transfiguration

Good morning sisters and brothers,
First, I'd like to thank Jan Bruns for sending out the daily readings while I've been on vacation. I had a wonderful and refreshing vacation, and knowing people like Jan and your wonderful elders were taking care of business back home helped me relax. Now I'm excited to get back to work.

Today's reading is a strange story, though it's one we read in the church each year. Jesus is transfigured in front of three of his disciples on a mountaintop and visits with Moses and Elijah. The story reinforces that Jesus is going to his glory in Jerusalem, so we usually read it the last Sunday before Lent begins. It also reveals Jesus' glory in a striking way to his disciples to help them see he is more than a king of prophet. Maybe this story can do the same for us. Maybe we need to be reminded that Jesus isn't just another person to admire, but is the Lord of our life. So let's listen to the heavenly voice and seek Jesus today.

God bless,
Sam

Mark 9:2-8

²Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, ³and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. ⁴And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. ⁵Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” ⁶He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” ⁸Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

transfiguration

Good morning brothers and sisters,
The transfiguration is an odd story, partly because the story doesn't really tell us what it means that Jesus was "transfigured." At the same time, the disciples come down the mountain much more sure that Jesus is God's son than when they went up the mountain with him. Then they ask why teachers say that Elijah comes first. They are referring to a tradition that Elijah comes to earth before the Messiah to get things ready. Jesus tells them that John the Baptist was Elijah for their age, but no one recognized him. If we know Jesus is the Messiah, how does that knowledge change us?

God bless,
Sam

Matthew 17:1-13

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”



6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. 9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” 10And the disciples asked him, “Why, then, do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 11He replied, “Elijah is indeed coming and will restore all things; 12but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but they did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man is about to suffer at their hands.” 13Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.

transfiguration

Good morning brothers and sisters,
It's great to be back in Rochester; thanks to Gary for sending out the daily readings while I was away. Today's readings are out of sequence for us because today is Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday before Lent begins. Matthew tells us the story of Jesus taking his three closest disciples: Peter, James and John, up a mountain with him. On the mountain they see him transfigured, which means they see a different side of him than they had seen before. They see him shining with light, and they see with him Moses and Elijah, both symbols of God's work in the past and signs of the promised Messiah. The scene makes it clearer to the disciples who Jesus is, confirming that God is with him in a special way.

We also read this passage from Exodus because Jesus' transfiguration and encounter with God on the mountain looks back to this story. God called Moses up the mountain to give Israel the law that "officially" sealed the covenant between God and Israel. Like in the transfiguration story, God appears as a cloud on a mountain. The transfiguration shows us that Jesus embodies a new covenant between God and humanity; our calling is to live into that new covenant by following Jesus.

Blessings,
Sam


Exodus 24:12-18

12The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. 14To the elders he had said, “Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.”


15Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. 18Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.



*Sunday

Matthew 17:1-9

1Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. 2And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. 3Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 5While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” 6When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. 7But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” 8And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

9As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”