Sermon for The Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, 2024

Peter is right: “It’s good, Lord, that we’re here.” What’s more, who wouldn’t want to stay there, as he did? “Let me make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For this is, after all, the sort of scene we love; we love to hear that He provides fine wine at a wedding; we love to hear how He flexes His divine muscles, so to speak, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind, and raising the dead. We love such accounts, just as we love this glorious scene of His transfiguration. And yet, we cannot stay; we must come down from the mountain. Jesus must go down into this valley; He must go the way of the Cross. And we, who would count ourselves His disciples, must likewise journey with Him on this way of sorrows, just as Peter, James, and John did. We go with Him to receive the full forgiveness for our sins that He purchased for us by pouring out His life upon the Cross.

Readings:

• Old Testament: Exodus 34:29-35

• Epistle: 2 Peter 1:16-21

• Holy Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

Sermon: