Today is the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, which marks Jesus' manifestation to the Wise Men as the salvation of the world, and marks the end of His public ministry. Well, not the end of the public ministry, but the end before he approached betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. So it comes as no surprise that the Book of Common Prayer has as it's Gospel message the Transfiguration of Christ. Jesus goes up on the mountain with Peter, James & John, and suddenly His clothes become blindingly white, and He's joined by Moses and Elijah.
I've always wondered about Peter's response: "Lord, it's good that we're here. Let us build you three tabernacles. One for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." The word tabernacles (booths, or tents), refers here to the type of temporary shelter that was made during the Feast of Tabernacles, which would commemorate the time the Israelites spent in the wilderness with Moses. Maybe that's why Peter jumped in with that idea: "I see Moses, what does that refer to? Oh!" Or maybe he just wanted to be hospitable for the two new guests that had miraculously arrived. Or maybe he had not a clue what to say, and just blurted out something. My vote is for the latter. Up on a mountaintop with Jesus and two other disciples. Then Jesus turns blazing white and is seen talking to Moses and Elijah (who are both dead from Peter's standpoint). Yikes..... um.... say something.
It's good that we're here.
What were Jesus' first words to Peter and the others when he had come back to them? "Arise, and do not be afraid." Hmm.... I'm thinking that God could have done very well without a terrified Peter there, and most definitely could have had a smashingly good time without some temporary shelters to protect him from the elements. Yeah, my vote is still for Peter blurting out something in his moment of panic.
Is it good that we're here?
If God could do without the three apostles with him there, then we have to ask, why were they even there? One, clearly, is that he needed Witnesses to the event. After all, Jesus said, "Tell the vision to no one, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead." He didn't say, "Tell no one, ever." He said, "Tell everyone, just not now." But even though he may have needed witnesses, why those three? Why Peter, why James, why John? I'm sure we could come up with reasons if we tried, but ultimately, those three were there because Christ chose them to be his Witnesses for this particular event. And Witnesses they were, and Witnesses they remained, until their own deaths, proclaiming Christ as King. Was it good that they were there? Absolutely.
But this passage is, of course, applicable to us too. We may not have been at the Transfiguration, we may not have been at the Crucifixion, or the Resurrection, but we certainly have been chosen to be witnesses for Christ. At any given moment, we are to be the vessel that manifests forth Christ's glory to the world. And so as we head into Lent - especially into Lent where doom and gloom seem to be the clothes of choice - I plan on asking myself that question: "Is it good that I'm here?" Because if I'm not manifesting Christ's glory as His Witness, maybe it isn't.