Praying Together 6th August 2023

Peter has had quite a week. After seeing a few loaves and a couple of fish feed a meal to thousands, he and the other disciples are directly challenged by Jesus – ‘And you – who do you say I am?’. As you would expect, Peter is the one who confesses Jesus as Messiah, and is told he is going to be the rock on which the church is built and given the keys of the Kingdom.

He hadn’t even time to take it in, before he is being rebuked after trying to deny the prophecy that Jesus would be put to death – ‘out of my sight, Satan; you are a stumbling block to me!’

As they say in the movies, six day s later…

Six days later, up a high mountain, with Peter probably still smarting at his telling off, Peter, James and John are given a sight that must have been even harder to understand.

While Jesus 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. Again Peter blurts out something about building three sheds, but is interrupted by a voice from a bright cloud: ‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’

The ’Transfiguration’ passage marks one of the five significant moments of Jesus’ life on earth; and yet we do tend to concentrate more on the others – His Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension, and that’s a pity. In His story,

Transfiguration marks the point at which His life in the Kingdom of Heaven and the Earth are seen as a whole rather than two separate realms.

It took Peter some time, (and after a few more hiccups) but he gets the point in the end. Now, when challenged, he simply reminds people what he saw with his own eyes. It isn’t just Jesus who is transformed. Peter, too, is a changed man; from fisherman to unshakeable rock. The prophecy is fulfilled, the light has come, the day will dawn and the morning star will rise in our hearts. Hallelujah.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

Go in peace, to love and praise the Lord and all His creation, giving thanks for the blessings of tomorrow – and the day after, then the day after that, and all your days. In the name of Christ. Amen