Exodus 24:12(13-14)15-18
Philippians 3:7-14
Matthew 17:1-9
Psalm 99
Hi. My name is Peter. You might have heard my name before. Actually, my name wasn't always Peter. It's true, you know. My dad, who's name was Jonah, named me Simon and my younger brother he named Andrew.
Our home was at Bethsaida, on the northwestern coast of the Sea of Galilee. Sadly, dad died when we were just kids and mother didn't have the means to care for us so she sent my brother, Andrew, and I to live with Zebedee and his wife, Salome at Capernaum. Now, Uncle Zeb, as we affectionately called him, taught us in the trade of fishing. His two sons, James and John trained along with us and we four developed a deep friendship, that last through our boyhoods and beyond.
Not only did Uncle Zeb teach us to be fishers, he was quite deliberate in seeing that we were blessed with all the advantages of religious training. We were, early on, made acquainted with the Scriptures and the great prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah. We did not have any special training, however, in the study of the Law under any of the Rabbis.
Capernaum was a large fishing village and a busy trading center, an active place where one was not likely to get bored for very long. It is on the great Via Maris highway between Damascus and Caesarea and there customs taxes were collected from travelers at the crossroads. Caravans stopped to re-supply themselves with produce and dried fish. But, as interesting as Capernaum was, there was no reason to think that this busy fishing village would someday play a part in events that would leave a lasting mark on history such as the world had never seen.
People from this area were generally grouped together and referred to as "Galileans". Fairly or unfairly, Galileans had a reputation for being independent, a bit head-strong, blunt and impetuous, and, some say, drawn to simplicity. With a propensity for getting into trouble, many young men, heady with the sea surging through their veins, often suffered the consequences of their rash behavior. Although I might disagree, some say that I, Peter, am a "Galilean" through and through, unusually impulsive, always ready to speak up or even swing a sword if need be.
While the degree to which I harbored any of these faults can be debated, there is one pronounced trait that did begin to get me into trouble later when I sent my sandals venturing into distant towns. You see, we Galileans speak a rather peculiar dialect where we have difficulty with the guttural sounds and our pronunciations were reckoned by some to be a little harsh, especially in more refined places like Judea. Try as I did to drop the accent, it just stuck with me all my life which proved to betray my identity at the most inopportune times later during my ministry.
Oh, did I mention "my ministry"? Yes, I'll tell you about that soon, but first let me tell you, that as it is the custom for young men to do, I took a bride. My wife and I settled at Capernaum in a large two-story stone house which stood only a few hundred feet from the synagogue. My mother-in-law and my brother, Andrew also lived there with me.
It was not long after I took my bride that Andrew and John attended a gathering at Bethabara late one afternoon, a short way beyond the Jordan. John The Baptist had given testimony there concerning Jesus as the "Lamb of God". Andrew and John hearing it, followed Jesus to where he was staying and spent some time with him to learn more of what he was about. They were so convinced by his gracious words and by the authority with which he spoke, that he, Jesus, was the Messiah. And, so convinced, Andrew eagerly came rushing home to tell me of it, begging me to return with him to meet Jesus the next day.
The prospect of meeting this man, Jesus, filled me with an excitement I could hardly contain though I knew not why. So off we went the next day to where Jesus sat on a rock by the water's edge, preaching to a group of other young people who had come, like us, to hear of the marvelous truths he had to tell.
Such a special moment when first I laid my eyes upon Jesus! I watched as he turned his head and looked at me as if he'd known me all my life. What a marvelous moment that was! Though I didn't understand it at the time, when Jesus rose and walked to meet me, calling out, "Simon", I knew we were meant to share a destiny.
"Simon," he called out my name again, " I've been waiting for you". He placed a strong but gentle hand upon my shoulder and I stared into the kindest dark eyes I've ever seen. And for a long moment it was as if he was searching my soul with those eyes. "Simon, I declare hereafter that you will be called Peter. It is a fitting name for you for it means 'a mass of rock detached from the living rock.'
From that day forward, I could not stop the echo of Jesus' words. The name Peter rolled across my mind incessantly. What was it that had so captured my interest that it crowded out all else, leaving no room for my usual playfulness? What was it that pulled at the serious side of my being? It was not long before I would begin to learn the answer.
