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Transfiguring Lent

2/25/2015

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The text for the transfiguration of Christ is from Mark 9:2-10

I wanted to share with you a few words on the Transfiguration of Jesus since it is going to be a major lens through which we look at our entire season of Lent.  I think that for most of us who are hearing this story, we've heard it many times before, and have heard many interpretations of it before as well.  It is a rich story, full of meaning and symbolism.  For instance, that Moses and Elijah appear connects Jesus with the Judaic heroes, and legitimizes Jesus place.  It shows he is the culmination of the Law (Moses & 10 Commandments) and the Prophets (Elijah regarded as one of, if not the, greatest of the prophets).  The mountain, the cloud, the light, should all conjure up images from the Exodus, where God chooses and leads his people to freedom.

The events I want us to focus on though, is what happens in verses 7-10.  God's voice thunders, "This is my Son, the beloved; listen to Him!"  Jesus tells his disciples to tell no one until he has risen from the dead.  Then the disciples, actually follow the directions because they don't know what Jesus means by rising from the dead.

The latter part of this text is easy for us to gloss over, as the shining bright Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah is a rather fascinating event.  It is meant to capture our imaginations, and help us make the connection that Jesus is a continuation of God's work in those who came before, and not a separation thereof.  It is also easy for us skip over because we knew this already.  We can recall God saying similar words over Jesus at his baptism.  However, there is a major difference between God speaking at Jesus' baptism and God speaking at Jesus' transfiguration; in the transfiguration, the disciples hear the voice too.

Who Jesus is, God's beloved Son, is revealed undeniably to the disciples.  They don't ponder on the way down the mountain how Jesus can be God's Son, they ponder what it means to rise from the dead.  In this moment they are following the command, "Listen to him!", but they just don't know what to do with what he is saying...yet.

Often times, things are revealed to us, in ways that are just too much for us to handle or understand.  Especially when it comes to what is revealed to us about God.  Sometimes it just takes more thought and time to discern, other times it takes new events taking place (like the Crucifixion) for us to make sense of what we have heard.

This I think is a good perspective for us to use in pondering our Lenten practices, and why we do them.  They are not simply a way of achievement or keeping score (4 of 4 Lenten Disciplines Achieved!), but rather they each reveal something to us about the nature of God, and being followers of the Way, followers of the Cross, followers of Jesus.

Image: Transfiguration by Carl Heinrich Bloch [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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Why Lent?

2/4/2015

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For many Lent just seems to be too dreary and depressing.  Alleluias are buried, and we are told that for the next 40 days we’re supposed to give up something we enjoy, or perhaps take up something we haven’t been doing.  Our 40 days are supposed to remind us of Jesus’ 40 days in the desert being tempted by Satan, showing us that Jesus can resist temptation even when we cannot.  When those are the definitive perspectives on Lent, it is no wonder that there are not many who get excited by the season.

Allow me to share why I appreciate the season of Lent.  It is not 40 days of self-flagellation even in the figurative sense.  It is not about tempting ourselves for 40 days without chocolate as if that will compare to the temptation and suffering of Jesus.  It is 40 days of anticipation and preparation.  Yes, it is a time of solemnity and reverence, but it is also the big build up to the biggest celebration in the church year, Easter!  The reason we engage in the ancient practices of fasting, prayer, alms-giving, meditation and others is to center ourselves and our lives on the cross of Christ.  In doing so, we enjoy 40 days not of misery, but of heightened intentional engagement in our faith.  That is what I really appreciate about the season of Lent, that the practices refine our focus on what God has done for us through Jesus, and not on ourselves or what we are doing, it greatly increases the impact of the joyous celebration of Easter!

So as we journey together throughout these 40 days may all of the practices you engage in, keep you centered in Christ and build up your faith.


Image: László Mednyánszky [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
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    Author

    Pastor Jarrod Schaaf has been ordained as a minister in the ELCA and currently serves at St. Paul in North Robinson.

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