The Adventurous Lectionary – Transfiguration Sunday

Last updated on: February 4, 2013 at 4:07 pm by Bruce Epperly

The Adventurous Lectionary – Transfiguration Sunday 2013-02-04T16:07:06-05:00 Bruce Epperly

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Lectionary Reflections for Transfiguration Sunday – February 10, 2013

Exodus 34:29-35; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2; Luke 4: 28-43

Transfiguration Sunday is a day for poetry, music, dance, delight, strobe lights, light shows, and DVDs and You Tube. Bring your iPads to share. Dazzling whiteness, glory, radiance, shining, brightness. “The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out like shining from shook foil; it gathers to a greatness like the ooze of oil Crushed.” (Gerard Manley Hopkins) Nature is not spent, the energy of the big bang surges through us, we are stardust, energetic and lively.

Let’s not think small on Transfiguration Sunday. Let’s expect big things from God and in our church! This is a holistic celebration of cells and souls, of the dynamic interdependence that energizes our lives. The Force is with you. God is with you. You are the light of the world; let your light shine.

Moses encountered God and his face shined. It was too much to bear, the reflected glory of God, so the leader had to hide his face. He hid his light under a bushel basket so the dim consciousness of his fellow citizens could tolerate it! Do we hide our light? Do we focus on small things just so our neighbors won’t notice, envy, or critique us?

Jesus goes up onto a mountain and his face shines – he glows with divinity. He shines in the living trinity of himself, Elijah, and Moses. Light bearers and light sharers. In God’s light, we see light, the Psalmist proclaims, knowing that the light shines in every darkness and brings forth life in the darkness of moist soil and welcoming womb, gentle sleep and revealing dreams.

We need churches that glow – not with the dead words of doctrine and tired unfeeling rituals – but vibrant messages and massages, energetic hymns and touches, fully alive spiritual leaders and dancing children. Transfiguration Sunday tells us that to face the crosses and crippling diseases of this world – the path to Jerusalem and a demon possessed [epileptic] boy – we must live the light of the mountaintop everywhere, seeing with a God’s eye view and touching with a God-filled energy.

Philip Newell introduced the idea of “glow flow” to me a number of years ago. I don’t know where Philip got the initial image but as I roamed the internet, I “chanced upon” – or was it synchronicity – this poem by Peter S. Quinn. It may not be the poem that inspired Philip but it inspires me on this Transfiguration Mountain here where live in Washington DC.

Flow winds of time
Whilst the night takes a spin
Stars are falling in deep prime
As the darkness comes in
Feelings like river going
All is within dream reach
Night sky is now glowing
In its twinkling glow bleach

Flow on to a daybreak’s light
Reach the awaken call
In dreams blue and height
As the night must fall
Silvery dress of the day
Awaken in its true reality
Every dream’s now on its way
To become once more free

Flow to the sounds I heard
Whispers in the deep dark
Like ravens of a winged bird
Shadowed dancing embark
Life is like merry-go -round
Deep into their whole make
Until the light’s again found
As new cock-crows’ awake

Now is the night in its dancing
Humming a breeze melody
Dreams of bedroom romancing
For a new tomorrow to be

God knows, there’s healing to be done, and quickly. But, healing is for abundant life and celebration not just release and relief. Transfiguration Sunday says “take off your sad rags,” “ditch the frown and the furrowed brow,” “fire the thought police and arbiters of orthodoxy,” “give the inner police officer the light off,” and invite in imaginative “lovers, lunatics, and poets” to give us visions of new selves and new heavens and earths. God knows, we need them if we are to be God’s partners in transfiguring ourselves and the world. (Delight in some good theology with my Emerging Process: Adventurous Theology for a Missional Church and sample some of Peter S. Quinn’s poetry at an ebook he’s created: http://www.poemhunter.com/i/ebooks/pdf/peter_s_quinn_2006_11.pdf)

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 31, 2013

Love and Salt and the Adventure of Spiritual Friendships

Next Post

February 11, 2013 The Adventurous Lectionary - Ash Wednesday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews The Adventurous Lectionary Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 December 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz