Busy: Tuning In

3^rd Sunday in Lent

March 15, 2020

Psalm 52; Luke 10:28-32

Busy: Reconnecting with an Unhurried God

Tuning In

            One time, at the church where I was the associate pastor in Chapel Hill, a church member offered me two tickets to an upcoming Hurricanes hockey game. He knew that my husband was a big fan and we enjoyed going to games. The game was on Tuesday. I thought for a minute, and said, “We have an SPRC meeting on Tuesday!” This church member was also on SPRC at the time. Well, come Tuesday night, guess who was at the meeting (me) and who was at the hockey game (the church member)? What do you do when you’re offered last minute tickets to something you’d love to go see, only to look at your calendar and realize you can’t go? “When the present moment offers up an unexpected opportunity and you weigh it against your to-do list, how often does obligation win? That’s what happens to Martha in our scripture today. Jesus is right there in front of Mary and Martha and yet the pressure seems too great for Martha to make a different choice – to take advantage of a moment that will never come again. It’s not that it is bad to work and certainly keeping our work obligations is important. But if it constantly comes at the cost of missing out of important being-in-the-present moments, perhaps it is time to reassess, to “tune in” to the bigger picture. No one, at the end of their life, would say, ‘I should have spent more time in a meeting.’”[1]

            One of the things that Amos said at our Wednesday night Lenten service last week was to ask “Why do we need to be hounded to come home when we are weary?” Why do we have to be told to take a break? Why don’t we more naturally take time to rest on our own, without having to schedule it? Even with the corona virus, some of us would still be out there if we were allowed to be. We’d still put ourselves at risk if we weren’t told by our officials to stay home. Why is that part of human nature? What’s the pull to keep busy? What’s the attraction in always moving? Are we afraid of what might happen otherwise? Are there certain thoughts we’re trying to keep at bay? What’s the fear? If you slow down, you might not get moving again? Even machines wear down after time if they are constantly used.

            Let’s look a little closer at Mary and Martha. Jesus has just finished telling the story of the Good Samaritan, in answer to the person who asked him, “Who’s my neighbor?” Now, while Jesus and the disciples are on their way, Martha opens her house to them. What wonderful and generous hospitality! Here are 13 men who have been traveling, probably more people with them, and Martha invites them all in, “Come stop and rest at my house.”  Her sister Mary defied cultural norms and sat down at Jesus’ feet to listen to him. Martha, on the other hand, is distracted by all the preparations to care for 13 men with no notice. I would imagine it’s a lot of work. Not many places can accommodate 13 people without any advance preparation. Yet even if it’s one guest, what do you do when that person comes over? Regardless of whether you’re done getting ready for them, you sit down with them. Or stand with them if they’re tired of sitting after a long drive. You pay attention to them. You listen. Your focus is on them. Even if you’ve got to finish cooking in the kitchen, you may then invite them to take a stool or a chair to sit so you can talk while you stir the pot. There is no greater hospitality than listening to your guest, being present and in the moment with them. Mary does that. Martha, however, becomes too involved in hospitality, in it for its own sake rather for the sake of her guests, and she has to have the moment pointed out to her. A strength abused becomes a weakness, and while Martha excels in hospitality, she goes too far, and misses out on listening to Jesus. Whether she misses it altogether or not, we don’t know. We’re not told how she responds to Jesus.

            When Martha realizes that she alone is carrying the burden of the preparations, she appeals to Jesus, ““Lord, don’t you care that I’m burning myself out? I’m running myself ragged trying to serve you. Send someone to help me! In fact, my sister’s not doing anything, make her help me.” Jesus replies, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. I’m not going to take that one thing away from those who have chosen it.” Only one thing is needed. What’s that? Tuning in to Jesus. Being still in the presence of the Lord. Recognizing that this is a holy moment and I need to pay complete attention to it. I need to connect to God. Work is not bad. Preparations are not bad. Being ready to host a large group is definitely a good thing. The trouble is when it takes you away from time with God.

