Musings for 4th Sunday in Lent

Sunday, April 3, 2011
Fourth Sunday in Lent

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Judy Lazenby

INTRODUCTION

Baptism is sometimes called enlightenment. The gospel for this Sunday is the story of the man born blind healed by Christ. I was blind, but now I see, declares the man. In baptism God opens our eyes to see the truth of who we are: God's beloved sons and daughters. As David was anointed king of Israel, in baptism God anoints our head with oil, and calls us to bear witness to the light of Christ in our daily lives.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Bend your ear to our prayers, Lord Christ, and come among us. By your gracious life and death for us, bring light into the darkness of our hearts, and anoint us with your Spirit,
for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

1 Samuel 16:1–13

Samuel anointed David even though he was the eighth-oldest son of Jesse and did not match his brothers in height or other physical characteristics. With the anointing came endowment with the Spirit of the Lord, designating David as the Lord’s chosen successor to Saul.

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." ²Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me." And the LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.' ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you." ⁴Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, "Do you come peaceably?" ⁵He said, "Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
⁶When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed is now before the LORD." ⁷But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." ⁹Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one." ¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD has not chosen any of these." ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here." ¹²He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; for this is the one." ¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 23

You anoint my head with oil. (Ps. 23:5)

¹The LORD ^| is my shepherd;

I shall not ^| be in want.

²The LORD makes me lie down ^| in green pastures

and leads me be- ^| side still waters.

³You restore my ^| soul, O LORD,

and guide me along right pathways ^| for your name's sake.

⁴Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I shall ^| fear no evil;

for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they ^| comfort me.

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence ^| of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil, and my cup is ^| running over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days ^| of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the ^| LORD forever.

Second Reading

Ephesians 5:8–14

Because we now live in the divine light that is Jesus Christ, we conduct our lives in ways that reflect the light of Christ, so that our activity is truly pleasing to God.

⁸For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light — ⁹for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. ¹⁰Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; ¹³but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, ¹⁴for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
"Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you."

Gospel

John 9:1–41

Jesus heals a man born blind, provoking a hostile reaction that he regards as spiritual blindness to the things of God.

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" ³Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. ⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." ⁶When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, ⁷saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" ⁹Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." ¹⁰But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" ¹¹He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." ¹²They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
¹³They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." ¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. ¹⁷So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet."
¹⁸The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" ²⁰His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." ²²His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. ²³Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
²⁴So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." ²⁵He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." ²⁶They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" ²⁷He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" ²⁸Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." ³⁰The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. ³²Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." ³⁴They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.
³⁵Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" ³⁶He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." ³⁷Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he." ³⁸He said, "Lord, I believe." And he worshiped him. ³⁹Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind." ⁴⁰Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, "Surely we are not blind, are we?" ⁴¹Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.

Reflections:

Seeing and blindness; light and darkness; faith and unfaith. This week’s Gospel starts out with the disciples asking Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents, since he was born blind. Jesus denies a connection between the man’s sin or that of his parents for that matter, and his suffering. Jesus says that even in times of suffering God’s glory can still be revealed. So Jesus heals his blindness and his eyes are opened. Later in the Gospel there is much debate among the man’s community, his family, and the Pharisees as to how the blindness was healed and who did it. The man has to defend Jesus several times even though Jesus is no longer on the scene, although He returns at the end of the Gospel.

This story in John’s gospel speaks to us today. How do we answer difficult questions that doubters or nonbelievers ask? What does it mean to be faithful to one’s traditions and heritage while also finding answers to new questions that are being raised? Just as it was for the man with restored sight, our witness may at times be weak, but as his grew throughout the gospel so must ours.

Quote:

To see only what is there is to be as blind as night. Annalyn Joie Tran

Prayers:

Let us pray for:

Children whose parents serve in the military overseas.

The people of Japan.

Guidance during this Lenten Season.

Peace and tolerance in the Middle East.

