“Jesus: God’s salvation who leads a new exodus for us.”
Salvation is a main theme in the Gospel according to Luke. When the Angel Gabriel comes to Mary, he announces that she shall name her Son ‘Jesus’ (God’s salvation), and that he will be known as Son of the Most High; at the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus himself announces a year of favor by proclaiming sight for the blind and freedom for captives and the oppressed. Physical healing and the spiritual liberation of forgiveness are equally part of salvation, that is, being saved from evil and sin. Every passage in the Gospel of Luke can be more easily understood if you keep in mind this mission that is outlined at the beginning.
This mission can be summed up in a single word: exodus. Exodus means “the way out,” and since very ancient times was used to name Moses leading the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Jesus was sent to lead the even greater exodus, the way out of slavery to sin for all people. In Luke’s account of the transfiguration, Moses and Elijah were speaking to Jesus about the exodus he would lead in Jerusalem. They are looking forward to the Lord’s eucharist, passion, death, and resurrection – the events that together accomplish his exodus.
How do you become part of this new exodus? The answer is revealed by the Father to Jesus’ disciples: “This is my chosen Son; listen to him.” It is as simple and as difficult as that. Everything we do during the Lenten season can be understood relative to this instruction. Why fast from food, or media, or noise? Why pay special attention to the needs of others? Why have more solemn liturgies? Why set aside more time for prayer? All those actions are ordered to the last one: making time to listen to the Son. This is the time to evaluate life and recollect that we can receive salvation through God’s chosen Son, if only we listen.
-Fr. Nate
Uncreated Light
In eastern Christian spirituality, the light witnessed by the disciples at the transfiguration is called uncreated light. It is also identified with the light seen by St. Paul when Jesus appeared to him outside Damascus and the mystical experiences of some Saints. Natural light comes from nuclear fusion or combustion; uncreated light has no apparent source, and many have interpreted the light of the transfiguration as coming from Jesus himself. Psalm 27 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation,” and while this can be taken as a metaphor for enlightenment, i.e., the knowledge that God gives, the transfiguration shows Jesus as a literal source of light as well as salvation. Like in the Psalm response, the two go together: God shows us who he is fully in the Son, and gives us signs that encourage us to listen to him.
