Transfiguration Sunday
28Now about eight days after these
sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the
mountain to pray. 29And while he was praying, the
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which
he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now Peter and his companions were
weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory
and the two men who stood with him. 33Just as they were leaving him,
Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make
three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" — not
knowing what he said. 34While he was saying this, a cloud
came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my
Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus
was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the
things they had seen.
37On the next day, when they had come
down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38Just then a man from the crowd
shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It
convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave
him. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could
not." 41Jesus answered, "You faithless
and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?
Bring your son here." 42While he was coming, the demon
dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit,
healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43And all were astounded at the
greatness of God.
Luke 9:28-36 (37-43)
Transfiguration
of Jesus
BLOCH,
Carl Heinrich
1872
King’s
Chapel
Frederiksborg
Palace
Denmark
Carl Bloch was a Danish painter who lived for seven years in
Rome where he was seduced and highly influenced by the classical art
surrounding him. He painted highly religious subjects in a very realistic and
lyrical style. He is most famous for his commission to produce 23 paintings for
the King's Chapel at the Frederiksborg Palace, Denmark. These were all scenes
from the life of Christ, painted between 1865 and 1879. Our painting today is
from that series. All figures, including Moses and Elijah, have their backs to
us. Only Christ, in blinding light, is facing us directly. Peter, James and
John in the foreground, despite the light, are in awe, looking and mesmerised
by what they see. Painting Christ, Moses and Elijah in white, does not just
convey the bright light, but also makes the figures almost sculptural… eternal…
The setting of our reading (reflected in our painting) is
important: Mount Tabor. By the time the Transfiguration happens, the tide of
popularity is turning against Jesus. The leaders are plotting and busy trying
to discredit Him. We have seen in quite a few of the Gospel readings these past
few days that Jesus is now asking what people (including the disciples) are
saying about Him. The Transfiguration before His three disciples on the top of
the mountain should have encouraged them to see that no matter what happened in
Jerusalem after this, He would triumph. After His death they realised this, but
maybe, now, at the actual moment when the Transfiguration happened, they didn't
fully realise what it meant. After this episode on Mount Tabor, it is literally
downhill from here… downhill to Jerusalem, downhill to face death…
Our
key to transforming anything
lies
in our ability to reframe it.
~
Marianne Williamson
Give
us the honesty to recognize,
and
the courage to reject,
whatever
indifference towards one another,
or
mutual distrust, or even enmity,
lies
hidden within us.
~
Fr. Gerry Reynolds
BUNCO!
Kelly
Selva, at Bunco, shows off her delightful
Highland
cattle sweatshirt.
Carolyn
Alexander, Sharron Leonard, and Rebecca Martin at Cafe Jordano’s.
Carolyn
Alexander and Jenny Edwards … we bumped into each other at King Soopers
…
We
do not draw people to Christ by loudly
discrediting
what they believe,
by
telling them how wrong they are
and
how right we are,
but
by showing them a light that is so lovely
that
they want with all their hearts
to
know the source of it.
~ Madeleine L’Engle
March 2, 2025 - Eighth (Last) Sunday
after the Epiphany - Year C
Transfiguration of our Lord
Previous OPQs may be found at:
12Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people
of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when
they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since
only in Christ is it set aside. 15Indeed, to this very day whenever
Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16but when one turns to the Lord, the
veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being
transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this
comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
1Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in
this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2We have renounced the shameful
things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word;
but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience
of everyone in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Agnus Day, by
James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
LECTIONARY
Exodus
34:29-35
Psalm
99
2
Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke
9:28-36, (37-43a)
THE WORD:
In the common lectionary, the gospel of Jesus’ transfiguration on Mount Tabor is read on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday, the “last” Sunday after Epiphany.
Luke’s account of the transfiguration is filled with First Testament imagery (the voice heard in the cloud, for example) that echoes the Exodus event. In Luke’s Gospel, the transfiguration takes place after Jesus’ instructions to his followers on the cost of discipleship. To follow Jesus is an “exodus” through one’s own desert to the Promised Land, through Jerusalem to the empty tomb, through death to life. In offering to build three booths (or shrines) to honor Jesus, Moses and Elijah, Peter and his sleepy companions do not understand that Jesus' exodus does not end with the glorious vision they have witnessed. It is only the beginning.
HOMILY THEMES:
The use of the Greek word “transfiguration” indicates that what the disciples saw in Jesus on Mount Tabor was a divinity that shone from within him. The coming Lenten season is a time for each of us to experience such a “transfiguration” within ourselves – that the life of God within us may shine forth in lives dedicated to compassion, justice and reconciliation.
The transfiguration of Jesus is a turning point in the Gospel: the beginning of a new exodus, Jesus’ difficult “Passover” from crucifixion to resurrection. As his disciples, we, too, are called to experience with Jesus the exodus of Jesus – an exodus that confronts us with the impermanence of this world and our own sinfulness, an exodus from this life to the life of God.
The season of Lent that begins this week calls us to transfiguration – to transform the coldness, sadness and despair around us through the compassion and love of Christ Jesus.
First Reading Exodus 34:29-35
29Moses
came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two
tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his
face shone because he had been talking with God. 30When Aaron and all the Israelites
saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near
him. 31But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the
congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in
commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his
face; 34but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he
would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the
Israelites what he had been commanded, 35the Israelites would see the face
of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil
on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
1The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned
upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2The LORD is great in Zion;
he is exalted over
all the peoples.
3Let them praise your great and
awesome name.
Holy is he!
4Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have
established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness
in Jacob.
5Extol the LORD our God;
worship at his
footstool.
Holy is he!
6Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was
among those who called on his name.
They cried to the
LORD, and he answered them.
7He spoke to them in the pillar of
cloud;
they kept his
decrees,
and the statutes
that he gave them.
8O LORD our God, you answered them;
you were a
forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of
their wrongdoings.
9Extol the LORD our God,
and worship at his
holy mountain;
for the LORD our
God is holy.
Second
Reading 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
12Since,
then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people
of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when
they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since
only in Christ is it set aside. 15Indeed, to this very day whenever
Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16but when one turns to the Lord, the
veil is removed. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18And all of us, with unveiled faces,
seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being
transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this
comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
1Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in
this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2We have renounced the shameful
things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word;
but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience
of everyone in the sight of God.
28Now
about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and
James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29And while he was praying, the
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which
he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32Now Peter and his companions were
weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory
and the two men who stood with him. 33Just as they were leaving him,
Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make
three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" — not
knowing what he said. 34While he was saying this, a cloud
came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my
Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 36When the voice had spoken, Jesus
was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the
things they had seen.
37On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a
great crowd met him. 38Just then a man from the crowd
shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. 39Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It
convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave
him. 40I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could
not." 41Jesus answered, "You faithless
and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you?
Bring your son here." 42While he was coming, the demon
dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit,
healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43And all were astounded at the
greatness of God.