We feel pulled by many things, and most of them are good things and our intentions are good, yet if they leave us no time to sit at the Lord’s feet, to be still in God’s presence, then we feel anxious and troubled and our service is going to be devoid of love and joy and we’re going to resent those who aren’t as anxious and busy as we are. Both listening and doing are vital parts of the Christian life. However, you can’t serve well without being nourished first. There’s an example I first heard years ago and then saw illustrated a couple weeks ago. Imagine yourself as a cup, and listening to God’s Word fills your cup. The more time you’re tuned in to Jesus, the fuller your cup gets, until it’s overflowing. (We talked about overflowing cups last week with Psalm 23.) It is healthier to give out of your overflow than to start giving out of the cup itself. Giving out of the cup itself will drain you and make you tired and resentful. Giving out of your overflow is joyful and peaceful. The bottom line is to make sure pay attention to and nourish your spiritual life. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Make sure you’re not emptying your cup, or your heart, because then you’ll have nothing left and you’ll burn out. Tune in to Jesus. Sit at his feet. I added that reading from Psalm 52 for the image at the end: “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good.”

            How do we be like that olive tree, flourishing in the house of God? Well, while Martha was busy, Mary chose to be still and tune in to Jesus. The lesson here is not that it is bad to work, but that we also need times of connection to God. Tuning in to the holy may mean just taking time to notice things that are beckoning to dwell with us a while. And so the question is, what contemplative practices can feed and nourish our active lives and help us be more in tune to the present moment? Or the flip side, what distractions and addictions consume our attention and keep us from tuning in? There are many, many contemplative practices, including prayer, journaling, taking a walk, walking a labyrinth, sitting quietly, quieting your mind, centering, silence, lectio divina which is a method in which you read the same scripture passage multiple times and reflect on it, music, singing, volunteering, witnessing, listening, yoga, meditation, reading, even petting your dog or cat can quiet you and help you pay attention to God. It all has to do with focusing your mind, being calm, being aware, paying attention (not hyper-vigilant, just calmly observant), and being open to God’s presence and movement in your life. When is the last time you contemplated God?

            One piece of good news from everything closing and mostly staying home is that you probably have a little more time on your hands now. You have a choice about how to spend that more time: busy and distracted and anxious, or sitting at Jesus’ feet, calm, and at peace. One of the posts going around Facebook is about the idea of treating this time like an extended Sabbath. Use this extra time to reconnect with God. I thought it was fitting at the beginning of Lent when we were just starting this series on Busy: Reconnecting with an Unhurried God, because I was in the middle of an extra-busy season myself yet I had chosen this series back in August when I went on that worship planning retreat. God knew I was going to be preaching to myself just as much as to you. And now, here we are, being forced to slow down, to be less busy, to stop rushing from activity to activity. In case you’d been resisting slowing down, now you have to. So use this time wisely.

I have one more thing to share with you, a contemplative practice that I’ve begun doing over the past week. It’s called the Sacred Ordinary Days planner that a colleague told me about a few weeks ago. I was late to the party and so I ordered the pdf  version to download and print. I was so busy, I had it for two weeks before I started using it. It has the Daily Office readings, which goes through the Bible in a two year cycle, a calendar, a short prayer for each day, space to journal, Sunday’s lectionary readings, and a weekly reflection, called the prayer of examen. The past week that I have been using this I have found myself calmer. I have found myself reading more Scripture, because I’m adding those readings to what I was already reading. I am reflecting more. I’m spending more time tuned in and connected to God. I’m having to carve out the time to do it, but I’m doing it. And I can tell a difference. I pray that you may also be more tuned in to God during this season, reconnect yourself, fill your cup back up to overflowing, and be ready to share out of the overflow when need arises. Amen.

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[1] www.worshipdesignstudio.com worship series “Busy”

The Flying Turtle

(Writing with my children #2, March 18, 2020)

Left: This is a flying turtle and there is a one-eyed monster. Right: What do you call a turtle with wings? A flying turtle!

Once upon a time, there was a flying turtle. At a glance, she looked like an ordinary green turtle. Average size, average shade of green. But, if she needed to get away from a predator in a hurry, she had...

