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When the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus.

That could well be the most significant line in today's Gospel reading.

The two foremost prophets of the Old Testament, Moses and Elijah (who flank Jesus in today's Transfiguration reading), also went up a high mountain in their day and had an experience of God. In Moses' case it was quite astounding; it had all the brightness and cloudiness and vocal thunder experienced by Peter, James and John on Mount Tabor. What does the Book of Exodus say? "There were peals of thunder and lightning and a heavy cloud over the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled . . . Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke, for the Lord came down upon it in fire." And when Moses spoke, God answered with thunder.

The whole account emphasizes the absolute Otherness of God; how far his nature extends beyond our comprehension - fearfully so. No idol could ever do him justice. And when Moses dares to ask for a glimpse of God's "glory", God replies, "My face you cannot see, for no man sees me and still lives." In other words, his presence can be devastating both to the mind and body of a finite being. Even a glimpse of God's back, as narrated in Exodus 33:23, is enough to transfigure Moses; to make his face glow so brightly that people were afraid (like Peter, James and John in today's Gospel) to approach him. Indeed Moses had to place a veil over his face to spare the eyesight of his fellow Israelites. In other words, to Old Testament believers God was an awesome reality, merciful but also quick to anger at any infidelity. He was like a novice master I once knew who was so remote and empowered and unpredictable that whenever he detected grumbling among his novices he would taunt us saying, "Well, who's going to bell the cat?" And you're right! None of us mice were so inclined.

But as Israel advanced in its understanding of God we find Elijah making a visit to that same mountain of Moses centuries later. And what does he experience? First he experiences the expected. He's overwhelmed by "a strong and heavy wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord; then came an earthquake; then fire." But the Scripture adds: "The Lord was not in the wind or earthquake or fire - but in the tiny whisper that followed." Could it be that God was toning down the awesomeness of his nature; laying aside his overwhelming majesty and magnificence to arrive at an intimacy with us such as a whisper in one's ear may convey?

Which makes one wonder. Is today's Gospel the final installment in that condescension of God to be absolutely intimate with us? I mean here we are ascending another mountain similar to the one climbed by Moses and Elijah; and here again we are confronted by a Jesus whose divinity takes over and replicates the blinding brightness and cloudiness and thundering tones of Mt. Sinai - and Peter, James and John fall flat on their faces like the Israelites of old. But only to be tapped on the shoulder and look up and see "no one but Jesus."

"In other words," says Matthew, " God has at last bridged the tremendous gap between heaven and earth; he has become one of us - to the point where we shall eventually find him on another mountain called Calvary, not only one of us, but willing to bleed for us. "They saw no one but Jesus." NO one? No one but the boundless love of God become incarnate and easily approachable in Christ Jesus! How much closer can God get to us? Unless it's by way of the bread and wine we receive every Sunday upon the summit of that other Mt. Tabor - otherwise known as our Eucharist.

-- Geoff Wood