One day I and Andrew were on the shore casting a net into the sea when Jesus walked by calling out as he walked, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Andrew and I dropped our nets and followed, most curious to learn what it meant. A short distance along Jesus saw James and John in the boat with their father, mending their nets and called out to them, "Follow me." Immediately, they left the boat and followed.
From that day forward the four of us traveled with Jesus throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom. We were known as "disciples", which mean students. It is a term which also carries with it an agreement and acceptance of the teacher as leader.
It wasn't long before my wife, too, accompanied us as we were often gone for days at a time. Our numbers grew to include Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas who was always a bit skeptical, Matthew, the tax collector who was first named Levi, James the younger, not to be confused with James the brother of John. There was Thaddaeus, Simon the zealot, Judas Iscariot and Matthias and many other men and women who began to tag along. It was them I've already mentioned who were later called by Jesus to be his chosen Apostles, which means messengers or ambassadors. To them and I he gave the keys to the kingdom.
During the few short years that followed we were witness to many miracles performed by Jesus, even raising back to life some who were dead. As we grew in our faith and understanding, we went forth in twos to teach to others and even were encouraged to perform some miracles ourselves. Sometimes Jesus, returning from distant cities, quartered himself at Capernaum in the large stone house that became a haven to many over the years.
Those were good times when the people, hungry for hope, eagerly flocked to Jesus to hear his teachings of love and the good news about the coming Kingdom of God. But in time, storms of resistance began to gather in the cities and Jesus warned of impending trouble. The Pharisees and Sadducees, bent on discrediting Jesus, taunted and tested him, confident that they could trip him up, but Jesus would not be denied.
Now one day when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked us "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" We talked among ourselves and offered that some people say he is John the Baptist, but others say Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of his prophets.
"But who do you say that I am?" I felt no compulsion to answer such a question but, as if being commanded by God himself, my mouth opened and released these words, "You are the Messiah!"
A warm glow spread over me at such a realization as this! And Jesus said, "Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
And I shouted with glee, "Alleluia!"
From that time on, Jesus began to show us that he must go to Jerusalem and know great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
I took Jesus aside to rebuke him for such imaginings, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happened to you." And my heart cried in pain as I heard my Lord's words, "Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block for me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
It was only six days later that Jesus led me and James and his brother, John up a high mountain on a winding trail. The air was fresh and full of the sweet aroma of life and a moist carpet of shed leaves and twigs, a tribute to the rebirth taking place above, croaked beneath our sandals.
When we reached the top I felt a tremendous sense of awe, looking out over the Sea of Galilee and the surrounding villages nestled along its' shores and distant hills. To the west I could discern the outlines of Jerusalem. It was breathtaking, but even that would not compare with the miracle that we were about to see.
There, in a dazzling moment, the world stood still and the universe came into view in my mind's eye. I saw, in the face of Jesus, pure light greater than the sun, and his clothes were whiter than any bleached cloth I'd ever seen. Words are insufficient to explain that moment when I saw Jesus transfigured, in full divinity as the Son of God.
In my struggle to preserve the meaning of this moment I searched, with childish innocence, for a way to hold on to it. I wanted to memorialize it for all time. There with Jesus was Moses and Elijah from the ancient scriptures and they were conversing as if no divisions of time and history had passed. "Lord," I said, eager to please, "I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
My head was still reeling when suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed us and a voice, so sure and commanding echoed around my ears. The voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"
I and my brothers fell to ground shaking with fear that we might be stricken and destroyed by such power. Somewhere in that terrifying moment I seemed to travel the whole of creation before Jesus touched me and said, "Get up and do not be afraid." And when I looked up, there was no one there except Jesus alone.
It was an experience that forever changed me. It was the moment that my heart knew what my mind had only thought and then discarded a dozen times because it was far too much for a mortal person to understand. I knew, really knew now that Jesus was God in human form, the Messiah bringing the gift of eternal life to all who would let go their doubts and wrap themselves Faith.
Thank you, my friends, for letting me tell my story. It's important not to move too quickly forward without reflecting on the true meaning of the Transfiguration of Jesus. Without thorough reflection it will be much too easy to dismiss His life and death and resurrection to just another event in history.
We now begin the crucial climb over the roughest terrain ever traveled. Much pain and agony will take place before we reach that happy celebration, but reach it we will. As the story unfolds in the coming weeks you will notice that we have chosen not to say "Alleluia" again until that joyous day has come.
Amen