Transfiguration Sunday B 2009

Charles S. Houston chronicles a failed attempt to climb K2 of and writes about the “call to climb” in the book K2, The Savage Mountain: The Classic True Story of Disaster and Survival on the World's Second Highest Mountain. He writes:

During the terrible days of storm at camp VIII we thought seldom of the reasons which had brought us to the mountain; all our energy was focused on survival. We were trapped in three small mountain tents near the summit of the highest unclimbed summit on earth trapped by an endless storm of wind and snow which made impossible advance or retreat. All eight of us had been working for two months to establish this high camp and another one still higher from which two men might reach the top. All eight of us and many others had been planning for a year to make the expedition possible. During the ten days of hardship and disappointment, of pain and tragedy which climaxed our venture, we spoke of the summit and of home we remembered other storms and other critical times. No one tried then to answer the question, “Why? Why climb mountains?”

In that year that passed since our ordeal we have been asked that questions many times and have answered it in many ways. No answer is complete or satisfactory. Perhaps there is no single answer; perhaps each climber must have his own reasons for such an effort. The answer cannot be simple; it is compounded of such elements as the great beauty of clear cold air; of colors beyond the ordinary, of the lure of unknown regions beyond the rim of experience. The pleasure of physical fitness; the pride of conquering a steep difficult rock pitch, the thrill of danger—are also there. How can I phrase the most important reason of all? It is the chance to be briefly free of the small concerns of our common lives, to strip off non essentials, to come down to the core of life itself. Food, shelter, friends—these are the essentials, these plus faith and purpose and a deep and unrelenting determination. On a great mountain all purpose is concentrated on the single job at hand, yet the summit is but a token of success and the attempt is worthy in itself. It is for these reasons that we climb and in climbing find something greater than accomplishment.

The Gospel of Mark moves at a fever pitch. One event, sometimes several events, occur with immediacy—one after the other. From the Baptism of Jesus, to the gathering of disciples, to proclamation of the good news of the kingdom, to healing the sick, cleansing the unclean, preaching, teaching, and the working of miracles all occur one after the other until at last we reach the great climax, or what appears to be a great climax. We have climbed the mountain which marks the midpoint between Christmas and Easter. We stand on the hinge between the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ begin at Christmas, and Lent that marks Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem to suffer and die and rise again on the third day. We have traveled with the disciples, Peter, James, and John, who have been with Jesus since the beginning of his ministry, to the top of the mount of the Transfiguration where we behold but a glimpse of Jesus’ glory.

Today we reach the summit of this mountain to experience a great theophany, where the glory of God is revealed in Jesus Christ. Jesus is met on the mountain by Moses and Elijah, two figures whose appearance represents the beginning of the end. Peter’s instinct is to build tabernacles so that all three may dwell upon the earth, but Moses and Elijah do not remain. And in the same way Jesus will not remain either. But at the top of the mountain Peter, James, and John are witnesses to a terrifying demonstration of the Glory of God. Jesus gleams with radiance, prophets whose presence mark the end of days, a cloud shrouding the mountain and a voice that speaks from the cloud, the very voice of God, that says “This is my son, the beloved, listen to him.” All these phenomena reveal just a glimpse of the glory that will one day be fulfilled through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

But Peter, James, and John cannot remain on the mountain forever. They have to descend back into the drudgery of the small concerns of their common lives. Worse than that, their next destination is where their master, friend, and teacher will be tortured and killed. But for this brief moment, the transfiguration of Jesus, they have insight into the very mind and purpose of God. For this brief moment they feel a closeness to God that will carry them through times of loss and grief and abandonment. From the transfiguration the disciples will go down the mountain with a glimpse of the glory that God is about to reveal in Jesus Christ.

Think of the mountain tops that you have been to in your own lives; those moments when you could feel the hand of God in your life. Think of those mountain tops when you fearfully and wonderfully held a baby in your hands for the first time, when you started out on a new career path that you knew came about at the right time, when you glimpsed the glory of God in the kindness of a stranger, when your faith blossomed and you were worshiping God with your whole being, when you hit your stride and the things that before you had to do with hard work and determination became like second nature, when the small concerns of your life were stripped away and all you were left with were the essentials. Do you remember that moment? Do you wonder sometimes why those moments don’t seem to last. Do you wonder why we can’t remain on that mountain? I sometimes do.

But the reality is that mountain top experiences do not last, but they are there long enough to get us through the valleys and dips and depressions of our lives. Because of them we can approach the foot of the cross where we lay our burdens down. All we get is but a glimpse of that light, a hint at the glory that is to come—a foretaste of the feast. But one day we will see even greater things than these.

Last weekend I had a mountain top experience. Two great worship opportunities happened in our Parish. The Second Saturday Contemporary Service felt natural as though we were really getting the hang of it. The joint Parish Worship on Sunday was splendid, the music, the dance, the liturgy all sang of God’s glory. Those experiences grant a feeling of the power and potential of our churches to become even more relevant, an even more important part of the lives of worshipers. In those times I see a glimpse of God’s glory being revealed in a new way in our churches.

I won’t be here to see the full glory. I won’t be here to see the full story of how God is at work in the four ELCA churches here in Ironwood, but I have seen a glimpse of His glory. And God will send you other ministers, and God will raise up new leadership among you, and God will equip you to meet the months ahead.

Just look again at the first reading for today. The story is not about that sweet chariot comin’ for to carry Elijah home. It is a story about God providing a successor to Elijah who can do even greater things. It is a story about the passing on of a mantle, the handing down of a tradition, the giving up of the reigns to another for the greater glory of God.

Let us pray,
We pray, Oh Lord, that you allow us to glimpse the fullness of your glory through the life, death, and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ. We ask that you begin in us again the work of testifying to the truth of His salvation through our words and deeds. We ask for the grace and peace to acknowledge where your Holy Spirit is leading us to work for the good of your Kingdom. We ask this in the name of Jesus whose brilliance we have glimpsed in part, but who one day we will see face to face.

Amen.

This weekend we had a lot going on in our parish. We had two very unique opportunities for worship. The Second Saturday Contemporary Service happened to fall on Valentine's Day. Attendance was in the high fifties which is good for a prime date night. Also, the parish held its quarterly Joint Parish Service at Zion on Sunday morning. The energy and enthusiasm at both services was contagious! On Sunday Pastor Fran led the Chicago Folk Service liturgy, there was a special band featuring many wonderful local musicians, a bell choir played a beautiful prelude, there were liturgical dancers, a special choral anthem, and the preaching wasn't bad either.

These joint services reveal the potential of our churches and show us what kinds of things we can do together. I believe God is at work in the midst of the decision making and planning now underway in our parish. He is showing us that though there may be loss in the short term, there is also much to gain through such expressions of unity as the ones we witnessed on Saturday and Sunday.

Our united efforts as a parish remind us that "⁴There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:2 I eagerly await the next joint worship service, not because it is less work, because in fact I think it is more, but because it is there that we see where God is leading us. It is in worship, not around a council table, where we see what Christ Parish really is and what it can do.

It's purpose is not to share resources, pastors and support staff, or even to save money. The purpose of the Parish is to share the joy we have in Christ. Resources, buildings, money, and pastors all come and go, but the Word of God remains forever. May we keep this in mind as the Long Range Planning Task Force gathers this Thursday evening for discussion of the future of this Parish.

In Christ,

Christian

Jim, Grace, Ellen, Jane, and I took a long snowshoe around Wolverine at the Chappy winter fun event. Here are some pictures taken along the way. The pictures don't do justice to the majesty of the day, but they do give some idea of what a good time we had.