Tonight’s reading from the Gospel is written in the poetic imagery of faith. The story of the Transfiguration conveys to us that the disciples began to perceive their friend and rabbi as extraordinary. As if a veil had been lifted from their eyes, Jesus was seen anew, transfigured in a Light brighter and more vital than the traditional Law and the Prophets. The glory of Jesus as God’s Messiah was strikingly manifested in the radiance of Jesus on the mountain.

Although we do not understand what happened to Jesus, or whether this was an allegory or event, we do know what happened to his disciples! As Jesus’ ministry progressed, they began to understand their Lord differently. In him, God's Word was made concrete for all humanity. About to go to Jerusalem and face intense suffering, Jesus was filled with radiant glory and strength to undertake his difficult ministry.

As Jesus was transfigured, so are the lives of his faithful disciples in every generation. Life is neither forlorn darkness nor religious giddiness. Rather, fulfilled living results from the New Covenant that integrates joyful celebrations with understandable sadness, realistic hopefulness with the power to cope. Beholding the Light of Christ does not quickly or magically solve problems of war, personal relationships, or economics; however, Christian disciples are strengthened to bear their crosses, to grow into Christ's glorious likeness, and to influence and brighten the lives of others who are receptive.

I would propose that among its many implications, the Transfiguration theme can be broadly related to the ways in which we as clergy and laypeople involve ourselves in the life of the sacraments. Why?

Too often, we clergy are guilty of liturgical malpractice - by appearing to “sell” liturgical rites; by cowering under pressures from influential individuals who demand ‘christenings,’ confirmations, and weddings; by trying to appear “successful” by means of reports of the quantity of our administrations; or by trying to be nice, popular, or “pastoral.” This is clearly sinful on the part of such clergy, and we try to excuse our wizardry by declaring that those involved receive God’s grace regardless of any preparations for the particular sacrament. This irresponsibility flirts with magical understandings of the sacraments and is often labeled pejoratively and rightly as “cheap grace.” Recipients of such reckless generosity rarely have any significant commitment to the words muttered in Services, to the Church, and to the Covenant with God through Christ. Afterwards we wonder why we see in church only a minority of the people who amble through these rites-on-demand from an ecclesiastical public utility!

The sacraments are precious gifts from the Creator that are to be cherished and respected. Their true meanings indicate God’s loving search for individuals and their graceful nurture in covenant life. Not to be idolized or trivialized, the sacraments are indispensable to the evolving journey of the people, the Christian Church. [1]

Let us focus on just one sacramental rite as it is currently provided by the Prayer Book and Church’s regulations. Holy Matrimony is Christian marriage, in which two people enter into a life-long union, make their vows before God and the Church, and receive the grace and blessing of God to help them fulfill their vows. The ministers of the liturgy during which the marriage is blessed are the spouses themselves; the clergy person officiating is the Church’s chief witness to the vows and the one deputized to pronounce God’s blessing on the couple.

The Service presupposes the canonically required preparation of the couple. The quality of the preparation varies enormously, with some clergy spending minimal time exploring the nature of Christian marriage plus the relationship of a specific couple. There is no specific amount of time or detailed content mandated for marriage preparation. [2] Clergy are trusted to minister to people thoroughly and in keeping with the spirit of the Prayer Book and pastorally intended canons (that is, regulations) of the Church. [3]

However, inadequately equipped participants walk through the Service with minimal understanding. For too many, the Church has become just a public utility providing, almost on demand, a “nice” rite of passage with little or no commitment expected. A great moment of religious education is missed. The negligent clergyperson often rationalizes shoddy procedures by an appeal to an alleged magical type of  “grace” given in the sacrament.  The reality is that the ordained person does not want to offend anyone, especially the wealthy, by requiring preparation. [4]

I am glad to say that the Episcopal Church carefully and caringly permits the remarriage of divorced individuals. We are a Church that recognizes human imperfections and that new beginnings should be celebrated responsibly. Even one of the Church’s current bishops has been married three times, and, as I have it, the divorce and remarriage rate among clergy is about the same as in the general population.

However, pastors have learned that many divorced men and women attach themselves to a second (third, or more) fiancé whose qualities duplicate the spouse of the previously failed marriage. I include myself among the vast majority of clergy who do not have the professional skills to help serial spouses detect such hazards. In these cases, a professional counselor or psychologist is absolutely needed to supplement the more routine aspects of pre-marital clergy guidance. Regrettably, too many clergy fail to provide adequate pastoral care of couples intending to marry, whether for the first, second, third, or more times. Reacting to one situation that appears to have been superficial at best, a priest commented that the wedding had “no spiritual content of any kind: with the church as a prop for the show."

Whether for Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, Matrimony, Confession, the Sacrament of the Sick, or Ordination, we clergy owe people ample preparation. Individuals deserve to have the best possible guidance as they seek to participate with their hearts and minds in God’s sacred rituals. If they can simply drop by and purchase a ritual, they will not only be kept in relative ignorance of its meaning and power, but also they will have little or no commitment to Who and what the sacrament represents. 

Needed, then, is not only a transfiguration of serial marriage rites from the mundane, but a willing, grace-filled transformation of our own spirits as we involve ourselves and others in Christ’s entire sacramental ministry. The brighter Light of sacramental integrity should illuminate the darkness of our corporate negligence. We clergy need to not cheat people out of truly adequate preparation, and lay people should insist that we minister to them fully and faithfully.

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The Gospel - Matthew 17:1-9

 

Six days after Peter had acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

 

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."