Radical Astonishment

The 28th verse of the Ninth chapter of Luke’s gospel begins, “About eight days after these sayings, Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray.”

“These sayings” includes telling them he would die, he would be raised again, that to be a disciple of his we need to pick up our cross daily, and that it is necessary to lose our lives to save them. Knowing that is what had been said makes it more readily apparent why he went up on the mountain to pray. In many ways, this story we call The Transfiguration, is the whole story wrapped up in one mysterious episode. [Luke 9:28-43a]

Jesus’ face and clothes become dazzling white as the three sleepy disciples look on. The change in Jesus’ appearance would certainly be reminiscent of those many times Moses had ascended the mountain, entered the tent and met with God face to face. His face would so shine that the people could not look upon him when he would come back down. [Exodus 34:29-35] This all makes it seem quite natural that under such similar circumstances Moses would appear, with Elijah, he of the blazing chariot, to pay Jesus a visit before his “departure” in Jerusalem.

The Greek word for departure means Exodus. They were talking about his Exodus which would occur in Jerusalem: Jesus would die, as he had told them, and in three days depart the bonds of death. This is his Exodus and why we call Jesus our Passover. His deliverance from the bonds of this world was soon to take place. So, we can think of Moses and Elijah paying a pastoral visit, assuring Jesus that they have been here before, and that sure enough, just as it had been in the wilderness, just as it had been in those days of famine, just has it has been throughout the history of our people, God does provide a way out.

God would provide Jesus an Exodus, an escape route, a way out of bondage, a way out of the hard times, a way beyond and passing over death to a life lived with God all the time. Eternal life with God. This way would come to be called Resurrection.

Peter does not miss the importance of what is going on in the least, and suggests building three booths. A highly technical term for a shelter resembling the temporary shelters in which the people Israel lived during their wilderness sojourn. A shelter that can be picked-up and moved down the road. The kind of shelter in which all of Israel is commanded to live one week each year during the Festival of Succoth, of the Feast of Tabernacles, which we know Jesus and his disciples faithfully observed each year.

A festival which celebrates the very fact that in the wilderness God provides, and that we must in turn be grateful. So, to remember that and to show thanks, to this day the Jewish people build a Succoth booth for an eight-day remembrance. It must be built so that one can see the stars through the roof, and rain must be able to get in. During this eight-day celebration, one gathers together what are called the Four Species: branches of citron, willow, myrtle and Palm.

Palms, like those we gather from our last Palm Sunday which will be burned for ashes to be used on Ash Wednesday. All except the citron are bound to the Palm, making what is called a lulav. With the citron in one hand, the lulav in the other, they are waved in all four directions, north, south, east and west, then upwards and downwards to indicate that God is everywhere! In the synagogue the lulav, or Palm, is waved in the air as everyone dances around the bimah, the platform from where the Torah is read.

The Eighth Day of the Succoth festival is known as Shemini Atzeret, the day of assembly, or the “day of holding back,” stopping and waiting; or as Simchat Torah, the day the weekly Torah readings are completed, the scroll is turned back, and there is a huge celebration and procession with everyone getting to carry the scroll, waving the branches, singing and praising God.

The significance of Atzeret, or holding back, is quite interesting. The sages say that the reason for this eighth day celebration is related to this parable: God is like a king who invites all his children to a feast to last for just so many days; when the time has come for them to depart, he says to them: “My children, I have a request to make of you. Stay yet another day; your departure is difficult for me.” Which brings us back to that which Jesus, Moses and Elijah were talking about: his departure or exodus.

It is often overlooked that they obviously spent the night on the mountain and did not come down until the next day. And the fact that none of the versions of this story says Peter did not build the booths. Raising the obvious question, what did they do all night? Celebrated Succoth and Simchat Torah/Smini Atzeret with God! God knew that he had to send his son to Jerusalem, but wants to keep him back for one more night because “Your departure is difficult for me.”

So difficult was this Exodus for Jesus that it did not end on Good Friday, any more than the great escape from Egypt was not the end of that first Exodus. Exodus is just the beginning, which is what the eight days of Succoth would remind Jesus and his disciples every year that they celebrated the festival. Waving the Palms North, South, East and West would remind them every year that wherever we are, God is.

And that our God is the one God who always wants just one more day with us. And one more after that. Eventually, of course, we all need to come down off the mountain, the exuberant celebrations need to end, and we all need to get back to the work God calls us to do – to heal a broken world; what is called Tikkun Olam.

Whatever might be said about Jesus of Nazareth, he shows us all how to live a life of Tikkun Olam, repairing a broken world. We sense his impatience with his disciples when they fail to heal a young boy. “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?” he blurts out. [Luke 9:41] Then he quietly and patiently takes care of the young man, and we are told, “All were astounded at the greatness of God!”

As Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was fond of reminding us, we could all do with a little more astonishment in this world. Perhaps it begins by leaving the seemingly endless stream of chaotic events that distract us day and night, withdraw from it all as Jesus does, and pray.

In such moments of prayer perhaps we will be re-energized to open our eyes and see the work of God’s hand all about us. And perhaps if we spend one more day with the God who does not want us to leave, we too will be astounded at the greatness of God. And we too will find our exodus out of chaos back into the world of resurrection, and celebration and endless astonishment like those three disciples did on mountain top with Jesus one night long ago.