And I think all of us here at St. Thomas' are being transfigured all the time. In small ways and large ways, in ways we cannot really see or appreciate while they are happening. Those transfigurations can also occur in ways that are just so big as to make it almost impossible for us to understand it at the moment. We need time to reflect, pray and try and understand for both types of experiences. Peter, John and James needed the Cross on Calvary, the Resurrection three days later, and a good deal of time to pray and reflect after that, to really begin to understand how they were transfigured on that day on the mountain with Jesus. Remember that although Peter wanted to build something, to stay there, to get stuck there, he didn't....he kept on the journey. Not being forgetful of the formative experiences, but rather being reflective, prayerful and giving time for understanding to set in. An understanding to help explain the images seared on his retina from the lightning emanating from Jesus' clothing.

Jesus modeled this behavior for us. Remember, Jesus was praying on that mountain when his countenance changed and his clothes began to shoot off lightning. Before and after almost every major event in Jesus' life, he could be found praying and reflecting. This is a good model for us here at St. Thomas', to remember. Pray, reflect and keep ourselves always on the journey, wherever the road is leading us, however we are being transfigured. Not stuck in the "we don't do things that way" mentality. Rather today's Gospel is pointing us down the road, instructing us to stay on the journey. The Gospel is asking us to trust in the grace that is God's love for us that will help us along on the journey toward our ultimate transfiguration.

Amen.