Musings for Lent 3

Sunday, March 27, 2011
Third Sunday in Lent

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Pastor Macholz

INTRODUCTION
In today's gospel the Samaritan woman asks Jesus for water, an image of our thirst for God. Jesus offers living water, a sign of God's grace flowing from the waters of baptism. The early church used this gospel and those of the next two Sundays to deepen baptismal reflection during the final days of preparation before baptism at Easter. As we journey to the resurrection feast, Christ comes among us in word, bath, and meal—offering us the life-giving water of God's mercy and forgiveness.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

Merciful God, the fountain of living water, you quench our thirst and wash away our sin.
Give us this water always. Bring us to drink from the well that flows with the beauty of your truth through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

Exodus 17:1–7

Because the thirsty Israelites quarreled with Moses and put the Lord to the test, Moses cried out in desperation to the Lord. The Lord commanded Moses to strike the rock to provide water for the people. The doubt-filled question—“Is the Lord among us or not?”—received a very positive answer.

From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. ²The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?" ³But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" ⁴So Moses cried out to the LORD, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." ⁵The LORD said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 95

Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. (Ps. 95:1)

¹Come, let us sing ^| to the LORD;

let us shout for joy to the rock of ^| our salvation.

²Let us come before God's presence ^| with thanksgiving

and raise a loud shout to the ^| LORD with psalms.

³For you, LORD, ^| are a great God,

and a great ruler a- ^| bove all gods.

⁴In your hand are the caverns ^| of the earth;

the heights of the hills are ^| also yours.

⁵The sea is yours, ^| for you made it,

and your hands have molded ^| the dry land.

⁶Come, let us worship ^| and bow down,

let us kneel before the ^| LORD our maker. R

⁷For the LORD is our God, and we are the people of God's pasture

and the sheep ^| of God's hand.

Oh, that today you would ^| hear God's voice!

⁸"Harden ^| not your hearts,

as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah ^| in the desert.

⁹There your ancestors ^| tested me,

they put me to the test, though they had ^| seen my works.

¹⁰Forty years I loathed that gener- ^| ation, saying,

'The heart of this people goes astray; they do not ^| know my ways.'

¹¹Indeed I swore ^| in my anger,

'They shall never come ^| to my rest.'" R

Second Reading

Romans 5:1–11

Though we often hear that God helps those who help themselves, here Paul tells us that through Jesus' death God helps utterly helpless sinners. Since we who had been enemies are reconciled to God in the cross, we now live in hope for our final salvation.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. ³And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
⁶For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. ⁸But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. ⁹Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. ¹⁰For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. ¹¹But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Gospel

John 4:5–42

Jesus defies convention to engage a Samaritan woman in conversation. Her testimony, in turn, leads many others to faith.

⁵So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. ⁷A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." ⁸(His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) ⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) ¹⁰Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." ¹¹The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? ¹²Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" ¹³Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." ¹⁵The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." ¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." ¹⁷The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; ¹⁸for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!" ¹⁹The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. ²⁰Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." ²¹Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. ²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. ²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." ²⁵The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." ²⁶Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you." ²⁷Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?" ²⁸Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, ²⁹Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he? ³⁰They left the city and were on their way to him. ³¹Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." ³²But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." ³³So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" ³⁴Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. ³⁵Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. ³⁶The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. ³⁷For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' ³⁸I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." ³⁹Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I have ever done." ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. ⁴¹And many more believed because of his word. ⁴²They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."

Reflection

An unlikely meeting at an unusual time with an inappropriate person; that about sums up this Gospel. And yet, its ending is amazing!

Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well at high noon. She was not supposed to be out at the well at that time of day. He asks her for water and then offers living water. In the ensuing conversation he tells her things about herself, her life and relationships that astound her. Then she leaves to get him lunch, tells others who listen and brings them back to Christ.

It is a story about an unlikely disciple doing amazing things in Jesus’ name. It is a story about you and me, if we give it a chance.

We are called to be disciples of Christ. We have known him for much longer than this woman at the well who goes and tells yet we hesitate to do so. I don’t know the whys and wherefores of that reality but I do know that God can use us mightily when we allow ourselves to be open to the Spirit’s call.

What do we have to offer? A grace-filled life, blessings in abundance and hope for our future. That might just be enough. And…we also have the Spirit, moving and encouraging us forward with the Good News.

We don’t know this woman’s name but we do understand her actions. Perhaps following her lead might be enough for the day.