(Before I could decide how to describe her wings, the kids finished their writing and it was time to move on. So, later that day...)

I couldn't decide whether to make the wings realistic or not. I wanted to make them big, leathery, powerful wings, easily able to carry a turtle's weight (which is heavier than a bird's weight). But then you couldn't really fold wings like that down and make them un-noticeable. The other option was lighter wings, like a feather or fairy wings, almost translucent and fragile. But I didn't want fragile, light wings, I wanted sturdy powerful ones, and you can't have it both ways unless there's some magic involved and you move from sci-fi to fantasy. I'm always mindful from my husband (the biologist) how good sci-fi makes sense from a biology standpoint - you don't give a big monster itty-bitty feet that wouldn't realistically be able to support its weight, or the creature in the "Star Trek" reboot that's bright red in a world of white, because biologically, it wouldn't survive predators nor be able to hunt prey sticking out like that.

Anyway, a balance between realism and sci-fi is where I got stuck, because I wanted the wings to somehow blend in to the turtle, but wings and turtle shells don't mix and I don't know how the shell could hide or store the wings.

A mix between realism and fear is where we are today and there are some hard decisions to be made.

Fairies

(While my children are home from school, we're reading, writing, and doing math each day. When they write, I write, too :-) This is today's writing.)

My daughter LOVES fairies. Her first grade teacher introduced her to the Magic Fairies books and she has DEVOURED them. She's read all of her teacher's collection and probably most of the library's. what amazes me most is that she REREADS the books! She doesn't just read one book in this seemingly never-ending series (there are rainbow fairies, jewel fairies, animal fairies, food fairies, etc.), she reads each book multiple times!

I've read one of the books, "May the Panda Fairy." We were both excited to find this book at the library because the panda bear is both of our favorite animals. And I figured I ought to read one book of this series that she's obsessed with. So, about an hour after we returned from that library trip I found the book with a note on top, " Mom you can read this book." It was cute, predictable, and I don't think the plot varies much from book to book. But, she loves them.

My daughter's and son's writing and drawing on the theme of fairies. Daisy Meadows is the author of the Magic Fairy books.

Busy: Preparing a Table

2^nd Sunday in Lent

March 8, 2020

Psalm 23; Philippians 1:1-11

            Anxiety. If you have been out and about this past week, you’ll notice that our anxiety level as a society has gone up. You can feel it walking into a store. A mild winter with tastes of spring is making us more anxious for spring to arrive and stay. Super Tuesday and another election cycle are causing anxiety. And the coronavirus, which hit Maryland a few days ago, has put us even more on edge. Some of us work in Montgomery County, drive through it, or go to doctors’ appointments in it. We’re stockpiling toilet paper and soap, not milk and eggs like for a blizzard. Our anxiety level has increased and it’s pulling us away from other people. There’s an increase in racist incidents against Asians and Asian-Americans. We’re not traveling. We’re not sure we want to be around other people, lest you get us sick. We even implemented a few safeguards at our Wednesday evening service here, some of which we’ll continue and others which we won’t. For example, every winter we give you permission not to shake hands when we exchange the peace. That comes up every cold and flu season. As adults, it’s your call as to how you want to greet your neighbor. Yet it’s important that we do greet our neighbor and not turn away from them. One practice I’m not going to continue is wearing gloves while serving the bread. Here’s my sacramental theology: as long as I’m not sick and I don’t cough or sneeze on the elements and my hands are clean, then you’re not going to get sick from receiving the Eucharist. The bread and the cup have been blessed; they are holy. They are no longer simply bread and wine but signs of Christ’s body and blood, broken and poured out for us. This is where public health policy and theology meet. Public health practices say wear gloves whenever serving food. But communion isn’t an ordinary meal nor are you customers paying for the meal. We are family gathered around the table to receive a holy sacrament together. It’s a place where Jesus meets us. And, personally, I don’t believe I’m going to get sick from taking communion. Jesus and communion are about health and wholeness and restoration. Jesus’ body is broken so that we may become whole. That’s my sacramental theology around communion.

