His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.

— Matthew 17:2

When Moses asked to see the glory of God, God said no. There was no way for anyone to see the glory of God’s face and to live through it. So Moses had to hide behind a rock until God passed by (Exodus 33:18-23).

Jesus told his disciples, “Any­one who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). But he wasn’t talking about seeing the Father physically. He meant that his own words and actions, his own heart and spirit, were a reflection of the Father. All that anyone could see physically when looking at Jesus was his humanity. His divinity was hidden, in a sense, underneath his humanity.

But one day, for a few moments on a mountain, Jesus’ appearance changed. His clothes became as bright as white light. And his face “shone like the sun.” His divine glory was shining from his body through his clothes. More than that, something like a veil was removed, so his face could be seen in all its glory. And of all people, Moses was there to see it.

The glory of God was fully present in Jesus. So Moses finally saw the face he had wanted to see so many years before. And one day, because of Jesus, we too will see the face of God. How wonderful!

Jesus, we want to know you, to love you, to follow you, to serve you, to see you. Open our hearts, our spirits, and our eyes to your presence. Amen.