NOTES: 1] For what the 'sayings' of   v.28 were, read from v.18. 2] Moses & Elijah are key figures in Jesus' psyche. He becomes a new & greater both of them. 3] The word for Jesus' 'departure' (v.31) is literally his 'exodus'. See also v.22 4] For background to the making of booths, tents, shelters, etc. see LEV 23:39-44 (see also JN 1:14)

WARMING UP: Have you ever had a dream or vision of any great person from the past 'appearing' to you?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Afterthoughts from, follow-up to last week’s Group, or since?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

28         Why might Jesus have selected these three apostles to go up the mountain with him? Might their presence up there have something to do with the 'sayings' earlier in the chapter? What? Would we have substituted, or added anyone else? What is our own preferred praying place, or don't we have one?

29-31    If we had been up there & seen the change in Jesus' appearance, what might that have signified to us? Can we imagine any way Moses & Elijah might have been recognizable to (Jesus &) P, J, & J, - or us? What connection could they possibly have with Jesus' 'departure / exodus'? What is Moses' & Elijah's significance for us? Or are great Hebrew figures like them no longer part of our 'agenda'? Should they be? What would we gain or lack from greater or lesser knowledge of them - & other Hebrew 'greats'?

32-33    Do we ever find ourselves going to sleep on the job, spiritually speaking? What's the best explanation we can give of 'glory'? What if someone asked us to put 'glory' into words? Is it something we see, hear, feel, sense - or what? What's the closest we can get to describing it? Or can't we do that? Do we ever / never / often / regularly have the feeling that 'it's good to be here' when we're at prayer, worship, eucharist, etc.? Have we ever had such a powerful religious experience that we longed for it to be prolonged? Can we, or, does God ever really prolong such experiences? Would it be better for us if they could be, or is it best for us that they can't be? What of Christians who sometimes give the appearance of playing on, insisting on, playing up to, dwelling on such experiences?

34-36   Do we ever find natural phenomena (as here, clouds) playing a significant role in our own spirituality today, or are the days of that kind of happening gone for ever? For better or for worse? If they have gone, might that say something about our connectedness with the creation, or our lack of it? Have we yet become conscious that we are God's 'daughter' or 'son'? Are we conscious in some meaningful way that we, like Jesus, are chosen by God? Or is that too elitist, too politically incorrect in today's society? If someone asked us to 'Prove it!' i.e. either our daughter / sonship, or our choseness, how would we respond? Or couldn't we?
These days, are we a bit too good at keeping silence about 'what we have seen' of the things of God? Could we improve our track record?