            Communion is another place where we gather together, where we turn toward each other and not away. Any good meal is like that, really. Think of a really good meal you recently enjoyed. Picture the details: the food, the table, where you were, who you were with. If it was a really good meal, chances are good you weren’t dining alone. There is something about eating together that feeds us more than just the actual food. “At the table, we share stories, build upon relationships, learn from each other’s mistakes and triumphs.”[1] A few months ago in my house we started sharing our rosebuds and thorns for each day, an idea I read in a children’s ministry email and which my kids have really taken to. If you ask a child how their day was, they’re going to give you a one-word answer. With rosebuds and thorns, we tell each other stories about our day and the things that stuck out, and the dinner table is the space we have together to do that. Time together at the table creates bonds and “benefits every aspect of our wellbeing — emotionally, physically, socially, occupationally, spiritually, intellectually and mentally – which all acts and interacts in a way that contributes to our overall quality of life.”[2]

            We have a bit of a loneliness epidemic in our country, which only gets worse during times of a pandemic scare. It makes us isolate ourselves even more, and while isolation can be for good reasons, it can still make you lonely. God made us to be in community with each other, and when we’re not, we feel that missing. You know I’ve been meeting with the other clergy who serve in our community, across denominations, and one of the top needs we’ve identified in our community is isolation and loneliness. Some of y’all have grown up here and always lived here. Other folks move out here for the space and to not have neighbors right on top of them. Again, it’s a good reason, but an unintended downside is loneliness, especially if you’re new. Making friends as an adult is hard, partly because we’re busier, which is our theme for this Lent. We’re hungry for company, but we don’t know how to ask or where to find time. We’re afraid of rejection. We’re afraid of getting sick. My husband and I recently found out that our next door neighbors enjoy one of the same board games that we do, Catan. And then our neighbor hesitantly asked if we like Vietnamese food, because his in-laws are Vietnamese. It’s not something we’ve eaten a lot of but we’re willing to try it. Now I just have to text them to set up a date!

            In Psalm 23 we read that God prepares a table for us. God prepares a table for us. We don’t even have to cook the food, much less set the table! God prepares the table. At the table, around food, we tend to relax. We are more at ease. We’re generally less hurried. Yet Psalm 23 also recalls the dark valleys, “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” and calls us into the not-so-easy practice of sitting down at the table with our enemies. What was the awkwardest meal you’ve ever had? If it was awkward, changes are good you weren’t eating by yourself then, either. Was it something that was said? Was it because of the surrounding circumstances? Was someone trying to sell you something? Or convince you of something? “God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies.” In the midst of this familiar and comforting psalm, God talks about the people we don’t like and we’re going to eat a meal with them! Wouldn’t it be better if it were, “God prepares a table for us in the presence of our family,” or “God prepares a table for us in the presence of our friends”? But no, God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. We sit down to eat with people who might get us sick. We sit down to eat with people who don’t think the same way we do. We sit down to eat with people who we don’t want to be around. That’s part of why sometimes we prefer isolation, right? Better alone than with that person! But what does Jesus say? “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”[3] “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down your life for your friends.”[4] And you may say, “Aha! Jesus said friends!” Well, 1 John expounds upon that and says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”[5] Lest you forget who your neighbor is, that question is answered by the parable Jesus tells about the good Samaritan. The person least wanted around, the person most hated because of his ethnicity and religion, that’s who helped the man who was beaten up and left on the side of the road for dead. That’s who your neighbor, your brother and sister, and your friend are. God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. And we have to deal with it, because the good news is that an unhurried God is present with us in the good times and in the difficult times and invites us to be radically present to each other in the same way.

            Paul wrote the letter to the Philippians while literally eating with his enemies: he and Timothy were in jail. Jail in the ancient world was even more vulnerable than today because then you relied on friends outside for basic needs like food and blankets. From that place, Paul wrote to the whole church in Philippi, not just his friends, not just the ones with whom he got along better or had more in common with, but the whole church. He wrote, “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus… whether I am in chains or [not], all of you share in God’s grace with me… And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” From a place of vulnerability, from a place of daily eating with his enemies, if he eats at all, Paul’s prayer is for the Philippians to increase in love; that their love might just keep growing and flourishing and overflowing.

