glory that comes from men rather than the glory that comes from God. There is repeatedly an assertion about a relationship first with the Father, and from this comes the understanding of Christ. So, I think that even in this reading, we have to ask ourselves, "What is glory?" Even through this great miracle or sign of the feeding in the wilderness, we will see the misunderstanding arise. John reports Jesus' signs, but does not offer them as proofs to force faith. Instead, they are testimony; they point to something beyond themselves. Over and over again, what is taken at face value is taken wrongly. Worldly assumptions about Christ and what He does simply can't take in the truth of His mission and His Person and intentions. Instead, He asks for those whom the Father is seeking: those who will worship in spirit and truth. The purely worldly, the obvious, is mistaken, just as an authority that comes only from other people and fails to have a connection to the true authority of God, through the love of God, will fail to grasp what is truly present. Let us ask ourselves what it is to worship in spirit and truth. Let us ask ourselves what we seek when we look at this text, or read of these signs. Can they teach us more than what we read or hear? Is there something we reach toward, even within ourselves, that takes us beyond our own limits and expectations and assumptions? That is the place we will find faith, the love of God -- the potential that is truly there in five barley loaves and two small fishes. Without this, we will miss the abundance of life itself.