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| 9 Pentecost The Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ 6 August, 2006 The Rev. Robert C. Granfeldt |
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Today is what I guess one could call a “second tier” Feast Day.
There are seven Principal Feasts that mark the year on our Ecclesiastical Calendar:
Easter Day, Ascension Day, The Day of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day,
Christmas Day, and the Feast of the Epiphany.
Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity are, of course, all Sunday Feasts. Ascension Day, being
the fortieth day of the Resurrection, always falls on a Thursday. And each of the last
three – All Saints’ Day, Christmas and the Epiphany, has its own date – November 1st,
December 25th, and January 6th, and are celebrated no matter what day of the week
they fall on.
Most other Feasts appointed on fixed calendar days never take precedence over the
regular Sunday Celebration but are transferred, when they fall on a Sunday, to the
first open day in the week! That’s because every Sunday is considered a Feast Day of
our Lord!
But there are three odd days – three of what I called “second tier” feasts that, while
they’re feasts of the Lord, are secondary, but do take precedence of Sundays: The
Feasts of the Holy Name, of the Presentation, and – today’s Feast – the
Transfiguration!
This Feast also has another distinction, in that the story commemorated in the Gospel
for this Feast, is read on another Sunday, as well – the Last Sunday after the
Epiphany! On that day, though, the story is told in the regular three year rotation –
Matthew’s version in the “A” year; Luke’s in the “B” year, and Mark’s in Year C, while
Luke’s version is always read on the Feast of the Transfiguration, regardless of the
day. Which means that we hear the story of the Transfiguration at least one Sunday
every year – and in some years, twice!
It’s an important day!
But I especially like it because of Peter’s role in it. You know I just love Peter – the
big oaf! I’ve mentioned it a number of times – how he never quite seems to get it;
how he’s too impetuous for his own good; how he manages, so often, to say just the
wrong thing. And the scene in this morning’s gospel is not only no exception, it’s
probably the best example!
Here is Jesus, who has taken Peter and John and James up on the mountain, to pray.
As usual, the three can’t keep up with him, and while he’s praying, they’re drowsy,
nearly falling asleep – just as they will on that last night with Jesus, in the Garden,
just before his arrest! But suddenly, everything changes! Suddenly Jesus’ face
changes, and his clothing, and he begins to glow as Moses had when he came down
from speaking with the Lord on Mount Sinai. And there appear, with him, two of the
greatest figures of the Old Testament – Moses, the receiver and proclaimer of the
Law, and Elijah, the first of the great prophets of Israel – talking!
So the three Apostles have been favored with a vision of two of the greatest figures
of their history, of their scriptures, speaking to their leader, who has been
transformed and is aglow with the power and glory of God – and good old,
dependable Peter misses the point, again!
Gee, whiz, Jesus – it’s really great that we’re here! How about if we make three little
huts for you – one little house for each of you!
Now I do need to point out that it is true that Peter was clearly the leader of that band
of Apostles – and one of the reasons that he so often seems more than a little bit
clueless is that he is usually the spokesman for the group – asking the questions and
making the comments that they all share! But if the great theologian, St. Thomas
Aquinas, could be given the nickname, “the Dumb Ox,” I think I can be excused for
calling St. Peter an oaf – as long as we remember who he really was.
In fact, his “oafness” ought to be something of a comfort to the rest of us! If Peter
can be as obtuse as he so often shows himself, then perhaps we can be excused,
ourselves, when we just don’t get it, either!
But, of course, this day, this Gospel, are not about Peter. They’re about Jesus Christ!
And they tell us that this man, this Anointed one, this Christ, is not just another
religious leader – not just a lawgiver, like Moses; not just a prophet, like Elijah – but
the son of God, God’s chosen one, to whom we are called to listen!
But we can learn something more, something that’s also important about the Christ
when we do look at the incomprehension of his closest friends and followers,
because precisely their failure to “get it” says something to us about the Anointed
one!
It says that if even these best of the best don’t “get it,” we shouldn’t be surprised
when we don’t either!
And it tells us that our Lord is not only beyond our expectations, he’s beyond our
comprehension, and beyond, even our imaginings! It tells us that this is someone we
cannot put in a box – someone we can never anticipate, never fully understand! It
tells us that he will always catch us unawares as he reveals himself to us. It tells us
that he will constantly surprise us as he lets his will be known, and as he calls us to
his service – that his will is the will of God, and not our own! It tells us that our words,
our ideas, and our neat little categories can never really define or describe him!
And it tells us that, just as Jesus was transfigured in the sight of his chief apostles,
so he calls us to be open to being, likewise transfigured – not in the glow of our
faces, or the color of our garments, but in the shape and the breadth and the
openness of our minds, our hearts and our souls.
It tells us that when Jesus calls us – we need to be open – and ready – for anything!
And it tells us we need to listen to him! In His Name. Amen.
