Thoughts on Luke 9:28-3

Seeing Jesus as He Truly Is.

I love today’s readings for a couple of reasons. First, this passage feels like a pivotal moment—a major reveal. Up to this point, we’ve followed Jesus through his ministry, witnessing miracles, hearing his teachings, and now—now we get to see something deeper.

It’s like the moment Clark Kent finally rips open his shirt, revealing the “S” on his chest. The carpenter’s son from Nazareth, the teacher they’ve walked beside, suddenly radiates with divine glory. Peter, James, and John ascend the mountain with Jesus, and in an instant, they see him as he truly is. His face shines like the sun. His clothes become dazzling white. And standing beside him are Moses and Elijah—the lawgiver and the prophet—signifying that everything in Israel’s history has been leading up to this moment.

It’s a moment that feels like it should change everything. The full reality of Jesus is revealed.

But here’s my question:

What if this story isn’t about Jesus changing? What if the real transformation is happening in the disciples?

Seeing What Has Always Been There

One of the things I appreciate about the apostles is how human they are. They aren’t perfect saints who have it all figured out. They are flawed, passionate, impulsive, and at times, painfully unaware—just like us.

Nathaniel is drawn to the supernatural, amazed that Jesus knew him before they met.

Andrew is the connector, always bringing others along.

James and John? The “Sons of Thunder”—fervent, outspoken, and sometimes a little too eager to call down fire from heaven.

And then there’s Peter. Bold, brash Peter. He’s always the first to speak, always full of grand declarations. But when it matters most, he’s also the one who stumbles, denying Jesus three times before dawn.

Sound familiar? We all have these tendencies. Some of us identify more with one apostle than another, but their struggles are ours.

So when Peter, James, and John go up that mountain with Jesus, what if the real transformation isn’t happening to Jesus but to them? Jesus doesn’t change—he has always been the Son of God, always been the radiance of the Father’s glory. But for this moment, the blinders are removed from the disciples’ eyes.

For this moment, they see Jesus as he truly is.

The Masks We Wear

But the problem is, that moment doesn’t last.

They come down the mountain, and soon, James and John will fall asleep in Gethsemane. Peter will deny Jesus. They will struggle and fail, just as we do.

Why?

Because even after seeing Jesus in his glory, it’s so easy to slip back into old patterns. It’s easy to let fear and doubt creep back in, to put up the walls and masks we use to navigate the world.

And let’s be honest—our world is full of masks.

We filter our images, curating the perfect version of ourselves to present online.

We filter our words, carefully shaping them to be accepted, admired, or unchallenged.

We filter our lives, sharing only the highlights while hiding the struggles, the doubts, the realness of who we are.

And after a while, it becomes exhausting.

We spend so much energy managing the version of ourselves we think people want to see that we lose sight of who we truly are.

Lent: An Invitation to Be Unfiltered

And so, as we enter this season of Lent, here’s the invitation:

Drop the mask.

Let go of the filters.

See God, see creation, see yourself—not as you wish them to be, but as they truly are.

And when you do, you might be surprised.

The world might seem richer, deeper, more vibrant.

The people around you might appear different—not as obstacles or rivals, but as beloved children of God.

The love you experience might be fuller—not because it’s new, but because you’re finally seeing it as it has always been.

Because here’s the thing: Jesus didn’t change on that mountain.

The disciples just finally saw him.

And maybe that’s what God is calling us to this Lent. Maybe the goal isn’t to become something different, but to finally see what’s been right in front of us all along.

To see Jesus for who he is.

To see ourselves for who we are.

To strip away the illusions and simply be who God created us to be.

Because that’s where true transformation happens.

Amen.