St. Peter's three-tent problem

In today’s Gospel reading (Lk 9:28-36), the magnificent account of the Transfiguration includes one curious, almost comical, detail.

Picture the scene on the mountain. Peter, James, and John, roused from sleep, see Jesus in all blinding glory, talking with Moses and Elijah. How do they respond to this astonishing epiphany? Peter, characteristically, speaks first:

“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.

He didn’t know what he was saying— and yet what he said is recorded in the Gospel, perhaps to teach us a lesson. Undoubtedly Peter was overwhelmed by what he had seen. Perhaps his wits were still a bit addled by sleep. But what he said seems to make no sense.

Apparently what Peter had in mind was to set up tents, or booths, so that Jesus and Moses and Elijah could join in the celebration of the Feast of Booths. He was, in his befuddled way, inviting them to take part in the life of the community.

But Jesus brought the apostles up the mountain for a very different purpose: to give them a foretaste— and with it an invitation— to join in his life, which transcends the time and space and all the other limitations of mortal life on earth.

Don’t blame Peter. Anyone would have been thrown off balance by witnessing the Transfiguration. After the Resurrection, St. Peter recovered his balance nicely; at Pentecost he knew exactly what he was saying.

But isn’t that initial reaction typical of how we respond to the Lord’s invitations? We invite him to share in our lives here on earth, and don’t notice that He has invited us to share in His life in heaven.