Let Us Pray

For the ongoing disaster and its relief in Japan

That those who seek food might discover not only food but hope as well

To be disciples who love to share the Good News

For those who seek healing

With thanksgiving for all who serve our country in the armed forces

Quote

Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Musings for Lent 2

Sunday, March 20, 2011
Second Sunday in Lent

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Ann Patterson

INTRODUCTION
During Lent we journey with all those around the world who will be baptized at the Easter Vigil. In today's gospel Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born of water and Spirit. At the font we are given a new birth as daughters and sons of God. As God made a covenant with Abraham, in baptism God promises to raise us up with Christ to new life. From worship we are sent forth to proclaim God's love for all the world.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, our leader and guide, in the waters of baptism you bring us to new birth to live as your children. Strengthen our faith in your promises, that by your Spirit we may lift up your life to all the world through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

Genesis 12:1–4a

God's call of Abram and Sarai has a clear purpose—that through them all the families of the earth would gain a blessing. As they set out on their journey they are accompanied by promises of land, nation, and a great reputation.

Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. ²I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
⁴So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills; my help comes from the LORD. (Ps. 121:1, 2)

¹I lift up my eyes ^| to the hills;

from where is my ^| help to come?

²My help comes ^| from the LORD,

the maker of heav- ^| en and earth.

³The LORD will not let your ^| foot be moved

nor will the one who watches over you ^| fall asleep.

⁴Behold, the keep- ^| er of Israel

will neither slum- ^| ber nor sleep; R

⁵the LORD watches ^| over you;

the LORD is your shade at ^| your right hand;

⁶the sun will not strike ^| you by day,

nor the ^| moon by night.

⁷The LORD will preserve you ^| from all evil

and will ^| keep your life.

⁸The LORD will watch over your going out and your ^| coming in,

from this time forth for- ^| evermore. R

Second Reading

Romans 4:1–5, 13–17

In the person and example of Abraham we discover that a right relationship with God does not involve earning a reward from God but entails trusting God's promises. Abraham is the forebear and model for both Jews and Gentiles, because we too trust that ours is a God who gives life to the dead.

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? ²For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." ⁴Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. ⁵But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. ¹³For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
¹⁶For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, ¹⁷as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") — in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Gospel

John 3:1–17

A curious Pharisee visits Jesus by night to learn from the teacher his friends reject. Jesus speaks to him about life in the Spirit and the kingdom of God.

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." ³Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." ⁴Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" ⁵Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." ⁹Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" ¹⁰Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
¹¹Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
¹⁷Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Reflection

There’s something intriguing about the nocturnal visits of Nicodemus. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have been a man of some influence, and as a “ruler of the Jews,” he probably would have been a member of the Sanhedrin. Partly because he was impressed with Jesus’ miracles, Nicodemus came to him with a genuine interest in his teachings. However, Jesus had a contentious relationship with the Pharisees. Nicodemus was perhaps risking disapproval in associating with him, even under cover of night.

In light of his curiosity, it is perplexing that Nicodemus had so much difficulty understanding what Jesus was saying. Clearly he was baffled when our Lord told him that he must be born again. Nicodemus assumed that Jesus meant a physical rebirth. In fact, Jesus was saying that being born of Abraham was not enough. Indeed he needed to be born of water and Spirit. Salvation for him and for us lies in the good news of a spiritual rebirth. And that rebirth is something God does for us, not something we do for ourselves.

This is lent. Perhaps it’s time for us to slow down and prepare for God to act. According to the Gospel, the Spirit is like the wind. We can’t control it –either through discipline or endless struggle. We can just relax and breathe it in.

Quote: The greatest challenge of every day is how to bring about a revolution of the heart. Dorothy Day

Let us pray that

· our hearts will be open to our need for renewal and rebirth

· the sick, the hungry the dying and the grief-stricken will be restored to hope

· God’s strong, sure purpose will structure the confusion of our world and bring meaning to its people

Musings for Transfiguration Sunday

Sunday, March 6, 2011
Transfiguration of Our Lord

Midweek Musings

Reflection by Karen Grover

INTRODUCTION
Today's festival is a bridge between the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle that comes to a close today and the Lent-Easter cycle that begins in several days. On the mount of transfiguration Jesus is revealed as God's beloved Son, echoing the words at his baptism. This vision of glory sustains us as Jesus faces his impending death in Jerusalem.

We turn this week to Ash Wednesday and our yearly baptismal journey from Lent to Easter. Some churches put aside the alleluia at the conclusion of today's liturgy. This word of joy will be omitted during the penitential season of Lent and will be sung again at Easter.

