Transfiguration

Okay folks, I am busy about many things, but I want to get back to this blog. And remember, not much prep for me goes into this---it's what has embedded itself in my memory after preaching these texts many times.

I love Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday. To me, it is a much needed reminded of the Lordship of Christ, with his bleachy-white robe and back lit face, making Warner Sallman prints a parody of what Christ really was and is (sorry, Sallman fans). Ah the sermon, which way to go? The "Fairest Lord Jesus" route, reminding the folks on this Sunday before Lent begins, of the true nature of the man who will be marching to the cross? Or "what was it that those guys were talking about, anyway" route, when Elijah and Moses and Jesus were chatting? That can be a very intriguing way to go(and you can throw in some appropriate humor too...please don't have them talking about who will be the number one seed in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, unless you do it to make some kind of point...and hopefully more than a free throw). Or Peter and the three dwellings---holding on to the moment instead of taking the experience and going forward, or something like that. Or Peter's fear of the transcendent moment--what does that say to us? Or God's voice---"listen to him!" echoing that Sunday after the Epiphany, at the baptism of the Lord. So many ways to go---don't try to go too many at once.

White and beauty need to be everywhere, in your sermon, on the altar. It is a Sunday of light---lots of candles, maybe a variety of portraits of Jesus (beauty I know is in the eye of the beholder but hopefully use ones that speak beautifully the truth of Christ.) The painting above was done by Beato Angelico and dates from the late 14th or early 15th century. I love his work

Hymns---"Fairest Lord Jesus" of course, "I want to walk as a child of the light," "O Morning Star," any that describe Christ in terms of light. There are lots of praise choruses--"Majesty", from the Faith We Sing, "From the Rising of the Sun" p. 2024; "The Lily of the Valley 2062"---also from the UMH--"I want to walk as a child of the light". In "The Faith We sing" there are two newer beautifully written Transfiguration texts--on 2102 by Tom Troeger and 2103 by Carl Daw. I am moved every time I sing 2103--it is to the hymn tune Hyfrydol (Come Thou Long Expected Jesus) .

I am at the office and my sermons are on my home 'puter. I will try my best to post one tonight on the Sermons by Susan blog.