            You know what else overflows? That cup at the table that God prepared. “You prepare a table for me in the midst of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.” My cup isn’t just full; that usually means I’m busy, right? I’ve got a full plate. Well, I don’t have a full cup; I have an overflowing cup. It is spilling over and running down the sides and over my hand and there’s generally two reactions to that. One is to get mad because of the mess and put the cup down so that you can clean up the mess. Or you can laugh at the absurdity of it, take joy in an overflowing cup. Maybe try to sip it down a little. Not be anxious about the mess but rather enjoying the over-abundance that God provides. This week, make it a point to eat with others, especially if you don’t usually. Invite someone over. We’re not in quarantine. Use reasonable precautions like hand-washing and covering your mouth if you cough. Let us draw together, turn toward each other and not away. May your cup overflow with joy, and temper down that rising anxiety that is around us, so that we might be beacons of peace during this season.

 (Worship series "Busy" from worshipdesignstudio.com)

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[1] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/apr/14/health-benefits-eating-together/

[2] Ibid.

[3] Matthew 5:44

[4] John 15:13

[5] 1 John 3:16

Busy: The Right Tempo

1^st Sunday in Lent

March 1, 2020

1 Kings 8:54-61; Matthew 11:28-30

            What rhythm of life works for you? How do you know when your rhythm’s too fast? Or, maybe it’s too slow. What if you don’t have a rhythm and you’re just going from one fire to the next? I have always said that if I don’t have time to read for fun, then I’m too busy. What’s your marker or indicator that your rhythm is off and not life-giving?

            We read in both Scriptures this morning about rest. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary, struggling and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Then I paired it this morning with the passage from 1 Kings. This is from after King Solomon has built the temple, the first temple, the original one. After it’s built, the Ark of the Covenant is brought in, that structure that was how the Israelites knew God was with them everywhere they traveled. Then Solomon offers God a lengthy prayer of dedication of the temple, including praise for all that God had already done for them. One piece of that is the line we read, “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to the people Israel just as the Lord promised.” Isn’t it wonderful when God’s promises come true? The Israelites wandered for forty years before finally entering the Promised Land. They went through a series of leaders, first judges and then kings. It wasn’t until the third king, Solomon, that a temple is built, a place for the people to gather to worship God. The people are now fully settled, entering into the rest that God promised them.

            What’s interesting is how we go about getting that rest. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Now, a yoke is a wooden beam normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, like oxen usually do; although yokes can also be fitted to a single animal as well. So what does it mean to have an easy yoke? It means it fits well. It’s not choking you at the neck so you can’t breathe; it’s not weighing you down so you can hardly lift your head. It’s probably, however, not so light that you don’t notice its presence. When an animal wears a yoke, it’s because the animal has specific work to do and the work may be hard. Jesus never promises that the yoke would literally be easy; that’s a mistranslation. In this context of yoking oxen, the translation means ‘well fitting.’ As we begin our Lenten season and our series on Busy, we discover that each of us has a tempo that fits well, that energizes us. What is that tempo? What’s the rhythm that gives you life and energy? What tempo of life feels toxic to you? What is the cost?

            For an example from pop culture, I’m reminded of a song that came out in 1974, “Cat’s in the Cradle.” Anyone familiar with that song? The refrain goes, “The cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon/ Little boy blue and the man in the moon/ “When you coming home, dad?” “I don't know when”/But we'll get together then/You know we'll have a good time then.” Basically, the father is too busy for his son the entire time the son is growing up. And then when the son is grown up and the father is retired, the tables are turned. The father wants to spend time with his son but his son is now too busy for him and the father realizes that his boy is just like him; the son grew up to be just like his father. There’s a cost when your rhythm is off-kilter. The cost may be a relationship. It may be your health, physical, mental, or spiritual. But when you don’t pay attention to the rhythm of your life and put in the hard work to keep it one that fits you well and energizes you, then other things get out of kilter as well.

