“Jesus’ face shone like the sun.”

In our Gospel the Apostles, Peter, James and John, saw Jesus transfigured, appearing in the glory of God the Son that existed before He became Man. With Jesus appeared Moses and Elijah. Moses represented the law of the Old Testament. Elijah represented the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah and His fulfillment of God’s promises.

Seeing Moses and Elijah with Jesus, Peter said, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.’”

Peter had stopped listening to Jesus. In the moment of the glory of the Transfiguration, Peter forgot about the work that he and the other disciples were being trained to do. Peter wanted to live in the glory of Christ without doing the work of Christ. He was comfortable with what he saw, and he wanted to stay on the mountain with the glorified Jesus and Moses and Elijah.

Staying on this mountain was not what Jesus’ Transfiguration was about. His Transfiguration was showing them that to live in that glory, meant to do God’s will. God’s will would cause Jesus to suffer and die on the Cross for the salvation of all of mankind. This would be the cross His Apostles must also carry, by listening to Him and obeying His call to “follow Me,” to bring the good news of salvation to all people.

Each Apostle heard Jesus’ personal call to follow Him and to work in His name, to cure the sick, to drive out demons and to preach the good news of salvation. Like the Apostles, Jesus calls us to leave the comfort of our everyday lives and to work, as His disciples. What work are we called to do? We are called to bring Jesus’ message of salvation to others by “loving one another.” Jesus said, “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

– Bishop Roy Campbell