Sunday, February 11, 2018

Transfiguration of the Lord

The lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:2-9

The liturgical color for the day is: White

The Transfiguration of the Lord is a festival day on the liturgical calendar.  As such, it is appropriate to celebrate the sacraments that day.  The Transfiguration of the Lord always precedes the celebration of Ash Wednesday which marks the beginning of the season of Lent.  The observation of a festal Sunday, prior to entering a penitential season is understood as a true celebration that carries one forward into the journey that is Lent.

There are some who look at this story of transfiguration from the perspective of resurrection.  That view holds that this is really a post-resurrection account, that the author of the gospel is pointing to Jesus’ turn towards Jerusalem.  The function of doing this is that it gives the reader a memory of both the way to Jerusalem and the passion narratives.   Regardless of how one thinks about such form critical approaches to how Holy Scripture came together, the picture should boost us and bolster us before we begin the journey that takes us to the cross is a worthwhile consideration.

Both the story of the transfiguration and the story of Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind (the 2 Kings lesson) point to the majesty of God and God’s transcendence and illustrate the Psalmists words (50:1): The mighty one, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.  Out of Zion the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.