If you are more into listening than reading, Words Twice a Week is available, along with other good stuff, as a podcast from St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Click here.
Some thoughts on some of the lectionary texts for this Sunday, last after Epiphany, Transfiguration
2 Kings 2.1-12
+ From Elijah to Elisha, succession, transfer of power. Seems like a timely issue. How do we transfer power and authority from one leader to another – in congregations? In politics?
+ Elisha’s loyalty – especially as compared to Jesus’ disciples! Curious “test” requiring “loyal disobedience” – Elijah keeps telling Elisha to stay put and he keeps answering “No way!” What do you think is involved in Elisha’s refusal to “leave” (apparently the original word could be translated “abandon”) Elijah – loyalty? Fear of being left behind, alone? We could translate Elijah’s question “What can I give you to reassure you?” What do we do, can we do, to reassure those coming after us – in the church, in our community, in the world?
+ what do you make of Elisha’s request?
+ the whole story is interesting, intriguing, “cool” the first 8-10 times, then gets a little stale, at least to me. Maybe if we acted it out? Interesting that chapter 1 of 2 Kings is a similar three episode story in which the king dies after Elijah’s interference. So in ch 1 the king dies, in ch 2 Elijah ascends. And vs 13-18 show us that Elisha’s power is recognized, and a 50 person (reflecting the 50 soldiers from ch1?) “search and rescue” attempt to find Elijah is unsuccessful . Further proof that he did actually ascend.
+ the exodus motif (or meme – where would Bernie be sitting in this picture?). They go from Bethel to Jericho to the Jordan and then through the Jordan (to the wilderness beyond? The wilderness being where “life is not yet regimented by human control.”) Note that Moses also died/departed from the other side of the Jordan.
+ the fiery horses and chariot – “Swing down, let me ride!”
Psalm 50.1-6
+ God shines! And God calls – to account. (And the rest of the psalm suggests, all is not well!) God’s people are those bound by the covenant, and their relationship with God is shaped by that covenant. God loves us, but our relationship is defined by the covenant.
+ so Epiphany leads to judgment, if we continue to the end of the psalm.
2 Cor 4.3-6
+ “things hidden” are hidden from those who are lost. So there is a moment of “being found” and then a continuing message to be heard? Last week we looked at different kinds of preaching – this would be preaching not to convert and save but to instruct and encourage?
+ Paul says we see ourselves as your slave/servant for Jesus’ sake. So the church is not a servant just of Jesus, but also of one another and the world around us.
+ We, the church today, just as the folks in Corinth, face real opposition, particularly in different factions of our culture. “The conflict is real. God has initiated the momentous encounter by striking the decisive blow in Jesus Christ, but the powers of this age have by no means capitulated, and their methods of response are cunning. They find clever ways to divert the minds of potential believers.” Seems true to me in the political, cultural sphere as well as the faith sphere.
Mark 9.2-9
+ So then the Transfiguration. A “middle story” in Mark’s gospel, with many themes and images that relate to what came before and what comes after. The extended section begins with Jesus healing a blind man,
then Peter’s confession (You are the Messiah!),
then the first “Passion prediction” (and it is clear Peter does not know what he is talking
about!),
then the Transfiguration,
then Jesus heals a boy,
then the second Passion prediction,
then some other stuff,
then Jesus heals Blind Bartimaeus.
So who really sees, who sees Jesus as he is?
+ Peter, James, and John – the inner circle. Note that while we “saw” Jesus get baptized, they did not. Now the voice from heaven speaks to them, not to Jesus (as it had at his baptism). But Peter obviously does not understand – one writer says he basically wants to turn the event into a photo op; he rejects the suffering but wants to cling to the glory. Well, I guess that’s not that much different from you and me.
+ Note Mk 9.1 says “after 6 days” – what’s that about?
+ The voice says “Listen to him”, but then all Jesus says is “Don’t tell until….” The full story cannot be grasped/understood/told without the cross. (We’ve been noting the Messianic Secret – Jesus doesn’t want to be known except through/with the cross.) What happens when we leave the cross out? Does this make us more comfortable with some of the “cross hymns”?
+ Moses and Elijah – the law and the prophets?, they both have “exodused” in one way or another. When the light fades, they have vanished – the old (covenant?) has passed away and the new has come?
+ A poem by Madeleine L’Engle
Suddenly they saw him the way he was,
the way he really was all the time,
although they had never seen it before,
the glory which blinds the everyday eye
and so becomes invisible.
This is how he was, radiant, brilliant,
carrying joy like a flaming sun in his hands.
This is the way he was – is – from the beginning,
and we cannot bear it.
So he manned himself, came manifest to us;
and there on the mountain
they saw him, really saw him, saw his light.
We all know that if we really see him we die.
But isn’t that what is required of us?
Then, perhaps, we will see each other, too.
That’s what I got for now…
Comments are moderated – by me – and may take a day to appear
No comments:
Post a Comment