"When Moses came down from Mount Sinai...behold the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face."
Exodus 34:29-30, 33
"And as he was praying, the appearance of his countenance was altered, and his raiment became dazzling white.... Peter said to Jesus, 'Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three tabernacles, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah' -- not knowing what he said. And as he said this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud saying, 'This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!' "
Luke 9:29, 33-35
When Moses receives the commandments from God, he appears in a light so brilliant that the Israelites turn away in fear, and the prophet puts a veil over his face to shield them from the glare. In the transfiguration, Christ appears in a light so resplendent that it turns his garments a dazzling white. The disciples are drawn to the light, but they misunderstand its significance. A cloud surrounds them, and they become frightened.
In the first situation, fear derives from beholding the light; in the second, fear is aroused when darkness descends. The light is threatening to the Israelites because they associate it with judgment, condemnation, and death. The darkness is threatening to the disciples because it means separation from Christ, their salvation, the one whom they adore. Fear overwhelms them both, and neither sees clearly, the one blinded by the light and the other groping in the darkness.
Veils and clouds, like masks or smokescreens, always hide or distort the truth in some way. We may create them deliberately in an attempt to make the truth seem more acceptable or bearable, or to provide privacy or protection. We may also form them unconsciously out of the darkness of our prejudice, ignorance, or misunderstanding. Sometimes such barriers may prove quite formidable and persistent, and may result in enormous errors in judgment, with devastating consequences. Yet they collapse into thin air in the enduring presence of the light of truth. For the light still shines, whether we behold it or not, and in its presence the darkness cannot stand.
Like the Israelites, we may find it frightening to consider the reality of the human condition in the light of God's truth and justice. In response, we may try to avoid confronting that reality altogether, seeking to hide or escape, or somehow imagine we can exterminate the undesirable elements by sheer force. Neither of these strategies will ultimately succeed, for the destructive forces always break through to the surface again, perhaps in another form, now wounded, ready to inflict harm again.
Or, like the disciples, we may strive to bask in the radiance of God's light, but still find ourselves overshadowed by ominous clouds that conceal the reality of His redeeming grace, offered to all people, for all time, and without condition. Shrouded in darkness, we may become consumed with fear. Even so, Christ, the Chosen One, cannot long be denied. For He comes again and again, bearing seeds of care and compassion. Love lifts the clouds and restores our vision, for where there is love, fear cannot abide. It is the only viable path.
Dear Lord of all, may we "wake from dreams of doom and -- for a moment -- know: beyond all the noise and the gestures, the only real thing, love's calm unwavering flame in the half-light of an early dawn." Amen
(offered by Dag Hammarskjold)
Contributed by Diane S.
Published Monday April 14, 2003
Week 20 of Liturgical Year B