A question asked recently in a Catholic magazine about the necessity of going to confession if one had no sins was given the reply that the questioner's canonisation papers were being prepared! This reply was meant to be humourous, but it brings us to the point that James makes - that few of us can be instructors of others in religious matters, for we are all imperfect. Our only hope of being teachers depends on our own Christ-like behaviour and character.

In Mark's account of the Transfiguration, we see how the disciples had been warned earlier, in words, of the approaching suffering of the cross. Words were insufficient to convince the disciples that the cross was but a prelude to the glory of the Resurrection, the victory over the cross. The vision of the Transfiguration, with Moses and Elijah appearing alongside Jesus, with the cloud of God's Presence overshadowing them and the Voice from heaven, provided a revelation confirming what had been told them earlier, that Jesus was a triumphant Messiah. Even so, a crucified and risen Messiah was something they were not expected to understand fully, and so they were told not to publicise their experience until the actual events had taken place. Then it would all make sense and confirm their faith.

The Transfiguration revealed a transformed Jesus which served in turn to transform the disciples' faith, something even powerful words alone did not do.