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!"