Transfiguration 2012

"PAY ATTENTION TO THE CLOUDS"

The sermon today is centered in the Transfiguration, an event that is told in nine sentences. Could you describe some colossal event in your life and use only nine sentences? The story begins very simply. Jesus recognized that His ministry was exhausting and that it was necessary that He needed to take time for Himself. For that reason, He frequently withdrew to the mountains or to the desert to rest and to be alone. But when Jesus went on the Mount of Transfiguration, apparently He did not want to be alone. He wanted a few, select friends who understood Him to share His privacy.

In that simple decision, Jesus teaches us something extremely valuable, that good, close friends serve a special role in our lives. The only function Peter, James and John had on the Mount of Transfiguration was to be there. That was their only purpose. At that moment Jesus needed His friends. Do you have a Peter, James or John in your life? Do you have a trusted confidant who understands you, to whom you can open your heart, whom you want to be present at important moments in your life?

Secondly, something happened to Jesus. He was bathed in radiance. His face "shone like the sun" and his clothes were "dazzling white." The question is, what was the source of the radiance? During the Miss America pageant, many of the contestants look radiant. The reason is that thousands of dollars are spent for make up artists, special lights, and wardrobe supervisors. All of these artistic elements together make each candidate have a splendor. But remember. The radiance of a beauty contestant comes from the outside. The radiance of Jesus, a face that "shone like the sun" and clothes that were "dazzling" came from the INSIDE!

Over the years individuals have come to me who were down and out. They were depressed, in the dumps. When I've asked them, what do you need the most to be happy? The answers were different. Some said money, security, a happy home. Some said a job change, friends. The list was endless. But the Transfiguration reminds us that external things do not give us true happiness. It always comes from INSIDE, from your heart, from a peace deep within us.

Finally, there is an innocent statement to pay close attention to: "Then from the cloud came a voice." It was not the voice of Peter or James or John. It was the voice of God. Think about that. What an incredible, extraordinary thing. Jesus heard the voice of His Father - from a cloud! Can you think of a time when you were at a point in your life when you needed an answer, a direction? You craved some word from God. You turned to all the customary places that we look for God: the church, prayer, worship, the Holy Communion. But in each of those places you felt nothing, saw nothing. You felt lost and alone. The Transfiguration says when those times come, stop. Be still. Learn to listen! What happened to Jesus could happen to you. God may speak to you in something as unusual as the clouds!