Glow
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Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory.
-from this Sunday’s collect
Epiphany is a season of bright light suddenly shining on something. It’s a revealing of a hidden reality, an uncovering of something that had not been visible before, a sudden awareness of a deeper truth - an epiphany! The Transfiguration is the gospel story that most graphically illustrates the concept of Epiphany for us - it’s the dramatic pinnacle of the season that began with the bright star guiding the three kings to Bethlehem.
We always hear the story of the Transfiguration on the last Sunday of Epiphany (it is a very short season this year, since Easter is so early - that’s why it has snuck right up on us!) Jesus takes three of his disciples up on a mountain and he suddenly begins to glow with an other-worldly light, brighter than anything on earth. It makes it quite clear that Jesus himself is really other-worldly, and this is only confirmed by the sudden appearance of Moses and Elijah there chatting with them as if they’re old friends.
We’ve learned that bright light is therapeutic, especially in the darker months of winter. Light bathes us with something that we deeply need - just as if we were plants! Sunlight can green up a plant and a bright set of lightbulbs can perk up our mood, but the light of Christ can completely transform us. It is even more powerful than sunlight and perhaps also a little scary, if the posture of the three terrified disciples in the icon above is any indication.
But, as our collect this Sunday says, Christ’s soul-baring light is just what we need to be strengthened to bear our crosses in this life. And as we practice opening ourselves to Christ’s light, we will be gradually changed more and more into his likeness, and we begin to glow ourselves, and we become bearers of Christ’s healing light to share it with the world around us.
May the light of Epiphany shine in our practice of bearing love and hope into this anxious world.
