Transfiguration Sunday

Today's Link
HEvencense

Saying for the Day
God gave us memories that we might have roses in December. ~J.M. Barrie, Courage, 1922
Picture of the Day
One of my Mountain Tops

In churches following the Common Lectionary this is Transfiguration Sunday ( Not to be confused with the Feast of the Transfiguration which in Orthodox and Catholic Churches is celebrated on August 6). It marks the end of the Epiphany Season. The Gospel is Mark 9:2-9.
This is the text that gives us the expression “ Mountain Top Experience”. Jesus takes three of his disciples up on the mountain and there he is transfigured. His garments begin to glow brighter than anything the disciples have ever seen. Since Epiphany is about the light of God breaking into the world through Christ this a wonderful way to bring the season to an end.
One of my problems with this text , over the years, is that I looked at the edge rather than the center of the text. On the edge is a scared to babbling Peter. He is familiar to me. He needs to talk. He can’t just stand there. I’ve been in Peter’s place so I feel with him. I preached that sermon.
Then there is Moses and Elijah also on the edge. They invite the preacher to see the coming together of Old and New Testaments. I’ve preached that sermon.
But they aren’t the center of the text. They aren’t the wrap up of Epiphany. Jesus is. Here the light shines at its brightest blinding us. Here the voice God announces that Jesus is his Son . Here The Father tells us to listen to the Son.. It is a mountain top experience. for the disciples. They will never forget it.
The problem with mountain top experiences is that you have come down
.
The disciples had to come down to a world where the garments of Jesus didn’t shine. A world in which some people would crucify Him. They had to come down.
Nobody gets to stay on the mountain. That’s the bad news.
I met Jesus at Bible Camp but at the end of the week I had to go home. I had to leave the mountain top where loving Jesus was good to go home where my experience was met with some disdain.
I went to the Great Charismatic Conference were Christians of all different denominations came together. I went up on the mountain and Jesus was closer to me than He had ever been. But I had to come down and go back to my parish. Back to teaching Confirmation, burying people, and all the other daily tasks of the Pastor.
One Sunday I looked out over the congregation and I could feel the Holy Spirit moving over the congregation. It was a remarkable experience. But I had to come down from that mountain and lead the liturgy where I left out a full page ( gleefully pointed out to me by the acolyte).
Nobody has to tell us we can’t stay on the mountain. We know it. We’ve been there.
But what we sometimes forget is we can go back and visit . God has given us memory. For a moment we can see and feel what we saw and felt on our mountain.
Those visits help to sustain us as we struggle to follow Christ to the cross.
I’m sure that in the difficult times after they came down from the mountain the disciples replayed the event over and over again in their minds and it gave them strength to go on.
My return visits to my mountain tops have certainly helped me.

News from Pigeon Falls

The little town in my basement where the trains still run, dragons fly, and life is back to normal.
Pastor Joan really got the congregation thinking this morning here is a part of her sermon:
“ I want you to come on the mountain with the disciples. I can’t tell you why. The disciples don’t know why.
Now look Jesus gets out ahead of you and stands on the side of the mountain.
Your not looking. Some of you are having such a hard time seeing this .
Lets try an experiment.
Close your eyes.
Now with your mind see Jesus. See Him standing there.
Oh! Look his robe is beginning to glow. It is getting brighter and brighter. You have never seen anything so bright. It’s a bit scarey isn’t it.
Now look two people are suddenly there talking to Him. Why it’s Moses and Elijah . But only Jesus is glowing.
Now listen. Hear the Father telling you that Jesus is his Son.
And one more thing. You should listen to Him.
Will you? “
At the coffee after the early service Herman said you know for a moment I really could see Jesus.

Wrap UP

It was one great day. I got up and the sun was shining. It wasn't warm but it looked so good. Church was just great. As I rolled around taking pictures of the Sunday School for the website I got to talk to the nicest people. The service had both the children's choir and the bell choir and both were uplifting. We had a hymn sing where the congregation picked the hymns and they really sang. The sermon was great as we move from Epiphany to lent. When we came home we had Apple Roast for dinner cooked in the slow cooker. All afternoon I worked on the Church website. I was learning some new things as I went along so that was good. I visited "toady's link" and all the links of people who commented yesterday. Now I need a breathing treatment,
GBYA

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