Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck
the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two
of them crossed on dry ground...a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated
the two of them and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. [2 Kings 2:8, 11b]
The Lord, the God of gods...Our God will come
and not keep silence... [Psalm 50:1a, 3a]
Even if the gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who
are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the
unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of
Christ, who is the image of God. [2 Corinthians 4:3-4]
And [Jesus] was transfigured before them, and his clothes
became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them...Then a cloud
overshadowed them, and from the cloud came a voice, "This is my Son, the
Beloved; listen to him!" [Mark
9:2b-3, 7]
It isn't all that difficult,
these days, to imagine the Transfiguration scene given all the special effects
available for the making of films and television, like 3D IMAX. And, while the
Transfiguration is, most likely, the focal point for this week's sermons across
many Christian pulpits, don't discard the other astounding moments we're given
with Elijah such as water getting parted. It is a moment easy to overlook but
here it is: Elijah struck the water with his rolled
mantle and the water was parted. It is surprising, to me, in its
subtlety. No multitudes on a grand escape with a chasing army close on their
heels. A simple: part the waters and walk on dry ground and into an
ascension.
Many who don't remember details about the Hebrew/Old Testament may know that someone named Elijah was carried to heaven in a
chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire; think of the spiritual Swing
Low, Sweet Chariot. But we sometimes don't equate that lift-off
with ascension. Elijah didn't die. He just ascended to heaven in a
whirlwind after parting the Jordan river with his cloak! Maybe we should look a
little closer at Elijah. After all, as he appeared on the Mount of
Transfiguration along with Moses, it seems that he and Moses had a lot in
common.
There’s also Elisha, the heir apparent to Elijah,
who repeated three times when Elijah said stay here…, “As
the Lord and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” Various
prophets met them as they were hiking their way to the Jordan River and asked
if Elisha knew his master was being taken away, 3 times Elisha replied, Yes
I know; be silent. Imagine the sight of that chariot and the horses,
the fire, and the whirlwind ~ would Elisha receive the inheritance he’d asked
for? An epic story in so few paragraphs.
The Psalmist is clear that God
reveals himself in glory…Our God will come and will not keep silence and
so we must watch and wait and know that God calls the heavens and the
earth from above to witness the judgment of his people, are we prepared?
Paul speaks of a veiled Gospel, that
is, hidden from those who are perishing in the darkness of
unbelieving. He tells us that the god of this world has blinded the
minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of
the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. We are to seek the
removal of our spiritual blinders that keep us tied to earth-bound distractions
that keep us from knowing and proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord…the
glory of God in the face of Jesus…
Of course the main event this
Sunday is The Transfiguration. It is one of the five major markers in the life
of Jesus along with his Baptism, Crucifixion, Resurrection, and Ascension. Each
event is spectacular in its own right and each gives rise to disbelief, even
among those who were present. This particular Gospel moment is located
high up on the holy ground of the/a Mountain; which specific mountain is a
matter of discussion and debate among scholars and tour leaders. But let us be
released from unbelief and the need for factual details. Be enveloped in the
mystery, in the "shekinah" [shek-ih-nah] ~ the cloud of God's
glory.
Jesus takes
Peter, James, and John on a hike up a high mountain, with no particular
explanation given. Suddenly he was transfigured…his clothes became
dazzling white… What exactly does that mean? Transfigured and
transformed though similar are different. Jesus transfigured with a full-on
external change, an outward and visible sign of the Divinity co-existing within
his Humanity. When we ask to be transformed, we are asking for an internal
change, an inward attitude and motivation upgrade as to be transformed by
the renewing of our minds [see Romans 12:2].
And then, Elijah and Moses appeared and the trio
were having a conversation as a cloud, the shekinah, overshadowed
them, and out of it came a voice, This is my Son, the
Beloved; listen to him!
I envision the Michaelangelo
painting in the Sistine Chapel of Adam's finger nearly touching God's, and on
this high Whichever Mountain, I can see a brilliantly radiant, lighted figure
who is suddenly at the center where Human and Divine meet and connect within. A
spark ignites and The Cloud envelopes the visages of Jesus, Elijah, and Moses,
and the dazzling brilliance is too difficult to look at. Take a moment to imagine
the scene, breathe it all in, and just sit in the experience.
The Light of Christ is always on and always
within us. In every moment of darkness or doubt, if we choose to lift the
veil we will know the Light if only a distant flicker at first. To reach
the pinnacle of Christ shining through us we must listen and follow the His path,
no matter how steep, rising, if only metaphorically, to a thin place where we
encounter and experience the full Presence of God. A place where we meet God,
Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is known as a “thin place,” meaning the barest/thinnest
of cloud or vapor, wall, or window between our reach for and God’s Holy reach
into our souls. A thin place may also be a literal place that inspires a
sense of breathtaking wonder of God’s Creation and heart-peace within you. It's
time for us to pry open the eyes of our souls and spiritually locate within us that
place of thin connection to the Holy.
LET US,
GOD’S PEOPLE, PRAY
Leader: ~
O God of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, guide us away from earthly noise and
distraction to consciously seek the lifting of the Gospel veil, that we may
listen, and live according to Your Word and Wisdom, in the dry and the sacred
ground of our being.
Christ, Most Glorious
RESPONSE: Shine Your Light in and through us
~ O God
of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, enfold the leaders of our Planet, our
Country, and our Community in the of fullness of Your Spirit. Beckon and encourage
all blinded minds with a heaven-sent whirlwind of spiritual fire, to illuminate
the path of Your Truth, Justice, and Mercy. We pray especially for: add
your own petitions
Christ, Most Glorious
Shine
Your Light in and through us
~ O God
of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, grant comfort and healing to all who suffer
in body, mind, or spirit, and lighten the hearts of all who give care and
support. We now join our hearts to pray for those in need… add
your own petitions
Christ, Most Glorious
Shine
Your Light in and through us
~ O God
of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, ease the darkness of grief across this
Earth for those we have sent ahead, who now live again in Your eternal
radiance. We pray especially for… add your own petitions
Christ, Most Glorious
Shine Your Light in and through us
~ O God
of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, we pause in this moment to
offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and
memorials… add your own petitions
Christ, Most Glorious
Shine Your Light in and through us
~ O God
of Mystery and Dazzling Splendor, enliven and excite the spirits of all
who lead us in Your church, that they may be a luminous beacon to guide us
across this life’s troubled waters toward the wholeness of eternal life in
You. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Christ, Most Glorious
Shine Your Light in and through us
The
Celebrant adds: O God of
gods, Lord of All That Is, infuse us with greater strength and
purpose to faithfully reaffirm our covenant with You. Arouse our desire to
ascend the highest peak our souls can reach, to be dazzled by the heart of
Christ ~ where Divine and Human connect ~ and to be transformed in our
own hearts and minds and wills. We ask through Jesus, the Beloved Face of God;
and the Mystical Breath of the Holy Spirit within us; who together with You
reign as One God, now and forever. Amen.
