"I Saw The Face Of The Pilot"
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
~ Mark 9:2-9
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
Robert Louis Stevenson gave us this little story:
A ship was in a serious storm and in grove distress. The passengers were alarmed. One of them finally, against orders, went up to the deck and made his way to the pilot. The seaman was at his post of duty at the wheel, but, seeing the man was greatly frightened, the pilot gave him a reassuring smile. Returning to the other passengers the man reported. “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well.”
“I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well” can be the phrase on which the story of the transfiguration is based. Jesus took with him, Peter, James and John to the top of a mountain and there Jesus was changed, transformed into a white glow that could never be duplicated on earth. Along with this glow came two people out of the past, Elijah and Moses and the disciples did not know what to make of this.
But impulsive Peter said let us build three booths. Let us stay here and relish in this moment. And then a voice said to them, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” When they seemed not to be able to comprehend any more, everything was gone and Jesus told them to follow him down the mountain and not to tell anyone of this experience.
Peter, James and John could have thought to themselves, “I have seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled. All is well.” They saw the glory of God through Jesus, Moses and Elijah and heard the voice of God and they could have thought, yes all is well as we ride out the storms of lives.
But did they? Their first impulse was to stay put on that mountain top with all the glory around them. Their first impulse was stay where they were. The mountain top experience for the disciples was glorious. They wanted to stay, to stay and worship what they saw and heard.
And many times we as Christians want that mountain top experience in our faith life. We want that glorious feeling of being with Christ. After the experience on the mountain, what did Jesus do? He went down the mountain and set his face for Jerusalem and the cross. Jesus knew that it is good to have those mountain top experiences, but the real work is in the valleys, in the depth of the human condition of sin and brokenness.
Jesus on that cross felt and experienced the human condition in all of it brutality. He knew the depth of suffering we human beings suffer; he knew the guilt, the anguish, the despair that comes with living life. He knew and felt it all on that cross and through the resurrection of Easter he conquered it all for us.
Jesus went to the mountain to be transfigured, but came down the mountain to be a savior. He calls to us to have a relationship with him, but then to come down into the human condition to minister to those around us with love and compassion.
Another man who had a mountain top experience was Sir Edmond Hillary on May 19, 1953, that was the day when Sir Edmond Hillary, and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, reached the top of Mount Everest.
The first two people ever to literally be on top of the world.
After Hillary had climbed Mount Everest he became an overnight celebrity.
He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. His name became a household word. He even became a spokesperson for Sears-Robuck and company. His name appeared on sleeping bags, tents, and boot laces. He could have lived in his little dwelling of success for the rest of his life.
But he didn’t!
What did he do?
He went back to Nepal.
Back to those people, the Sherpas, whom he had grown to know and appreciate and respect and love.
And he was also using his fame to bring them help.
In his speech some years ago, Hillary recounted how an elderly Sherpa from Khumjung village, the hometown of most of the Sherpas on his Everest ascent, had come to him a few years after that expedition and said, "Our children lack education. They are not prepared for the future. What we need more than anything is a school in Khumjung."
So Hillary established the Himalayan Trust, and in 1961 a three-room schoolhouse was built in Khumjung with funds raised by Hillary.
In its first decade the fund focused on education and health.
Since then the trust has built 27 schools, two hospitals and 12 medical clinics, plus numerous bridges and airfields, and also reforesting valleys and slopes in the many areas of Nepal.
He would spent more than half the year traveling the world, raising money for the trust and supervising the various projects undertaken with the funds he’s raised.
And he has continued doing this for more than thirty years.
Mountain top experiences are great, but living, working, helping, loving in the valleys are where Christ asks us to be. We have seen the pilot and the ship is well, our lives are well and we need to sail into the valleys of life with love and compassion, for our neighbor, who Christ bids us to love.
In each Holy Communion, the bread and wine we offer on the altar become “transfigured” – “transformed” into the crucified and risen, living body and blood of Jesus. Just as Jesus’ transfiguration strengthened the apostles in their time of trial, each Holy Communion should be our source of heavenly strength against temptations, and our renewal during Lent. In addition, our Holy Communion with the living Jesus should be the source of our daily “transfiguration,” transforming our minds and hearts so that we may do more good by humble and selfless service to others.
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.
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