Prayer of the Day (ELW)

O God, in the transfiguration of your Son you confirmed the mysteries of the faith by the witness of Moses and Elijah, and in the voice from the bright cloud declaring Jesus your beloved Son, you foreshadowed our adoption as your children. Make us heirs with Christ of your glory, and bring us to enjoy its fullness, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading

Exodus 24:12–18

At Mount Sinai, Moses experienced the presence of God for forty days and forty nights. The "glory of the Lord" settled on the mountain, and on the seventh day God called out to Moses. On the mountain God gave Moses the stone tablets inscribed with the ten commandments.

¹²The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction." ¹³So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. ¹⁴To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them."
¹⁵Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. ¹⁷Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. ¹⁸Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

Psalm (ELW)

Psalm 2

You are my son; this day have I begotten you. (Ps. 2:7)

¹Why are the nations ^| in an uproar?

Why do the peoples mutter ^| empty threats?

²Why do the kings of the earth rise up in revolt,

and the princes ^| plot together,

against the LORD and against the ^| LORD's anointed?

³"Let us break their ^| yoke," they say;

"let us cast off their ^| bonds from us."

⁴God whose throne is in heav- ^| en is laughing;

the LORD holds them ^| in derision.

⁵Then in wrath God ^| speaks to them,

and in rage fills ^| them with terror.

⁶"As for me, I have anoint- ^| ed my king

upon Zion, my ^| holy mountain."

⁷Let me announce the decree ^| of the LORD,

who said to me, "You are my son; this day have I be- ^| gotten you.

⁸Ask of me, and I will give you the nations for ^| your inheritance

and the ends of the earth for ^| your possession.

⁹You shall crush them with an ^| iron rod

and shatter them like a ^| piece of pottery."

¹⁰And now, you ^| kings, be wise;

be warned, you rulers ^| of the earth.

¹¹Submit to the ^| LORD with fear,

and with trembling ^| bow in worship;

¹²lest the LORD be angry, and you perish in a sudden ^| blaze of wrath.

Happy are all who take ref- ^| uge in God!

Second Reading

2 Peter 1:16–21

At the transfiguration, God's voice was heard, declaring Jesus to be the beloved Son. By the activity of the Holy Spirit, God's voice continues to be heard through the word of scripture.

¹⁶For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." ¹⁸We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.
¹⁹So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, ²¹because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Gospel

Matthew 17:1–9

Shortly before he enters Jerusalem, where he will be crucified, Jesus is revealed to his disciples in a mountaintop experience of divine glory called the transfiguration.

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. ²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴Then Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." ⁵While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" ⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Get up and do not be afraid." ⁸And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.
⁹As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, "Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead."

THOUGHTS:

This is truly one of those "mountaintop experiences." In thinking about the use of that term, I realize how very casually it is used to describe different happenings in one's life. I mean, think about it--Jesus appears to Peter, James and John with a face as bright as the sun and his clothes dazzling white. He is giving them a preview of what is to come--his divinity--God's revelation of his gift to us through his son's death. That is a mountaintop experience and had to be such a shock to Peter, James and John. What I have a hard time grasping is when they see Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, Peter offers to set up three dwellings for them? I can't imagine collecting my thoughts enough to offer to do that. But, then, God comes into the picture and redirects Peter's attention to Jesus, more or less telling him to get his priorities straight when he says ".......listen to him!"

The described vision was very brief (although there is no way of really knowing that.) When the disciples looked up they saw only Jesus, who tells them not to be afraid. Of course Jesus also tells them not to tell anybody about their vision until after he has risen. This is not the first time they are instructed not to tell what they have seen. But this was a glimpse into the divinity of Jesus. That had to be difficult to keep this "mountaintop experience" a secret. But, then, maybe not because we see the disciples fluctuate back and forth in their understanding of what Jesus is trying to prepare them for. The disciples most often go back to thinking about Jesus as a human being, not as a divine being. I sometimes do that when I look up at the cross--I think of his suffering--the human aspect. But I am most often redirected.

Really getting it--the whole purpose of the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection--can get lost in the everyday happenings of our lives. But he is never lost to me.

LET US PRAY:

that we are ever mindful of the divine Jesus

for God's protection of the rebelling Libyans

for the Egyptians as they rebuild their country

for those who are hungry and without shelter

for the many children who want loving homes

QUOTE:

"This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!"