“It Is Good For Us To Be Here.” (Matthew 17:4)

The faithful and friends of our parish will join millions of Armenians around the world on Sunday, July 23^rd, celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus our Lord. The story is told in the Gospel of Matthew 17:1-13. It narrates a dramatic event in the ministry of our Lord, and a turning point in the history of God’s revelation. Three of His disciples followed Jesus to the top of a mountain (Tabor or Thabor). There, Jesus was transfigured in their presence and “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.” This was accompanied by the appearance of the prophets Moses and Elijah, two important pillars in the history of God’s revelation. Furthermore, a divine voice was heard from heaven confirming the divinity of Jesus, and commanding the disciples to adhere to Jesus’ teachings. Thus, the feast obviously is a celebration of the revelation of Christ’s divinity. Jesus’ transfiguration, needless to say, is the foundation of our hope of the transfiguration of our life.

Since my childhood years I was enchanted by St. Peter’s reply following his experience of Christ’s transfiguration. The Bible tells us, he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17:4). Peter did not want to leave the scene. He wished he could stay there permanently.  Like a child who has just experienced the excitement of a new ride in a park, Peter did not want to depart from the beautiful fellowship and the glimpse of the divine presence.

Reading the pages of the Bible we realize that Peter is not alone in this reaction. Thousands of people followed Jesus to hear His message. And even after His resurrection and ascension, people continued coming together in a fellowship of His remembrance, to be with Him through His teachings and the Holy Communion. Chapter two of the Book of Acts, for example, reads, “All who believed were together.” The following verses of the same paragraph add that they came together to share their wealth and blessings and to reach out and support each other.  Two main actions separated them from the rest of the world: their regular attendance of the apostles’ teachings –to be with Christ through His words and teachings; and the fellowship of the Eucharist, Badarak –to be with Christ through the Holy Communion.

It is interesting to add that, according to the Bible, neither Jesus nor the Apostles went out of their way to create socially entertaining activities to bring the people to Christ. It was the faithful people’s thirst for the message of hope, and the glory and peace of fellowship with Christ that made them seek Christ and His fellowship.

There is no doubt that those who have faith, yearn to and long for the glory and the divine peace of Christ’s presence and fellowship with Him. Thank God for the miracle of Christ’s birth and ministry and for making His presence eternally available through His teachings and the Holy Communion. Today, we do not need to climb mountains to experience the transfigured Christ or to receive the hope of our transfiguration. Like the early Christians, genuinely seeking Christ and rejoicing in His presence through His word and through the fellowship of His remembrance (i.e. Badarak) is all we need.

So, to sound like some of the infomercials, let me add, “Are you tired of the routine in your life?” “Would you give anything or do anything if you could only change your life and fine peace?” Well, all you need to do is join one of our four weekly Bible Study groups to immerse yourself in Christ’s word, and join us at our weekly fellowships of the remembrance of the Lord, the Badarak. And believe me, not only your life will be transformed on this earth, most probably when the time of your departure from this earth comes you will have guaranteed your transformation unto eternity.

        In Christ’s Service

                          Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian

July, 2006

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