There are seven Principal Feasts that mark the year on our Ecclesiastical Calendar:
Easter Day, Ascension Day, The Day of Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, All Saints’ Day,
Christmas Day, and the Feast of the Epiphany.
Easter, Pentecost, and Trinity are, of course, all Sunday Feasts. Ascension Day, being
the fortieth day of the Resurrection, always falls on a Thursday. And each of the last
three – All Saints’ Day, Christmas and the Epiphany, has its own date – November 1st,
December 25th, and January 6th, and are celebrated no matter what day of the week
they fall on.
Most other Feasts appointed on fixed calendar days never take precedence over the
regular Sunday Celebration but are transferred, when they fall on a Sunday, to the
first open day in the week! That’s because every Sunday is considered a Feast Day of
our Lord!
But there are three odd days – three of what I called “second tier” feasts that, while
they’re feasts of the Lord, are secondary, but do take precedence of Sundays: The
Feasts of the Holy Name, of the Presentation, and – today’s Feast – the
Transfiguration!
This Feast also has another distinction, in that the story commemorated in the Gospel
for this Feast, is read on another Sunday, as well – the Last Sunday after the
Epiphany! On that day, though, the story is told in the regular three year rotation –
Matthew’s version in the “A” year; Luke’s in the “B” year, and Mark’s in Year C, while
Luke’s version is always read on the Feast of the Transfiguration, regardless of the
day. Which means that we hear the story of the Transfiguration at least one Sunday
every year – and in some years, twice!
It’s an important day!
But I especially like it because of Peter’s role in it. You know I just love Peter – the
big oaf! I’ve mentioned it a number of times – how he never quite seems to get it;
how he’s too impetuous for his own good; how he manages, so often, to say just the
wrong thing. And the scene in this morning’s gospel is not only no exception, it’s
probably the best example!
Here is Jesus, who has taken Peter and John and James up on the mountain, to pray.
As usual, the three can’t keep up with him, and while he’s praying, they’re drowsy,
nearly falling asleep – just as they will on that last night with Jesus, in the Garden,
just before his arrest! But suddenly, everything changes! Suddenly Jesus’ face
changes, and his clothing, and he begins to glow as Moses had when he came down
from speaking with the Lord on Mount Sinai. And there appear, with him, two of the
greatest figures of the Old Testament – Moses, the receiver and proclaimer of the
Law, and Elijah, the first of the great prophets of Israel – talking!
So the three Apostles have been favored with a vision of two of the greatest figures
of their history, of their scriptures, speaking to their leader, who has been
transformed and is aglow with the power and glory of God – and good old,
dependable Peter misses the point, again!
Gee, whiz, Jesus – it’s really great that we’re here! How about if we make three little
huts for you – one little house for each of you!
Now I do need to point out that it is true that Peter was clearly the leader of that band
of Apostles – and one of the reasons that he so often seems more than a little bit
clueless is that he is usually the spokesman for the group – asking the questions and
making the comments that they all share! But if the great theologian, St. Thomas
Aquinas, could be given the nickname, “the Dumb Ox,” I think I can be excused for
calling St. Peter an oaf – as long as we remember who he really was.
In fact, his “oafness” ought to be something of a comfort to the rest of us! If Peter
can be as obtuse as he so often shows himself, then perhaps we can be excused,
ourselves, when we just don’t get it, either!
But, of course, this day, this Gospel, are not about Peter. They’re about Jesus Christ!
And they tell us that this man, this Anointed one, this Christ, is not just another
religious leader – not just a lawgiver, like Moses; not just a prophet, like Elijah – but
the son of God, God’s chosen one, to whom we are called to listen!
But we can learn something more, something that’s also important about the Christ
when we do look at the incomprehension of his closest friends and followers,
because precisely their failure to “get it” says something to us about the Anointed
one!
It says that if even these best of the best don’t “get it,” we shouldn’t be surprised
when we don’t either!
And it tells us that our Lord is not only beyond our expectations, he’s beyond our
comprehension, and beyond, even our imaginings! It tells us that this is someone we
cannot put in a box – someone we can never anticipate, never fully understand! It
tells us that he will always catch us unawares as he reveals himself to us. It tells us
that he will constantly surprise us as he lets his will be known, and as he calls us to
his service – that his will is the will of God, and not our own! It tells us that our words,
our ideas, and our neat little categories can never really define or describe him!
And it tells us that, just as Jesus was transfigured in the sight of his chief apostles,
so he calls us to be open to being, likewise transfigured – not in the glow of our
faces, or the color of our garments, but in the shape and the breadth and the
openness of our minds, our hearts and our souls.
It tells us that when Jesus calls us – we need to be open – and ready – for anything!
And it tells us we need to listen to him! In His Name. Amen.
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| Calvary Episcopal Church, Rockdale |
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