Be Dazzled

"Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured before them, and His clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, 'Rabbi, it is good that we are here!' . . . He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice,
' This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.'  Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them." --[Mark 9: 2-10].

This story of the Transfiguration of Jesus has been retold countless times, and also depicted in paintings many times. In this Scripture, we see Jesus in Divine Light, literally.

The Transfiguration comes in the Gospel of Mark, at a time after Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" -[Mark 8: 27]  During this time of Transfiguration, God makes explicitly clear that Jesus is more than a prophet (Elijah), and One far surpassing the Law (Moses).  In fact, Jesus is God's Son.

It has been said that Peter, James, and John need this moment of Transfiguration to hold onto, before the slow and inevitable march to Jerusalem, where Jesus undergoes His agonizing Crucifixion.

I look back on my Life, and I would say that I NEED to see this moment of Transfiguration, myself!

Life can be terrifying, exhilarating, frustrating, joyous, tragic, and peaceful.  Life IS a wild ride.

I need to be able to see that there is Someone Else and Something Else, besides and beyond all that I see here. Surely, we cannot simply struggle, and then die. There has to be more to Life than heartache, bitterness and death.

I remember when my mother was fading away from a terminal illness. Instructing me on her final wishes, she told me, "There will be no funeral. When I am gone, just stick me in the ground and forget it."

I was horrified. Didn't she believe in anything Eternal, Divine, Glorious?

I look around me, and I see a lot of us humans beings, going to great lengths to "Be Dazzling". -- Glitter. Skin rubs. Bling. Jewels. Shiny new cars. Rhinestone studded nails. Hot treatments, for the ultimate hair shine and glow. Glowing tans. Facials with exfoliation and hyaluronic acid to promote a dewy complexion. Chemical highlights in our hair to mimic tresses that have been sun-kissed.

But the Transfiguration is not about cosmetic bling. It IS about a lasting change from within.

Not one of us human beings on Earth can probably come close to Jesus' Transfiguration. He is truly Divine. The rest of us just long for the Divine.

But I have to believe that my understanding of the Life to Come will inform my everyday Life, and transform me from Hopeless to Faith-Filled.

I have learned that the greatest inner Light comes from the Love which we give to others, and from the Enduring Hope that living in Love can transform us totally.

I have often thought that Heaven is an awful long time away. What if I cannot wait for Joy and Divine Glory?

A mystical and magical alchemy comes over me when I live with the expectation that God's unconditional Love is inside of me, and that Love can emanate out to others, right here on Earth, right now.

Jesus' Transfiguration is a great Promise for the Life to Come. But it is also my call to shine my Light on others, in the here and now.

No, Heaven cannot wait. My Heaven is now.

[Related Posting: " Lightness of Being", 3/13/17; "Transfigured", 2/22/16; "This is My Son", 3/16/14;  "Transfiguration of Christ", 3/5/12; "Transfiguration", 3/20/11.]

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