Friday, February 1, 2008

Jesus' Mountaintop Experience

Our Gospel for tomorrow is Matthew 17:1-9. Jesus has taken his closest disciples Peter, James and John up on a high mountain to pray, and suddenly Jesus looks very different. His clothes become dazzling white. The brightness is too much for them and the disciples fall on their faces in fear. Then they see Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah, who represented the Law and the Prophets.

Then to top all that off, they hear God saying of Jesus, "This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!" How wonderful and generous it was of Jesus to share this mountaintop experience with his disciples. They were going to need this to help carry them through some very tough valleys.

We celebrate this event of the Transfiguration twice in the church year -- the last Sunday after the Epiphany, and August 6 - the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. This makes it doubly important for us to heed the words of God: Jesus is God's Son, the Beloved. We need to hear his words. Like the first disciples, this will help us through the tough valleys of our lives, too.


In peace,
Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

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