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SERMONS

Feast of the Transfiguration
August 6, 2006

"You know, I have never met the person who is living the life that they thought they would live."

Perhaps you have met that person?

It is a phrase that is often on my lips when I am with someone who is so completely overwhelmed with confusion and grief, with hurt and loss, that there really is nothing reasonable to say.

When the end is so seemingly final.

"You know, none of us is living the life we thought we would live; You know, you are really not supposed to know how to do THIS" . . . it just seems to take the edge off a bit.

None of us is given a crystal ball, so that we can know what tomorrow brings. And if we were given that crystal ball, would we know how to look into it; would we want to look into it?

Jesus and his friends go up a mountain to pray. Whenever folks go up a mountain in scripture - we should hear as "exit stage left," a kind of stage cue that something of great consequence is happening.

Jesus is transfigured - metamorphosed - before them. All of the arrows are pointing to a fulfillment of the Old Testament promises, to the Law and the Prophets, to Moses and Elijah.

For a moment, Jesus is caught up in a kind of biblical crystal ball of God's shepherding of Israel. Jesus is illuminated with the two principle luminaries of the Old Testament story of God leading and protecting God's
children: Moses and Elijah. Looking into this transfiguring crystal ball, the portrait of God's story is complete, or that we know the rest of the story.

And then there is Peter, "bless his heart" as we say. Peter is going to bird- dog this situation, and get it under control; he becomes the slumbering man who awakes immediately to action. "We gonna get us three booths up here, and get this thing straightened out; finally something I can understand."

Peter is looking into the crystal ball and thinks that he understands what is needed; he is prepared to offer his gift, and build a shrine of three booths to commemorate this vision.

And then like some great creature moving upon them, the shadow of God moves over them . . . and Peter becomes frightened. "He did not know what he was saying . . . {Repeat}" As the gravity, the weight, and the power of God moves upon them, Peter becomes less sure of his read on the situation.

Peter was ready with his gift, only to discover that his gift was not the right gift for the right moment . . . he though that he was living in one sort of moment, only to discover that God was making it another kind of moment.

Peter was looking at the illuminated moment and seeing one thing, when God was trying to show him something else. How we have all been like Peter - bless his heart.

"Listen to him . . . Listen to him.

Stop your talking and your planning and your reaction Peter; put down your agenda and listen to him. Put down your notions what might be good and acceptable right now, and listen to him.

Bless his heart, Peter did not know the rest of the story at that moment; he did not know what he would actually find in that crystal ball; something so much more than building three booths to mark a beautiful moment on a mountain.

God is about to teach Peter, and anyone who follows Christ, that they will live the life they never imagined they would live. The illumination of the mountain must be found in the valleys, where there are crosses to bear and lives to change.

Peter will learn the acceptable gift, and what this transfiguration of the world actually means. Peter will learn that it is loving where love does not seem possible or probable, it is forgiveness for the very things we cannot forgive ourselves, and others, it is trust precisely where the light of faith fades, that brings a transfiguration worth living for, rather than simply commemorating. The mount of Transfiguration must pass through the valleys of the Cross; so that this light that is temporary might be made eternal.

"No one is living the life that they thought they would live."

It is also a phrase that is on my lips when I am with someone who is overwhelmed with God's goodness and grace. When the invitation to bear the cross of forgiveness and suffering, to love, actually brings with it a transfiguration; so that what was once darkness becomes light; what was grief becomes joy.

That as well is something that we could have never seen in our crystal ball.

We are surprised; perhaps we are afraid. Where we thought there was an ending, there is a new beginning. Where we thought there would only be death, we find a new life.

"You feel joy, you feel hope? It's all right, you are not supposed to know how to do this; why don't we just listen to Him for a while."