10 Feb 2013
Luke 9:28-43a (Transfiguration)
The gospel
lesson provides the climax of the season after Epiphany. The season is all
about light, beginning with the light of the star and concluding with Jesus
shining with the image of the glory of God. The mountaintop experience of
Peter, James and John is an echo of the Bethlehem experience of the
astrologers. The wise ones followed the light to find Jesus; the disciples
followed Jesus and found the light. The first three searched for a king and found
a child of humble birth; the latter three followed the humble rabbi Jesus and found
the chosen one, the messiah of God. The good news comes full circle: In Jesus,
the man of Nazareth, God has come to us. Jesus is the one promised through
Moses and the prophets: The one who is God’s chosen shepherd.
Peter’s
first instinct was to get busy. Peter started talking about his plans to build
three houses, one each for Jesus and Moses and Elijah; but God interrupted him
and said, “Listen!” Some think Peter's impulse to build "three dwellings" is akin to the church's impulse to build monuments and cathedrals. I like to think that Peter was establishing a kind of first-century Habitat for Humanity project. Peter was just itching to get busy!
Busyness may
be the hallmark of the reformed religion. Our 17th century predecessors used to
say that the devil makes work for idle hands, so they kept busy. Peter’s
instinct was very UCC: right away he wanted to DO something. Many people are
drawn to the United Church of Christ, to liberal Christianity in general,
because we put our faith into action. We are doers. The heading of our church
stationery carries a United Church of Christ motto from the 80’s: “To believe
is to care, to care is to do.” That’s true, and it is very Jamesian, by which I mean very true to the epistle of James. But
like all mottos, this one is only partly true. Slogans have their limits.
God
interrupted Peter. God interrupted Peter’s good intentions; God interrupted
Peter’s mission. Let us entertain for a moment the notion that Peter wasn’t the
only one interrupted. Until that time Jesus too was busy, healing the sick, casting
out demons. After that moment, Jesus turned his face toward Jerusalem. He continued to do good, but the focus of the
mission changed. Perhaps Moses and Elijah came to say, “Jesus. What are you
doing? Listen!”
“God is
still speaking,” is another United Church of Christ slogan, and the one that is
particularly appropriate for this gospel story. “This is my beloved son,” the
voice of God said, “listen to him!” The interrupting God and the still-speaking God are one. If God is
still speaking, we should stop and listen, and allow God to interrupt the
course of our lives. If we are following Jesus' way, and not our own way, then, once
in a while we need to stop for directions. We don’t need a mountaintop
experience, but we do need to stop and listen, and allow God to be at work in
our hearts and minds and souls. Before, during, and after we get busy, we stop
and listen.
Worship is standing in the presence of the glory of God, listening.
Worship is standing in the presence
of the glory of God, listening. Yes, worship is an interruption, but it is an
essential interruption. All the good deeds that need to be done can wait, while
we stop and listen. God is still speaking. Listen.
Homework:
Here is a
simple practice, we can do every day. It comes from a monastic tradition, so it
is tried and true. Monastic apparently practice this twice a day, once at noon
time and once at night, but if we can manage even one daily interruption, well, that would be something and better than nothing! Give it a try this Lenten season.
1. Become aware of God’s presence.
2. Review the day with gratitude.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.
4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it.
5. Look toward tomorrow.