One thing to acknowledge is that there are different tempos for different seasons of life. For example, right now is a very busy season for CPA’s, accountants, and for those who work with them and live with them. It’s a different tempo than the rest of the year for them. Other professions have similar busy seasons, and you prepare for them and you plan vacations or other ways to celebrate when they end. There are right tempos for right times and it’s important to figure out what the right tempo is when you change seasons. For students and educators the rhythm of the school year is different from summer break. When you have a major change in your health, you have to adjust your rhythm to figure out what’s going work best with how life is now. Life changes and what works in one season is not going to work as well in another season.

In the Bible paraphrase, The Message, Eugene Peterson does something pretty interesting in both of our Scriptures. For Matthew, he interprets Jesus to say, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I love that middle phrase, “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” When you have to work at a rhythm, it’s probably not the best fit for you. The right tempo for your life isn’t going to feel like work; it’s going to feel more natural. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

Then, King Solomon’s prayer becomes “Blessed be God, who has given peace to his people Israel just as he said he’d do… May the Lord keep us centered and devoted to him, following the life path he has cleared, watching the signposts, walking at the pace and rhythms he laid down for our ancestors.” What are the rhythms that were laid down? A Sabbath, resting from work one day a week; a Sabbath year every seventh year for the land for the land to rest; 7 times 7, making the 50^th year a year of Jubilee and liberation when everyone returns to their own property, remembering that the land really belongs to God.

The right rhythm is going to give you life and energy. It’s going to fit well and energize you. It’s going to be a rhythm that includes time for prayer and time for work, time for self-care and time to serve others. It’s not going to be too busy.

There was one more song going through my head while preparing today’s sermon. It’s a song called “Little Man” released in 1997 by the O.C. Supertones, one of the earliest Contemporary Christian rock groups, considered alternative and indie.

Lookin' out for number ones's a full time occupation

I'll give to me myself and I my own salvation

Some people try to tell me God can save me from my sin

But God can take a number and I'll pencil Him in

Busy oh so busy I got no time to search

My Sunday's are all booked I've got no time for church

That's for those poor souls, dry as a stone

God bless this child 'cause this child's got His own.

Oh, let my pride fall down I'm a little man

            Well, this Lent we are going to let our pride fall down and make time. We’re not going to pencil God in; we’re going to write the time in in ink! Let us slow down and make time now to pray...

(Worship series "Busy" from worshipdesignstudio.com)

Ash Wednesday 2020 Homily

Ash Wednesday

February 26, 2020

Matthew 6:1-6

Busy: Reconnecting with an Unhurried God

(Based on worship series from worshipdesignstudio.com)

21^st century society is one that is busy and on-the-go. If you ask someone how they are, the answer is often busy.  Being “busy” has become a measure of worth in our society. We get big points for productivity, collecting accomplishments, having and being “more.” Maryland especially is extra-busy, go-go-go! Because if you go slow, you get run over, or honked at, or you don’t get everything done because there’s too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do it. We subconsciously believe that being busy is what’s required of us and how we prove our worth, to God, to others, and to ourselves. But we are paying a high price in self-esteem, in physical health, in the enjoyment of life, and in connecting to one another. We are losing out on depth in our lives the more we spread ourselves thin.

Here’s the good news: God isn’t looking for us to perform as if we must prove how good we are or how worthy of love we are or how productive we can be. You can’t buy the Beatles’ love and you can’t earn God’s love. God offers it freely to everyone. In fact, God already loves you, regardless of whether you finish your to-do list or not, regardless of how long your to-do list is, regardless of how full your calendar is, regardless of good you look to others. God doesn’t care about your posturing so quit doing it. God loves you. Full stop.  

So this Lent, let’s practice simply being in God’s presence. Let’s clear out the lists and the things we think we have to do to look good to others. Let’s repent from unrealistic expectations and false beliefs. Let’s make room for what we want more of – more love, more peace, more joy, more generosity. Let’s stop striving after those things that won’t fulfill us, that aren’t what God requires of us. Instead, let’s make space and simplify – at home, at work, in church, in school, in worship, and in life. Let’s focus on what’s truly important and rather than giving something up for Lent, let’s make space this Lent so that we can live the life that truly is life.

