Moses has been on the mountain. He has conversed with God and received the Commandments. He has been enclosed in the uncreated light of the Holy One, encircled by the radiance of this God who has brought the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt and into the desolations of the desert. While his people have fallen prey to all kinds of longings and temptations, Moses has gone apart for this intimate time with God. Moses is spending time alone with the One who has led them by pillars of cloud and of fire. He has been immersed in the light of God. He comes down from the mountain a changed man with a changed face.

The human face is a mystery. We can never see ourselves. Of course, we can see our reflection in a mirror. But that is a mirror image; the reality of our face is reversed. We need one another to have a sense of the beauty of our faces. We need one another to discover what our faces may be showing. Those who know us best let us know that our faces reveal more than we can ask or imagine.

Moses’ face was shining. He was changed from glory into glory. Yet this stunning appearance was disconcerting for others. He knew that his face was different—radically changed—because of the reactions of others. Moses was changed in every respect. Even his physicality reflected the encounter with divine glory. His face was radiant and full of light.

In pastoral work as an Episcopal priest, I have on occasion had the privilege of seeing a truly physical shift in a person’s face. Not a momentary change, but a transformation from the inside out.