A Sermon for the Last Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. Patricia A. Gillespie

Exodus 24:12-18
Psalm 99
Philippians 3:7-14
Matthew 17:1-9

Well, it's "Change Ministry Sunday."

That's not exactly part of the usual church calendar, but still, in today's gospel, Jesus does change. Jesus is transfigured. Something new is revealed to Peter, James, and John about their friend Jesus. It's Jesus' coming out day. A piece of his identity is revealed. Now if his friends had looked closely, they'd have known this earlier. After all, something like this happened at Jesus' baptism -- almost the same words. But, as many of us know, it sometimes one needs to tell people something about ourselves several times before they really hear it. So although it's been hinted at before, on the holy mountain a message about Jesus is proclaimed loud and clear. A magnificent sound and light show.

The disciples recognize that there is something really different about Jesus. Everything has changed. And their response is fear. That's understandable -- change is scary. And then just after Jesus has touched them and told them not to be afraid, just when they begin to think they might be able to accept some of this, he tells them "Don't tell anyone yet."

Is this a coming out story, or what? Doesn't that sound familiar? The truth is spoken to only those most intimate friends. The friends react with fear. And then the caution about not telling yet. Anyone had a story like that? The world wasn't ready for Peter, James, and John to tell them about Jesus. They'd have misunderstood -- maybe expected a conquering king to come and rescue them which just isn't the kind of king that Jesus was sent to be.

Jesus "comes out" to those he's close to, to those who just might understand. The proclamation isn't made to everyone at once. Coming out is a process. Everyone isn't ready to understand at the same time. Coming out is a continuing process. Even when the truth is no longer hidden away, it needs to be told again and again because people make false assumptions that have to be overcome.

The transfiguration reminds us that change is frightening. It reminds us that there are times to keep quiet, to choose carefully when and to whom we reveal ourselves. But it also tells us that the truth is powerful and shining and good.

Everyone has some hidden parts of themselves waiting to come out. We know how difficult and frightening it is to reveal them. And we are reminded to do that with care, whether we're coming out about our sexual orientation, about a secret in our past, or -- and this is a hard one for those of us in the GLBT community -- coming out about being a Christian. Several of us have admitted that it's harder to come out as a Christian to our GLBT friends that is to come out as GLBT in the church. (And everyone knows that's a difficult one.)

Yet frightening as it is, the truth brings light. The more open we are about who we really are, the more clearly the light of Christ can shine through us and the more God's love shines in the world. It is indeed "Change Ministry Sunday," and we are being changed. As we come out as who we truly are, we live the words of the prayer with which we began: "May we be changed into Christ's likeness, from glory to glory."

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