Come to our Wednesday night Lenten services. Each week we’ll have a lay speaker and communion. The speakers will also be reflecting on this theme of busy-ness and what they want more of in their lives and how they’re going to make room for it. There’s a bible study, that I haven’t read, but the title is “Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire with God Not Food.” We were made to crave God. St. Augustine said “our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” The problem is we try to fill that spot with food or another addiction when we really need to make more room for God in our lives. Take time for God.

This series is meant to focus us for a time on these things in order to offer a spiritual antidote to that which is stressing us out. We will find that there are very physical and tangible things we must attend to in order to address this spiritual issue. Tonight’s tangible thing is to receive the ashes of last year’s palms. I saved the palms from last Palm Sunday, when we had a big procession and parade and celebration, and last weekend my husband had some fun and burned them down to these ashes you’ll receive tonight. The ashes remind us that all of us will one day die, and in the process of life, we make mistakes, we sin, and the good news is God loves us, anyway.

Shine Light on Jesus

Transfiguration Sunday

February 23, 2020

2 Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9

            This last Sunday before Lent is called Transfiguration Sunday and we read the story of Jesus being transfigured on the mountain in front of the disciples Peter, James, and John. We know mountaintops are significant. On top of Mount Sinai is where Moses received the Ten Commandments. (On top of Old Smokey…?) It was in a cave on Mount Horeb that God passed by Elijah, not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire but in the small, still voice. And now Jesus takes three of the disciples up another mountain and is transfigured before them. His face shines like the sun. His clothes become as white as the light. And two more people appear, Moses and Elijah, who talk with Jesus. Moses was the person God called to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years to the Promised Land. Elijah was the last prophet left when King Ahab and Queen Jezebel went on a killing rampage and after taking some time apart, he went back to challenge them and became one of the most famous prophets, even if he didn’t write a book about it like Isaiah or Jeremiah.

            The timing of this encounter is curious. We’re told it’s six days later. To read later than what, you have to go back to Matthew 16. There, Peter makes this dramatic confession about who Jesus is. Some people are saying that Jesus is Elijah come back again, or John the Baptist, or even Jeremiah or one of the other prophets. Jesus presses Peter, asking, “But you, who do you say that I am?” And Peter answers, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Ding, ding, ding! Peter gets it right. 100% right. He knows exactly who Jesus is and Jesus says that he will build his church on Peter and give Peter the keys to the kingdom. Peter’s golden and he does become the head leader of the early church and the first Pope. Yet in the very next paragraph, Jesus begins to tell the disciples about how he’s going to suffer, be put to death by the authorities, and will rise to life on the third day, and Peter says “No! This will not happen!” Peter knows who Jesus is, but does not want Jesus to follow the path to the cross. Jesus responds by calling Peter Satan and says those wonderful lines, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Six days after this conversation is when Jesus is transfigured. “Thus, the transfiguration scene must be read in light of Peter’s insight and failure but also Jesus’ unflinching promise. In short, glory and the cross mix. Suffering and promises of judgment are intertwined. The cross and the glory of God are not at odds.”[1] They go together.

            Let’s look at Peter’s response to Jesus’ transfiguration. He says something to the effect of, “Jesus, isn’t this great that we’re here? We need to do something. We should mark and memorialize this moment. What do you think about building three shrines here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah? Great idea, right?” Peter is caught up in the moment. I can imagine Jesus might smile at his enthusiasm. Peter is overwhelmed by glory and wants to act; he feels moved to do something.

            We react different ways when we’re overwhelmed and part of it depends on what we’re overwhelmed by. Moses found out he was standing on holy ground and needed to mark it by taking off his shoes. When Elijah found himself in a holy moment, he put his cloak over his face. How do you respond to holy moments? With tears? With awe? Moving towards a posture of worship and bowing down? Do you find yourself wanting to memorialize it or finding a physical object with which to mark it? For years, I kept a candle that I had molded into the shape of a heart to remember the holy time when it was lit at a middle school youth retreat.

