Last Epiphany/Year C/Feb 27, 2022
Psalm 99; Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]
All were astounded at the greatness of God….
When was the last time, you experienced something…that left you astounded at the greatness of God?
When was the last time, you were brought to your knees in humble gratitude for the greatness of God?
All were astounded at the greatness of God….
These were the words from the conclusion of our gospel reading today…
Words that seemed to sum up the events of the day…from Peter, James, and John’s experience on the mountaintop with Jesus, where they were clearly astounded by the greatness of God and what had happened there…so much so…that they were left in silent awe at what they had been witness to…and then we listened to the account of what happened after they transitioned down the mountain, to be witness to Jesus responding to the cries of a man, on his knees, begging Jesus to heal his son and lamenting that the disciples had not been able to help him…We catch a glimpse of Jesus’ frustration in this story with the disciples lack of faith or understanding perhaps, after all of his time trying to teach and equip the disciples with all that they needed to go out into the world, to be healers, hope-bringers, peace-builders, joy givers, extravagant love-bearers…All…possible…because of the greatness of God…as made known to us, in Jesus…in times such as these…on the mountaintops of life in prayer, setting aside time to listen to the voice of God, and as we descend the mountains to dwell in the valleys with the gift of prayer, and the voice of God still speaking to us, to comfort us, and guide us, in every step we take…
Prayer changes us and transforms us from within… it has the power to change and transform all we say and do, with our outward facing every day words and actions…
Jesus regularly took time away to pray…and 1st and foremost…that is the place we are called to go to, also…to set aside time to go up the mountain, or a place set aside from the everyday grind and turmoil of what swirls around us and troubles us…to just pray, to open ourselves up to have an encounter and experience with the love and light of God, and an encounter with the reasoning and aligning of our wills and our lives with God, when we listen for the voice of God…a voice and a guiding light that will stay with us and within us as we descend the mountain…as we go back into the everyday trials and tribulations that we most assuredly will face…
Prayer 1st, to transform us within, each and every day, we are called to go out and be healers, hope-bringers, peace-builders, joy givers, extravagant love-bearers…to a weary and hurting world…
Repeat this rhythm, practice it often throughout the day, every day…make it a lifetime practice…to follow Jesus in this way…a life of prayer, that informs our love and actions towards all God’s children and all of creation….
Let’s begin again right now, to pause for a moment of silent prayer... to pray for the children, of all ages, and everywhere growing up in a time of war and conflicts…Pray for peace in all our hearts, and in all our lands… And offer a prayer of thanks for the times we have been astounded at the greatness of God, for the times we have been brought to our knees in humble gratitude for the greatness of God’s love for every one of us…
Silence…..
Let us pray: Thank you, God, for this time of prayer with you on the mountaintop, and in the everyday difficult places we find ourselves in. May we find our hope, and our joy, and our peace always in you. Thank you for opening our eyes and hearts to be astounded by the greatness of you and your love, for every beloved child we share this wide and wonderful world with. This we pray, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and in the One, whose light and love is always changing us and transforming us, Jesus, your Son. Amen.
Rev Julie Platson
St Peter’s by the Sea Episcopal Church
Sitka, AK
After sermon: (H) 137 – O wondrous type! O vision fair
Recording: Organist, Kathi Jones & St Peter’s choir
O wondrous type! O vision fair
of glory that the Church may share,
which Christ upon the mountain shows,
where brighter than the sun he glows!
With Moses and Elijah nigh
the incarnate Lord holds converse high;
and from the cloud, the Holy One
bears record to the only Son.
With shining face and bright array,
Christ deigns to manifest today
what glory shall be theirs above
who joy in God with perfect love.
And faithful hearts are raised on high
by this great vision’s mystery;
for which in joyful strains we raise
the voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.
O Father, with the eternal Son,
and Holy Spirit, ever One,
vouchsafe to bring us by thy grace
to see thy glory face to face.