With awareness comes transformation, and transformation is on the horizon. For the last few weeks of Epiphany, we’ve been reading about change… at Jesus’ baptism, he is called the Beloved and is re-membered, he changes water into wine at the wedding feast, he goes out into the wilderness and returns filled with the holy spirit, and then he claims his prophetic voice. And now on the mountain top, he is again, changed. All of these events in the life of Jesus are ultimately pointing the way to Jerusalem, where he will undergo suffering and death, only to be transformed again in the resurrection.
No one likes change. We don’t like to be in a state of discomfort or unknowing. Sometimes in the church (and in our lives) complacency is easier than change. And when we become too comfortable in our complacency, then any kind of change seems dramatic and scary. But change is necessary and important to our growth. This week I saw a sign that said, “Don’t be afraid of change, it’s leading you to a new beginning.” Can you imagine living into that reality? Can you imagine embracing change as an opportunity? It’s hard work! It’s good work for sure, but it’s hard. So what is it about change that causes anxiety? The story from Exodus for this Sunday (34:29-25) is about change. Here we have Moses who has come face to face with God (or at least as close as one can to God), and now he returns to the people to share with them what God has taught him. The text tells us that when the people saw him, “the skin of his face was shining and they were afraid to come near him”. In the experience with God, Moses was changed. He was transformed. And while this transformation was first scary and uncomfortable for the Israelites, they are called together by Moses and Aaron. This transformation served as an invitation to continue to be in the presence of and in relationship with God. We know how the story goes with those early Israelites. Like us, they sometimes get it right, and they sometimes get it wrong. But through the transformation of Moses, the people are transformed too...their relationship with God became more intimate. God had called Moses, and the people responded to that call. In the Gospel (Luke 9:28-36), Jesus takes Peter, James & John up to the mountain top. And there in that moment Jesus is transformed and is joined by Elijah and Moses. While Peter thinks that it’s appropriate to build tents for the three, what we realize is that he’s trying to contain the situation...to manage the change. You see, tents would confine the Law, the Prophets, and the Fulfillment in such a way as to make them subject to control. Out of his own anxiety, he is trying to manage the situation. Instead, God breaks in and says “listen to him”. Up to this point in Luke, Jesus has been experiencing various transformations as he sets his sights on Jerusalem to fulfill his ministry. Jesus’ death and resurrection will mean change. And change implies that there will be loss, fear, ambiguity and vulnerability...things that we want to control and avoid. But you see, we know the “end” of the story and the disciples don’t. We have the ability to say, “well of course Jesus had to die and be resurrected…it was how the Kingdom was going to happen…it was a necessary change”. But we’re not in the shoes of the original disciples. They didn’t understand how the death and resurrection of Jesus would change the world. They didn’t understand how it would empower them for ministry, to become prophetic leaders, to heal, preach and teach. They didn’t understand how necessary change was to their mission. And sometimes we don’t either. The church needs change in order to continue in the role of prophet, preacher, teacher and healer. So why is it that when we talk about change in our churches we tend to get nervous and filled with anxiety? A few weeks ago when it hit the news that The Episcopal Church had been sanctioned by the Anglican Communion, my facebook and twitter feeds were blowing up...what did this sanction mean? Were things going to change? What about the affirmations that we had made on same sex marriage during General Convention this summer? There was so much fear and angst out there, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. Is it because we don’t know how to express our grief over what we might lose as a result of change? Is it because we might somehow destroy or defame our “traditions”? Is it because change is ambiguous and sometimes uncomfortable? I don’t know. If anything I felt even more certain that we had made the right choice in electing Michael Curry to be our Presiding Bishop because of his leadership and commitment to welcome everyone into the church. The work that had been started years ago under previous Presiding Bishops--including our own Ed Browning--to include everyone at the table and that no one would be unwelcome--that transformation was happening in the moment live through the media. And I was proud...just as I know some of you are too. I was proud that Michael had the courage to be transformational among his peers. I was proud that we were leading a change in the church. So what do those early Israelites, Moses and the disciples do after these incredible moments? They engage in their ministries. They don’t stand around looking up to heaven, or hang out on top the mountain. They continue on. Where exactly their journey takes them is unknown at the moment. They have been changed. And what are we to do when we’ve experienced God’s revelation and been challenged to make changes? What do we do when we’ve come face to face with God? Do we hide under a veil or stay on the mountain, or do we engage in the relationship with God and do our ministry? My hope is that we continue our journeys into unknown places, not always having the answers; that instead of being afraid of change we embrace it and see how it leads us into a new beginning. My dear friend, Andy Wade, composed this prayer that I want to share with you today. Let us pray: Amazing God, You created the heavens and the earth, declaring them “Good”. Forgive us when we retain power and control over resources which are yours. You formed man and woman in your image, placing them unashamed and unjudged in the garden. Forgive us when we forget that all are created in your image. You released your grip on us, setting us free to choose the path we would follow. Forgive us when we control others instead of encouraging the gift of God within them. You invite us to participate in the redemption of your creation. Give us wisdom to steward the opportunities you place before us. You call us to walk in humility, doing justice and loving mercy. Show us how to partner with others in ways that honor your desire for relationships. You transform our lives from darkness into light, from brokenness into wholeness. Help us, O God, to offer ourselves as agents of your healing and hope to the world.
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AuthorI don't know what the future of the church is, but I know that we will continue to be a place of sanctuary and hope, working towards healing in the world. Archives
October 2017
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