Meditation on the Transfiguration

May the meditations of our hearts lead us into your presence, O God.  And may the Holy Spirit lead us towards greater understanding of your image reflected in us.  Amen.

Please make sure that the copies of this icon are spread evenly throughout all of you.  Pass them around so that everyone spends some time holding one and looking closely at it.  Feel free to move around during this meditation and come up to look at the original.  The Gospel will be read as part of this meditation.

(Icon of the transfiguration by Elizabeth Huestis, 2009)

As we prepare to start our journey through lent, we are called to examine ourselves.  We are called not to give up something that is part of us, but to discover and bring out that which is truly us.

Let us pray.

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray.

Jesus often went to mountains or to the wilderness to pray.  Mountains were seen as places where you came closer to God.  The wilderness was a place of self discovery.  Both were places to go to be away from all distractions.

And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.

Jesus was not changed.  A greater truth about him was revealed to Peter, John, and James.  This is called the Transfiguration of Jesus.  Transfiguration is not a change in fact.  It is a change in perspective.  A change in how we perceive the world.  Transfiguration shows us a deeper truth about now.  This is different from revelation which shows us a truth which may be partly true now but is rooted in the future.  Such as the revelation of the Kingdom of God.

Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him.  They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.

In Jesus Christ the prophesies of Moses and Elijah are fulfilled.  The prophets deliver those prophesies directly to Jesus.

Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.

We resist seeing transfiguration.  We are much more comfortable seeing the world as we know it to be especially when we are confronted with a reality which is different from our understanding.

Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah"-- not knowing what he said.

Even when we keep our eyes open, we are often unable to understand what is shown to us by God.

While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.

We are not capable of understanding the full image of God.  Every time God interacts directly with people in the Bible God is either obscured, partially hidden, or represented by something else such as a pillar of fire.  The face, or image of God, is not within the capabilities of our perception.  Transfiguration allows us to stretch the abilities of our perception and to grow in understanding.

Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"

God speaks to us directly.

When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

Witnessing a transfiguration is a very personal event.  It is a personal glimpse of God’s message to us.  It is a command to share not the event itself, but the truth which it revealed.

Remembrance Day Lament

I speak to you in the name of the one who died so that we might be free. Amen.


How many need to die before we finally get it?

How many need to come home wounded in mind and body?

How many need to sit at home praying that they will see their loved ones again, fearing that every call will be the one bringing news of their death?

Why, O God, do we have to hear over and over again about another soldier lost, more civilian casualties, the ongoing ravages of war?

We are all God’s beloved.

We are all made in God’s own image.

Why can’t we see that in each other?

Why can’t we respect our brothers and sisters?

Why can’t we look for what we have in common?

Why can’t we find joy in exploring our differences?

We give thanks to you, O God, that you hear our lament.

We give thanks to you, our Creator, that you made us in your image.

We give thanks to you, our Redeemer, that you walked among us to share our broken humanity.

We give thanks to you, our Sustainer, that you share our grief and take our fallen into the company of your saints.

Our Call to DO - And the Reasons Why

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.


For about two months now, I have been talking about Back to Church Sunday.

We’ve talked about the studies which tell us that there are lots of people out there who only need to be invited to church by someone who really wants them to come.

We have talked about the huge success it has been in other churches in our own diocese.

We’ve talked about how it will only work if every single one of us commits to making it work. We all have to believe that there are good reasons to come to church. We all have to want our friends and neighbours to be here.

Well, it’s obvious that you believe that church is important. I got nearly ninety responses about this I they are all thoughtful answers.

I got twenty-three answers telling God and me what you are willing to do to show this to the community. Five of those were from people who were here from other communities.

I hate to say it, but I feel like the widow in our Gospel today. Coming to church is a very good thing, but it is empty if it doesn’t carry past that door. At the end of every service, we are called to go out and share the good news. We are called to go out and act on our beliefs. We are called not to just be but to DO!


For the next few minutes, I would like you to think really hard about what each of you are going to DO to share the good news. I don’t want you to tell me what it is. I just want you to do it.

While you do that, I am going to read a list of reasons why church is important. This list comes to me from a very reliable source.

A sharing of beliefs and talents
An expression of my small part in a greater world
Because I am a sinner
Belong to the church and pray for others
Church gives me a sense of the connectedness of all people
church gives me peace
Church to me is a circle of love, peace and joy
Closeness to God
Earthly good
Everyone could pray anywhere, but I need the feel of church and the people around me
Friends
Gathering with the community on a regular basis to share in the common cup
Gives me strength of mind and body
Gives me the spirit
God keeps me coming to church
Going to church gives me a feeling of peace and stability
Going to church makes me feel more a part of our community
Helps comfort me
I am comfortable in church
I am thankful for my family
I believe in God and I like to pray and give thanks to God for everything that he has given us in this world
I come for a sense of community
I come to pray and find it a peaceful place to be with others.
I enjoy being part of a family
I enjoy going to church. It keeps me happy and close to my friends.
I enjoy sermons - able to reflect on their meaning in my life
I enjoy the peace and sense of community it brings
I enjoy the services and the singing.
I enjoy worshiping with friends.
I feel a need to come
I feel at peace when I leave
I feel closer to god and my community
I feel nearer to God and my community
I feel the need occasionally to be with other people at time of prayer
I go to church to gather with others to pray
I go to church to hear the word of God and the prayers.
I keep coming to exercise my love of God in worship
I like to see and hear the lessons that are read and the word of God
I love God my creator
I need church in my life
I need Jesus in my life
I want our children to love church the way I do
I was brought up to go to church
I wish I could see Jesus
If I get up and don't feel like going to church, I talk to myself and say if it was a card game I'd be there, so I go
It begins my week with confidence
It gives me my own beliefs that I can control and cannot be influenced by others
It helps me feel closer to God and to learn more about him
It is a place where everyone gathers and I know I will always see familiar, smiling faces.
It soothes and reassures me
It was God who saved my life from addiction and from congestive heart enlargement
It's our duty
Keeps me whole and fresh
Make me feel good inside
My dad is the priest
My faith in God
My faith is my life
My faith keeps me coming to church
My need for glofifying God
Peace and tranquility
Peace, quiet, connection with God and other people in my community
People feel a need or connection when they go to church
Praise and prayers
Prayers
Respect for parents and other loved ones that cannot be here
Sense of belonging to a spiritual group
Setting an example for others to come
So many blessings to be thankful for
Spiritual guidance and peace
The chance to be with the family of our Father
The even keel it gives my life
The love and friendship of all
The opportunity to serve in any capacity I am able
To do good for my community
To expand my faith
To find comfort in praying in the presence of other people
To give thanks to God.
To hear the word of God
To help in church and parish life
To hold the community together and meed people
To keep me close to God
To partake in the Lord's Supper (obligation)
To please God and do his will
To pray for family and friends
To share my faith with my church family and to pray for others less fortunate
To worship and feel a sense of closeness with my community
To worship God
To worship God and make me feel great
Worship God who gave up his son for me and my sins


What a wonderful list.

Thanks be to God.

By the Waters of Babylon

Loving God, we know that you are there for us in good times and bad. Help us today to acknowledge the pain in our lives and give it to you. Amen.


By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept.
Sometimes life sucks.
There are days when nothing goes right.

As for our harps, we hung them up.
It is hard to rejoice when those we love are sick or dying.

How shall we sing the Lord’s song upon an alien soil?
How can we make ourselves sing when our hearts are breaking?
Sometimes the Lord’s song is a lament.
Sometimes what we have to say to God is full of despair.
Sometimes what we have to say to God is angry.

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
Those days when we feel like staying home, staying in bed, being entirely alone – those are the days when we truly need God.
When we feel the most alone, that is when we need to remember that God is always with us.

Remember the day of Jerusalem, O Lord, against the people of Edom, who said, “Down with it! down with it! even to the ground!”
Forgiveness is not the same as forgetting.
If we forget what has been done to us, we are fooling ourselves.
To forgive, we need to let it go.
We need to give it to God.

O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy the one who pays you back for what you have done to us!
It is okay to be angry.
It is right to give our anger to God.

Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, and dashes them against the rock!
Our true feelings can be ugly.
There is no safer place to share our feelings and our anger.
God is listening.
God hears us.
God shares in our pain.



Psalm 137

By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, *
  when we remembered you, O Zion.
As for our harps, we hung them up *
  on the trees in the midst of that land.

For those who led us away captive asked us for a song,
and our oppressors called for mirth: *
  ”Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”
How shall we sing the Lord’s song *
  upon an alien soil?

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, *
  let my right hand forget its skill.
Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you, *
  if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

Remember the day of Jerusalem, O Lord,
against the people of Edom, *
  who said, ”Down with it! down with it!
  even to the ground!”
O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, *
  happy the one who pays you back
  for what you have done to us!

Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, *
  and dashes them against the rock!


Please keep your copy of the psalm at hand during today’s meditation. Refer to it as often as you wish, particularly during the third song (psalm 137 as found in the Czech-language Bible of Kralice.)


By the Waters of Babylon – David Drury (Russian)
By the Waters of Babylon I Drove My Car – Dudley Saunders
Ten Biblical Songs, Op. 99: No. 7 – Antonin Dvorak

Christ's Ascension Charge to Us

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.


Who here knows what special day we celebrated on Thursday in the church? – Anyone?


We just celebrated ascension day. Some pretty special things happened long ago on ascension day. According to the Bible, this is the last day that anyone saw Jesus walking among them in the flesh. On that day, his closest followers saw him rise up or ascend through the clouds.

This may seem like a big deal, but really it isn’t. After all, Elijah did the same quite a bit earlier (though he did need the help of a fiery chariot). Ascending is not the amazing part of the ascension.

So what is important about the ascension? – We have a clue to it in today’s Gospel. Jesus said “The glory that you have given me I have given them.”

All through the Easter season we have been talking about the risen Christ. About what it means to us that Christ rose from the dead and walked again among his followers. We talked about God’s gifts of the sacraments and of the Church. We talked about God being with us no matter what happens. We talked about God’s unending love. We talked about all this and much more.

“The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Jesus is talking with our Father in heaven. When he says this, Jesus is passing on his purpose in the world to his followers … to us. Jesus, in that last day walking on Earth, gave us his greatest gift of all. He gave us the ability to carry out his purpose. He gave us the gift of unconditional love. He gave us the gift of being able to see the Kingdom of God.

Together with these great gifts, Jesus gave us a great challenge. … He sent us out to use these gifts. He told us to carry on in his name. He charged us with bringing about the Kingdom of God.

That is certainly something that deserves at least a few minutes to think about. (Several minutes of silence)