A Sermon for the Salem United Church of Christ of Harrisburg, PA

by Rev. James Eaton, Interim Pastor ©2026

Transfiguration Sunday • February 15, 2026

Matthew 17:1-9

“You are my beloved”. Twice, the gospels tell us, heaven opened and Jesus heard in his deepest soul God speaking these words. Once at his baptism; again, late in his ministry, when he took his closest friends up a mountain and they saw how like the great prophets Moses and Elijah he was. Because we aren’t reading these stories in order, we miss some of the context. Before this, he has healed and offered hope; before this he has taught his friends his path will lead to a cross. They have argued with him, feared for him, followed him. Now he shines with the vision of this mission, now he is transfigured, altered, like the wick of a candle, as the love of God burns and sheds light in the world. What happens on the mountain? How many have asked this? If we truly look, we will know what happen because we see it ourselves at times. What happens on the mountain? What happens when we live in the love of God?

Let me tell you a story. There was once an old stone monastery tucked away in the middle of a picturesque forest. For many years people would make the significant detour required to seek out this monastery. The peaceful spirit of the place was healing for the soul.

In recent years, however, fewer and fewer people were making their way to the monastery. The monks had grown jealous and petty in their relationships with one another, and the animosity was felt by those who visited. The Abbot of the monastery was distressed by what was happening, and poured out his heart to his good friend Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a wise old Jewish rabbi. Having heard the Abbot’s tale of woe he asked if he could offer a suggestion. “Please do” responded the Abbot. “Anything you can offer.”

Jeremiah said that he had received a vision, and the vision was this: the messiah was among the ranks of the monks. The Abbot was flabbergasted. One among his own was the Messiah! Who could it be? He knew it wasn’t himself, but who? He raced back to the monastery and shared his exciting news with his fellow monks. The monks grew silent as they looked into each other’s faces. Was this one the Messiah?

From that day on the mood in the monastery changed. Joseph and Ivan started talking again, neither wanting to be guilty of slighting the Messiah. Pierre and Naibu left behind their frosty anger and sought out each other’s forgiveness. The monks began serving each other, looking out for opportunities to assist, seeking healing and forgiveness where offense had been given.

As one traveler, then another, found their way to the monastery word soon spread about the remarkable spirit of the place. People once again took the journey to the monastery and found themselves renewed and transformed. All because those monks knew the Messiah was among them. The monks changed and their change made all the difference. 

What happens on the mountain? Just before this, Jesus asks his disciples who they say he is; Peter alone says, “You are the Christ.” Then we’re told Jesus lays out the conditions of discipleship. 

If anyone would come after me, let that one deny themself and take their cross and follow me. For whoever would save their life will lose it, and whoever loses their for my sake will find it.
[Matt 16:24-25]

Jesus isn’t talking about pretty pectoral crosses or a bit of gold on a chain. He means the real cross, a symbol of terror and death in his time. John preached repentance; Jesus calls for discipleship, living our whole lives following him, even when that means death and suffering. Six days later, the gospel says, he takes Peter, James and John up onto a a high mountain and he’s transfigured before them. What happens on the mountain?

The details are strange. Matthew says, “his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.” [Matt 17:2} Mark focuses on the garments too: “glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them” [Mark 9:28] Luke says “the appearance of his countenance was altered and his raiment became dazzling white” [Luke 9:29] This is a time when peasants wore homespun clothing that was never really clean, certainly never really white, so it’s not surprising all three think of pure white as miraculous. 

All three gospels mention the appearance of Elijah and Moses. That makes sense. Just as we have two testaments in our Bible, the Hebrew Bible is divided into two great sections: the Torah, or Law, and the Prophets. Moses is the great giver of the law, the man God chose to lead God’s people to a new community. Elijah is the great prophet, who was himself drawn into heaven without dying and is expected to return with the Messiah. Thee they are, talking to Jesus: the three of them: it’s like a curtain call at the end of a play. 

The second thing happens when the three Jesus brought along, Peter, John, James, see all this and perhaps understand finally and are changed. They don’t glow, their clothing doesn’t turn white, but they understand this is a unique moment. They’re tired and sleepy, according to Luke, but Peter says, “I’ll make booths”. Booths have a special significance for observant Jews. Each fall, booths are built, little shelters, which remember when Israel was on the way to the promised land, when they had newly remembered they were God’s people. The booths are made with branches and they are open to the sky. You eat in them, pray in them, remember in them God’s provision. Peter, James and John are remembering who they are, who they are meant to be: God’s children. The final thing that happens is that God speaks in this moment, naming Jesus as God’s beloved Son and saying, “Listen to him.” This is the second time we hear this blessing, the first was at his baptism. We’re told that after God spoke, they kept silence and Jesus was alone with them. 

What happens on the mountain? When we talk about the transfiguration, all the emphasis gets put on the special effects: the white garments, the glowing Jesus, the long gone figures of Moses and Elijah, the voice of the Lord. But we should be paying attention to the disciples, people just like us, people Jesus brought with him. What happens on the mountain is that Jesus is transfigured—but what also seems to happen is that the disciples are changed. 

How do we change? Almost 26 years ago, I stood in the chancel of another church, a church where I had been the pastor for five years, a place I knew well. But on that day, another minister was at the center, directing our worship, a man who is like a father to me. And as I stood there and looked out at the congregation, Jacquelyn appeared in a white dress at the back and there was a light around her. In moments she was next to me, a few moments later we were married. We were changed, changed by love, and that has made all the difference. 

What happened on the mountain?. In those moments, those disciples saw Jesus in a new way and a new covenant began. For certainly whenever heaven opens and God’s love is so evidently, clearly, showered down, a difference is made; all the difference is made. When software is written, the programs on which we all depend so much today, there is a process of correcting mistakes. The first computer was literally wired together at Princeton University and because of the heat of its tubes, moths would fly in sometimes, burn up in the circuits and create a short. So problems with a computer came to be called bugs. Every original piece of software has bugs and needs to be change and the change is Version 2; then version 2.1. What happened on the mountain is that the disciples went from version 1 to version 2. 

Now we gather in the name of Jesus who was transfigured on the mountain and as the continuing expression of that covenant community of disciples. Like them, I think we often misunderstand him; like them, we aren’t always ready to follow immediately where he’s going. We don’t always get it immediately but that’s ok; Jesus is willing to wait for version 2.1 of us. And when we do get it, when we ourselves hope in that love, have faith in that love, practice that love, what happens? Christ comes; God blesses. And the kingdom is here, right here, among us. 

Amen.