Sermon by Pastor MaAn
Transfiguration Sunday
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For the majority of Christian churches throughout the world, today is the last Sunday after the Epiphany. Based on the biblical passage that Thomas just read, we call this Transfiguration Sunday. It calls to mind and heart the particular event in Jesus’ life that the passage described.
On the mountain, Jesus is transformed before Peter, James and John into a being resplendent in glory. In this altered state, they see him joined by two of the greatest figures in the history of Israel: the prophets Moses and Elijah.
The disciples could hardly believe their eyes. What they see in front of them is a vision only they are privileged to behold. No wonder, Peter stammers in utter bewilderment.
The vision of a transformed Jesus with Moses and Elijah fills these very first disciples of Jesus with awe. But it was the voice they heard declaring Jesus as “the divine Son, the Beloved with whom the owner of the voice is well pleased” that really throws them off balance. They fell to the ground.
Like the disciples, we have heard this declaration of the specialness of Jesus before... at the River Jordan ... right after he was baptized by his cousin John.
16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3, TNIV)
But now an injunction follows this declaration which we did not hear at Jesus’ baptism. The voice, which faith tells us is the voice of God, adds:
“Listen to him.”
5 While he (Peter) was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”’ (Matthew 17, TNIV)
“Listen to him!” ... “Listen to my Son!” ... “Listen to Jesus!” ...
Sadly, listening ... real listening ... listening from the heart .... does not come naturally to most of us. These days, we live in a very noisy world does not help us develop the art of listening. And our tendency to multi-task does not help us learn to really listen, either.
In his book Avoiding Stress Fractures, writer Charles Swindoll relates how he once found himself with too many commitments in too few days. He got nervous and tense about it. He recalls: "I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day. Before long, things around our home started reflecting the patter of my hurry-up style. It has become unbearable.” Sounds very familiar, doesn’t it?
Swindoll continues: "I distinctly remember after supper one evening, the words of our younger daughter, Colleen. She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She began hurriedly, ‘Daddy, I wanna tell you somethin' and I'll tell you really fast.' Suddenly realizing her frustration, I answered, 'Honey, you can tell me -- and you don't have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly." "I'll never forget her answer: 'Then listen slowly, Daddy.'"
To really listen is to be fully present to that which we are engaged in or with, in the moment. Our Buddhist sisters and brothers call this the practice of mindfulness. To truly listen we need to slow down. To truly listen we need to observe silence and learn to love solitude. And many of us are uncomfortable with either.
A wise person once said that the reason why we do not want to listen especially to Jesus is because we are afraid that when we do listen to him, then we will have to change and be transformed. So instead of learning to be silent and to be alone so we can listen, we fill our time with a cacophony of sounds. We keep busy, so we do not hear him knocking at the doors of our minds and our hearts. Like Peter, we pitch tents. We pitch tents especially where we’ve had mountain top experiences we want to hold on to for good. We keep busy. We refuse to listen in case Jesus asks us to change our ways and direct us to move on in a direction different from the one we have been pursuing for years even if it is not serving us well, now.
In a few days, on Wednesday to be precise, we will once again, embark on another leg in our journey in following Jesus. With the service of imposition of ashes at noon and at seven in the evening to which you are all invited to take part in, we will begin our journey through the season of Lent. It is a journey of forty days that culminates with our celebration of Easter.
It is long journey that is why today we are given a preview of what the destination is going to be like. Jesus transfigured in glory in the mountain reminds us of the glory that is going to be his on Resurrection Sunday; a glory he graciously shares with us. It is a destination to eagerly look forward to. But before we get there, we have to take the trip with him to Calvary.
The season of Lent is a long journey which requires that we listen attentively to what Jesus has to say to us through what he undertakes for our sake and for our salvation. It is a journey which requires that we listen to the daily events and experiences of our lives and the lives of others as we journey with Jesus and with one another. It is a journey that demands that we act on what we hear.
Lent is a season given to us by God as a gift through the church. It is a time to renew and deepen our relationship with God, with fellow sojourners; and yes, it is a time to renew and deepen our relationship with ourselves.
So, come join us in the journey toward Resurrection and toward Life. It is a journey that can change us ... if we but listen. Amen.
“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”’ (Matthew 17, TNIV)
Question for reflection:
How are you at listening? During the season of Lent that is fast approaching, what are you willing to undertake to improve your capability to really listen – to God, to others, to yourself?
