As we approach Transfiguration Sunday and the beginning of Lent, Canon Mark offers a reflection on the vision of Christ’s glory that sustains the Church in times of trial. Originally written as a devotional reflection for the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA), this piece invites us, as individuals and as a global Church, to remember who Jesus Christ is as we follow Him through suffering toward resurrection life.
“After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.” —Matthew 17:1–3
It is significant that Jesus led Peter, James, and John up the mountain and was transfigured before them before descending toward Jerusalem, where He would suffer and die on the cross. Before they were confronted with His humiliation, they were given a glimpse of His glory. Before they would witness His suffering humanity, they were prepared to believe more deeply in His divine identity.
This moment was not accidental. The Transfiguration strengthened the disciples for what lay ahead. It confirmed that the One who would soon be rejected, beaten, and crucified was indeed the Son of God. It pointed beyond the cross toward the coming Resurrection and reminded them that suffering would not have the final word.
In much the same way, we often need a vision of Christ’s glory as we enter seasons of trial and suffering. When we face hardship, doubt, or loss, remembering the goodness of Christ we have already experienced, and holding fast to the promise of resurrection yet to come, sustains us through the difficult “in between.” Without hope, suffering becomes unbearable. With hope, it becomes something we can endure in faith.
As we prepare to enter another season of Lent, this pattern becomes especially clear. Lent is historically a time of fasting, self-denial, and repentance, a season in which the Church intentionally joins herself to Christ in His own self-emptying. But the Church doesn’t fast without hope. We deny ourselves not as an act of despair but as an act of trust, a trust rooted in the glory of Christ revealed to us and in the promise of resurrection life.
This pattern applies not only to us as individuals, but also to the Church as a whole.
The Global Anglican Church finds itself in a season of trial. Both the Global South and Gafcon are contending for the faith, striving to remain faithful amid external pressures to conform, compromise, or lose confidence in the truth of the Gospel. Alongside these struggles are the many forms of suffering experienced by churches across the world: poverty, war, persecution, and the ongoing challenge of false teaching and doctrinal confusion.
In such a season, it is essential for the Church to remember who Jesus Christ is. If we lose sight of His glory, we will struggle to endure the cost of faithfulness. And if we find ourselves unable to see clearly, we must ask Him to grant us a renewed vision of His glory, just as He did for the disciples on the mountain. The path ahead may lead through suffering, but it also leads toward resurrection. As the Church follows Jesus toward biblical faithfulness, she follows Him as One who has already revealed His glory and who promises life beyond the cross, no matter the cost.
As we approach Transfiguration Sunday and look ahead to the Lenten journey, let’s pray for the revelation of Christ we need. May we be given eyes to see His glory clearly, hearts strengthened for obedience, and hope sufficient to carry us through whatever trials lie ahead.