            And then how do you respond to other overwhelming moments? When you get bad news, or dealing with health issues, or there’s too much to do, or you’re feeling the pressure of deadlines or decision, or maybe you’re trying to juggle too many things, whether the little things have added up or there are multiple big things that need your attention. So many things can overwhelm us, good and bad and neutral. What do you do when you’re overwhelmed? Some people lash out. Others can’t stop talking or they over-eat or have trouble ending some other activity. Some people shut down. They’re done. You may turn defensive and cry or internalize the overwhelming-ness as failure. You may turn offensive and get angry and violent and yell and blame others. These are all different responses and it’s not an exhaustive list. Each of us respond differently to being overwhelmed and context matters; it depends on what is causing the feeling of overwhelmed. It’s not always because we see Jesus in all his glory and recognize this is a holy moment, possibly the holiest I will ever witness. So, what are healthy and faithful and life-giving ways to respond?

            For Peter and the disciples, God intervenes. Peter is all excited and asks Jesus about building shrines, when another voice speaks up. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” It’s the same voice speaking the same words as at Jesus’ baptism, although there weren’t any disciples present then. When Jesus is baptized in the Jordan by John, as he comes up out of the water, a voice from heaven speaks and says the same thing. “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am pleased.” Peter, James, and John hear this voice and now they have a different response. They are overwhelmed by the holy even more than they were before, and this time they fall facedown to the ground and are terrified. It’s like a toddler who triggered an action toy to dance and talk and they had no idea it did that and they go running crying back to their parents. God speaks. Peter, James, and John don’t just witness the transfiguration and see Moses and Elijah; they also hear God speak from heaven! No wonder they’re terrified! They are scared… to death. They fall face down. They can’t even. They are completely overwhelmed by awe and fear.

            Jesus reaches down and touches them, perhaps on the shoulder or the back. Physical touch can get your attention in ways other things can’t when you’re overwhelmed. Not everyone is touchy-feely, but a touch at just the right time can redirect our focus. Jesus says, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.” It’s like when Jesus calms the storm on the sea. Jesus is out with the disciples on the fishing boat. He’s napping while the disciples are fishing. Then a storm comes up and the disciples are terrified. The boat starts to sink. The disciples wake Jesus up because they’re convinced they’re going to drown. The waves are going to overwhelm them and this is the end unless Jesus does something. Jesus says, “O you of little faith, why are you so afraid?” And Jesus calms the sea and the storm. Or when Peter walks on water, his eyes on Jesus for a while… until he notices the wind has picked up and the waves are getting choppier. He starts to sink and cries out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus reaches out his hand and catches him, again with similar words, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When we get caught up in the wind and the waves, when we get caught up in the storm, when we get caught up in the feeling of overwhelming-ness, is when our faith starts to shrink. When we’re looking at what’s going on all around us and it’s completely terrifying and overpowering and all-encompassing and threatening to do us in, that’s when doubts can creep in because we forget that nothing can overpower Jesus. Nothing. Not even death. Not even the tomb can hold Jesus. We may be overpowered, but Jesus is not.

At the end of the scene, all Peter, James, and John see is Jesus. There is no more transfiguration, no more dazzling light, no more Moses and Elijah, no more ideas about building shrines, no more voices from heaven. Just Jesus. No more waves and storm, no more chaos, no more overwhelming-ness; it’s still going on around them, but their focus has shifted. They are now focused on Jesus. It’s hard to remember it in the moment, I know. I get overwhelmed sometimes, too. But try, ask Jesus to help you, ask him now, so you don’t have to remember that when the time comes, ask him that when you are overwhelmed for him to redirect your focus back to him. The faithful, healthy response to feeling overwhelmed is to take a deep breath. Slow down. Pay attention to what’s most important. Be in the moment. Ask for help. Focus on Jesus and not on the overwhelming situation. Ask Jesus to intervene. There’s a hymn that’s about a hundred years old called “Turn your eyes upon Jesus” (UMH 349). Sing it with me if you know it.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

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[1] http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4390