ow about eight days after this had been said, he took with him Peter, John and James and went up the mountain to pray. And it happened that, as he was praying, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became sparkling white. And suddenly there were two men talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they woke up and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' He did not know what he was saying. As he was saying this, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him.' And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.

(Luke 9:28-36 NJB)

CS Lewis wrote the seven Chronicles of Narnia books from 1950 to 1956. Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures released their film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in December 2005. The film was a mega hit. Its Box Office take in the US was more than $290 million and there was another $450+million from the foreign box office. Work has already begun on the next Narnia film, Prince Caspian, which is set to be released in May, 2008. With those kinds of numbers to be generated, films about Narnia are going to be around for a long time.

For the current generation, Narnia might be the first exposure many have to CS Lewis, but those who more approach my age know him much more as the author of a number of books concerning Christian apologetics. A prolific author and lecturer, Lewis, although a laymen, became probably the best known and most loved serious defender and exponent of orthodox Christianity in an era when the best known theologians were, at best, neo-orthodox. Lewis had the ability to communicate some of the deepest and most sublime depths of theological truth in a manner that people could personally ascribe to and identify with, even if they didn’t quite always follow all of his reasoning.

Funny then perhaps, but not so strangely, I imagine, amongst such classic works as Mere Christianity, The Great Divorce, Surprised By Joy, and A Grief Observed, it is really yet another fantasy for which Lewis is best known and perhaps, best loved. First published in book form in the midst of the abysmal darkness of World War II England, The Screwtape Letters offers us from a demon’s point of view, a glimpse into what the spiritual realities of life around us really are. The Letters were an instant success and have become one of the classics of Christian moral theology.

In a short review of the book, on the website, “explorefaith.org”, Dr. Richard S. Sandor, recounts how one reader of The Letters once remarked that the book must be “the ripe fruit of many years’ study in moral and ascetic theology.” Lewis himself has a slightly different take on the inspiration for the book. He said, “. . . there is an equally reliable, though less creditable, way of learning how temptation works. ‘My heart’—I need no other’s—showeth me the wickedness of the ungodly.’ ”

The book was a critical and financial success, and many people besought him to write a sequel. He however is known to have thought that writing the book was distasteful and refused. It is said that he believed it was all too easy to allow himself to look for and adopt the demonic perspective of his anti-hero, Screwtape. He had awakened, in his own life, to the divine truth of the Trinity in Unity, and most especially to the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and he believed that anything that took his focus off of Jesus and those great truths could be neither healthy nor life-sustaining.

In today’s Gospel lesson, we are presented with the story of someone, actually three someones, who also awoke to the truth of the Person of Jesus Christ. On top of Mount Tabor, the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John, whom Luke specifically tells us were “heavy with sleep”, awakened when they beheld Jesus, standing there in his divine glory, along with Moses and Elijah. And when they were fully awake, they heard the voice of God speaking to them and they could see no one, nothing, but Jesus.

There is far more to this story though than simply the historic narrative. I think we often tend to forget that St Luke, the historian is also St. Luke, the sublime theologian. Luke places the narrative of the Transfiguration within a particular context. The events recorded in this one chapter are voluminous. Jesus sends out the Twelve to proclaim the Gospel and heal the sick. The Twelve return astonished at the great works they have accomplished in Jesus’ name. Jesus feeds the 5000 and then asks the Twelve the all important questions “Who do men say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” And Peter, answering for the Twelve announces that He is, “The Christ of God.” This is followed by Jesus prophesying His Passion and death for the first time and His announcing that anyone who would follow Him must also take up the cross. Jesus takes a night off for prayer and we experience the Transfiguration. The next day He cures an epileptic demoniac and He and the Twelve then set out on the road that will inevitably lead to Jerusalem. I’m almost out of breath just recalling all that happens in such a small amount of time.

In all of this, the Transfiguration is clearly meant to be the zenith experience. On the Mountain, with Moses and Elijah, symbolizing Israel’s entire religious history, her entire Covenantal relationship with Yahweh, Jesus is testified to as God’s own Son. We are commanded to listen to Him, and He then, along with the Twelve, begins the journey that leads to and finds its ultimate fulfillment at Calvary.

Once again, my friends, today, Quinquagesima, the last Sunday before Lent, we have a momentary time out in the Church year to witness, along with Peter, James and John, the glory that is Jesus transfigured before our eyes on Mount Tabor. We hear the voice of the Father speaking directly to us and telling us to listen to Jesus. It is too bad we cannot stay here and build those Tabernacles that Peter spoke of and stay here always, but Jerusalem is calling to us. We have a date that we cannot neglect or ignore. We must go up to Jerusalem. Let us awake.