Message: Aura, Near yet Beyond / Luke 9:28-36 & Exodus 34:29-35

German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin once said, "What is aura, actually? A strange weave of space and time: the unique appearance or semblance of distance, no matter how close it may be" (A Little History of Photography, 1931). He believed that we experience aura in a specific time and place. It feels close, like "here and now," yet distant because it holds a mysterious quality tied to its originality and uniqueness.

Let’s look at the Mona Lisa as an example. Today, we can find pictures of it online, but people still travel to the Louvre Museum in Paris to see the real painting. Every day, crowds gather in front of it. Why? Because the original Mona Lisa has a unique presence and historical context that no copy can fully replace.

Today’s Gospel reading tells us about Jesus' disciples experiencing his aura on a mountain. They saw his original nature and uniqueness through a mysterious light. The Bible teaches that every person is created in the "image of God." This means our originality and uniqueness reflect God’s image. To be truly human means to restore that image, which the Bible calls "glory." The light of glory, aura, is found in those who reveal God’s image in their lives.

It is important to notice when and where Jesus' aura appeared. He and his disciples climbed the mountain just before they began their journey to Jerusalem. In Galilee, where Jesus had been doing his ministry, he was welcomed. Galilee was a place on the margins, home to many who were poor, oppressed, and struggling. There, Jesus became their friend through God’s love and shared a vision of a new heaven and a new earth filled with God's hope.

Jerusalem, on the other hand, was the biggest city of corrupt religious and political leaders in Israel. Jesus knew that going there meant facing the cross. After his transfiguration in today's text, Jesus spoke for the first time about his coming death. He would not be welcomed by those who upheld the illusion of false peace through military, economic, and religious power because his presence challenged the unjust system they had built. By declaring that God’s love is for everyone, Jesus reminded people of their true nature as bearers of God’s image, making him a threat to those in power.

In the Bible, the aura surrounding Jesus’ presence is not something new. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, his face also shone with the light of the glory. Our first reading today tells that story. Mount Sinai was where Moses first met God in the burning bush. It was the place where God called him to go back to Egypt to free his oppressed people from Pharaoh.

After encountering God, Moses courageously stood before Pharaoh. His strength came from the hope that God never abandoned the oppressed. But Pharaoh did not listen to him. Moses went to Pharaoh’s palace again and again, enduring humiliation and rejection. Someone there likely criticized him, saying his attitude was disrespectful to the empire. Some would have mocked him for not having any cards. The sorrow he felt as the leader of the oppressed troubled him like bitter water. Nevertheless, Moses did not give up. He held firmly to his faith that God had created all people - even the enslaved - in God’s image.

But the victory was not for Pharaoh; it was for Moses, because God was on Moses' and his people's side. The Hebrew people left slavery behind and began their journey to the Promised Land. When they reached Mount Sinai, Moses climbed the mountain and received God’s commandments. These were not conditions for salvation but gifts - the foundation of a new society where love shone through. As Moses came down, the people saw the aura around him.

This aura did not shine from Pharaoh, who ruled over strong armies, fertile lands, and great wealth. It was not found in the Roman emperor, who claimed to be the true Son of God. It appeared in Moses, who stood with the oppressed. It was seen in Jesus, who brought good news to the poor, the weak, and the marginalized. The aura that reflects true human nature is never manifested in false leaders. It is shown in those who go to the lowest places and stand with the suffering.

In his essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction," Walter Benjamin pointed out that technological advancements had a huge impact on the aura of art. On the positive side, mass reproduction allows more people to enjoy art. However, it also turns art into a commodity for commercial purposes, stripping it of its originality and uniqueness. Benjamin observed how artistic works lost their aura and became corrupted, reduced to mere tools for profit.

Our Christian faith is not immune to this warning. Today, in many parts of the world, the gospel of Jesus Christ is consumed like a product under the so-called prosperity gospel, which focuses only on wealth and power. Instead of revealing God’s love, Bible verses are used like fortune cookies. God’s glory is being twisted to justify imperial violence and arrogance. The aura of Moses and Jesus is being replaced by the luxurious neon lights of megachurches.

In one of his sermons, John Wesley preached about "Almost Christians" who attend church regularly but do not strive to live out Christ’s teachings. He warned that such individuals pose a great danger. Losing sincerity in faith distorts God’s glory and Christ’s aura, turning Christianity into a tool for justifying the idols of secular desires.

The real crisis is not that church attendance is declining. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is alive within the faith community, even if its numbers are small, Jesus' aura will shine and guide the lost. The true crisis is when the church is filled with "Almost Christians." Just as most German churches remained loyal to the Nazi regime rather than daring to choose God’s justice, many Christians today seek to align with imperial violence and arrogance, once again pushing Jesus toward Golgotha.

Today, we will have our annual congregational meeting here, and next Sunday, it will be held at the church in Ingleside after the service. This is a time to reflect on whether we are truly living as a Christian community. I believe our church has been a light in our local community, but there are still some questions before us. Do we experience Jesus' aura in our church? Are we sometimes tempted to live as "Almost Christians"? Does God’s image shine through our lives? Does our congregation reveal God’s glory? As Christ’s disciples, what changes must we embrace?

As if we are all climbing a mountain, we now journey toward the coming Lenten season. The path may be exhausting and overwhelming, but it will not be in vain. Jesus Christ walks with us. Transfiguration happens at the highest peak, where our breath catches in our throats. It is there that we encounter Christ’s aura. I am deeply grateful to walk this journey with you in our faith community. May God’s wisdom and patience guide us all to the mountain of transfiguration.

Thanks be to God. Amen.



Rev. Min Hwang

Transfiguration Sunday, 2025

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