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Sermon and Prayers
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ARE WE DISFIGURED OR TRANSFIGURED? During the Christmas-New Year break, I delve into new books. This year, one of them was The Ash Garden, a thought provoking novel, beautifully written, about a survivor of the Hiroshima bomb, meeting with one of the creators of the atomic bomb. Powerful, moving, overflowing with questions about life, death, good, evil etc. Today is Transfiguration Sunday. A Sunday when our readings from Scripture focus on light. In the Common Lectionary, the gospel reading of the Transfiguration is proclaimed twice a year: on Transfiguration Sunday (the last Sunday of Epiphany, before Lent begins) and on August 6th, which is Hiroshima Day. At 8.15 am, August 6, 1945, the Japanese city of Hiroshima was obliterated through the explosion of an atomic bomb. That dazzling light killed over 70,000 people (a fifth of the city’s population) and more were to die later from the effects of radiation sickness. (Statistics from One Light, Many Journeys p.20 published by Catholic Education.) It will be the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima this August. We have heard and read much about suffering, from the survivors and accounts of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz (let us not forget that Auschwitz was only one camp, there were many others, with their unique brand of brutality and evil) Transfigured. Disfigured. Today, let us consider a different light, a life-giving mystery…rather than a light which destroys or maims. God’s power, rather than humanity’s misuse of power. A kingdom of light, rather than a kingdom of darkness. Photography: light is crucial in the development of negatives. Reversal: light, darkness. These days it is easier to have photographs reprinted: a sheet of miniatures of all the photographs is printed, so one does not have to peer at negatives, trying to guess which negative you need. Peter, James and John were involved in what could be termed a ‘Kodak moment.’ Or ‘the one that got away.’ You know the kinds of stories: you tell them, hoping someone will believe you…perhaps the fishing story, “It was THIS big”, or perhaps a special story, an event seen through the eyes of faith…that you tell no one about, because you are afraid that it will be misunderstood, or not taken seriously. A miracle perhaps? There are places in the world, usually places of pilgrimage, such as the city of Jerusalem, or Iona, where it is said that the air is ‘thin’: here the veil is lifted between heaven and earth, here one may be aware of heavenly surprises. Isn’t this what happened to Peter, James and John? ‘And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white.’ A more dramatic translation is: ‘and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.’ The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus is here as we approach the 40 days of Lent, days that can be dark, penitential. This story is here for the dark days of our world, of our times: Hiroshima, Auschwitz, Tsunamis, Aids, terrorism. The incident is here for Peter’s dark days also. In the previous chapter, Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the ling God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.” Jesus goes on to say that Peter is the rock, and on that rock he will build his church. From that high, to a low, for when Jesus foretells his suffering and death, Peter protests and is rebuked: “Get behind me, Satan!” From a blessing to a rebuke: which is followed up with an account of self-denial, a call to deny themselves and to take up their cross and follow him. It important to note this, for today’s reading has these incidents in mind when it commences with ‘Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves.’ Six days: six days of creation. I remember parts of sermons I’ve heard over the years, one in particular was by Rev Dr Richard Campbell, when he spoke of us living in the sixth day of creation…the world isn’t finished yet…we are part of its formation etc. Six days…is the transfiguration experience there for Peter, in his confusion, as the light of the gospel is there for us? Peter has misunderstood something, is unsure as to why Jesus has to suffer and die. He needed something to grasp on to for his own dark journey. And he got it! Transfiguration: ‘changed’, ‘transformed’. Up a high mountain. We’re not told what they spoke about on route, we don’t know why other disciples were excluded…the important matter is their experience ON the mountain. The mountain top: where Moses met with God The mountain top-where Moses again received the law, and delivered it to the people. The mountain top-where Moses was changed, ‘transformed’ for his face shone in the presence of God. The mountain top-where God’s holiness is emphasised. What happens to Jesus? One writer said ‘the holiness of Christ, shining through the humanness of Jesus.’ Peter, James and John are given a Kodak moment: a glimpse into the eternal. Glory, light, holiness. ‘Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.’ Can we imagine their excitement, their amazement at seeing these two great figures of faith? Moses: representing the Law, and Elijah, representing the Prophets. It’s like that question: ‘Name three people, living or dead, you’d most like to meet?” Moses and Elijah were probably on their list! Elijah: in Judaism there is an expectation that Elijah will return to earth to usher in the reign of the Messiah. Even today, in Jewish households at the Passover seder (meal), a special cup of wine is poured out for the prophet Elijah, the door of the house is opened, and he is invited in. Peter, being human, often speaks before he thinks. He rushes in with the wrong response! He is excited, can’t believe what he is seeing, and wants to prolong the moment, this glimpse of eternity. We can all think of moments we wished we could ‘bottle.’ I felt that when our son was growing up so fast, especially during his first year…I wanted him to move from crawling to walking…yet I grieved as well. Photographs and film help capture these moments in a permanent form, yet we know they do not really portray the person, or the event. Peter wants to hold on to this Kodak moment. ‘Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”’ These dwellings, or tents/tabernacles, are not just a means of keeping them here, of prolonging the moment, or making them comfortable. These tents are a link back to the time of the Exodus, when God was seen to dwell in the midst of the community, in a tent or tabernacle. The Jewish festival of Tabernacles (or Sukkot), one of the three harvest festivals, continues to celebrate this time in the desert, when Jews celebrate God’s bounty in nature as well as God’s protection. The festival of Tabernacles looks to the past and to the future: back to the time in the wilderness, and to the future when God will again ‘pitch God’s tent with God’s people.’ Peter wanted God’s presence to remain with them, to dwell with them. Peter is still confused, does not understand (but would we have understood?) But help is at hand. ‘While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” A divine interruption! The cloud: another symbol for God’s presence. Another symbol for the exodus where the cloud (God’s presence) went before the Israelites-a cloud during the day, a pillar of fire by night. God’s statement, about his beloved, confirms Jesus’ identity-as it did at his baptism. God’s Son. God says that His presence is already here, God already dwells among us, has, as it were ‘pitched his tent’ in the body of Jesus, the Christ. There is no need to make dwellings…just to recognise the one dwelling in your midst. The Epistle reading for today is 2 Peter1: 16-18. It is the only place, outside the Gospels, that mentions the Transfiguration. This passage declares that the eyewitnesses shared this event on the mountain, that it was not fiction: ‘For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.” (2 Peter 1:16-18) But does anything strike you as a little odd? The other disciples say nothing (or nothing is reported about their reactions.) God says “listen to him!” -but Jesus has been silent, except for speaking with Moses and Elijah. Does this refer to the previous chapter, with Jesus’ predictions about his suffering and death? Or..to verse 7 in today’s story: ‘But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” “Do not be afraid…” For God dwells with us. Transfiguration. Transformation. Change. The disciples descend the mountain, back to the valley, back to their work. Changed. A glimpse, a glimpse that would sustain them, that would continue to transform and change them. Does God’s light change us? Are we prepared to be transformed? Transfigured or disfigured? Does our faith change us? Do we allow the shocking events of our history change us? When people are disfigured, by ugly deeds done often in the quest of power, what do we do? It is too late to stop the Holocaust, the kingdom of darkness, or the dazzling brightness of the killing light of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima But our world still needs transformation, change. This Lent I ask that each one of us look inwards, into our hearts and souls-and shines God’s light into that dwelling, and be prepared to clean it up. Then…consider our brothers and sisters, here and elsewhere…and choose maybe one or two worthy causes that incite your passion. The veil needs lifting: work and pray as a faith community, to allow the power of love to light the world of others. Heaven and earth: touching. Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. May the ash of Auschwitz remind us of our need to remember, and change. Hiroshima: may the light of atomic blasts be eclipsed by the brightness of our love for each other. Light. A signal that darkness has ended, that day is beginning. To close with a Jewish story: ‘The Teacher sat around a blazing fire with a small number of students late at night. Their meandering conversation was broken by periods of silence when they all gazed at the stars and the moon. Following one of these periods when no one spoke, the Teacher asked a question: “How can we know when the night has ended and the day has begun?” Eagerly one young man answered, “You know the night is over and the day has begun when you can look off in the distance and determine which animal is your dog and which is the sheep. Is that the right answer, Teacher?” “It is a good answer,” the Teacher said slowly, “but it is not the answer I would give,” he said. After several minutes of discussion, a second student ventured a guess on behalf of the whole group. “You know the night is over and the day has begun when light falls on the leaves and you can tell whether it is a palm tree or a fig tree.” Once again the Teacher shook his head. “That was a fine answer, but it is not the answer I seek,” he said gently. The students began to argue with one another. Finally one of them begged the Teacher, “Answer your own question, Teacher, for we cannot think of another response.” The Teacher looked intently at the eager young faces before he began to speak. “When you look into the eyes of a human being and see a brother or sister you know that it is morning. If you cannot see a sister or brother you will know that it will always be night.” (from William R. White Stories for the Journey) Amen. ___________________________________________________ A sermon presented by the Rev Barbara Allen at St Aidan's
Uniting Church North Balwyn, on 6th
February, 2005. IT MAY BE
REPRODUCED WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT. |
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Page updated 09/03/05
