Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 / Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 / Luke 9:28-36
Ordinary things can turn into something extraordinary when they are given a “makeover”.
And we can be quite surprised and amazed at how some touch-up or even an overhaul can make things look good and wonderful.
An old house can look quite majestic with some repairs and renovation and a new coat of paint. Shoes can look like new when cleaned and polished. Clothes can look smart and neat when washed and ironed.
Even for persons, they can look surprisingly pleasant with some proper grooming, like a good haircut or hairdo, and with sharp and elegant dressing.
We may call that a transformation, but still it is only an external change.
No matter how much the appearance of an object or person may change, the true nature does not change. It is only a transformation, a change in the external form.
But it cannot be denied that the world places a high value on the looks and appearances of an object or person.
When Jesus came into the world, He took on human nature with all its weaknesses.
He was like us in all things except sin. His divine nature was concealed by His human nature, and so he looked like an ordinary human being, although He let His divine power be manifested in healing the sick and in working miracles.
The gospel account is commonly called the Transfiguration of the Lord. Jesus was transfigured, not transformed.
In the Transfiguration, the true divine nature of Jesus was revealed, and for a moment it manifested over His human nature.
There was nothing earthly that was put on Him to make Him radiate with divine glory.
And the voice from the cloud affirmed the true identity of Jesus as the Son of God, and it also commanded us to listen to Him.
Jesus is divine, yet He took on human nature with its weakness, and He even went on to suffer and die on the Cross to save us.
In saving us, Jesus restored our true human nature, and that is we are created in the image of God.
In our true human nature, we manifest and express the image of God and the holiness of God.
But sin has disfigured and deformed our human nature, and so instead of radiating the holiness of God, we show the ugliness of sin and evil.
So instead of being loving, kind and gentle, we give in to selfishness, anger and even being cruel.
Instead of being heart-warming, we become nerve-chilling to others. Instead of being charitable, we choose to be irritable and irritating others as well.
But in His Transfiguration, Jesus showed us who He is, and we are also reminded of who we are, that we are created in the image of God and that we are His children.
We have listened to the voice of the world and followed the ways of the world and we are attracted to the lights of glamorous appearances.
But let us listen to the voice of Jesus and go up with Him to the mountain of prayer so that we can see who we truly are.
May we be healed of our sinfulness and restored to the image of God that we are created in.
May we also radiate the holiness of God and also help others to rise from the lights of earth and journey toward the eternal light of above.