Tag Archive for 'transfiguration'

Transfiguration – Hiroshima – Peace

Published on August 5, 2010 in lectionary and liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: hiroshima day, Jesus, lectio, transfiguration, world peace day.

On this day in 1945, someone climbed not a holy mountain, but into the cockpit of a plane – a machine of war. There had been a lull of a week in the fighting between America and Japan. The Americans had a new secret weapon and they wanted to use it with the maximum psychological effect. On August 6 an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

Here we have a new voice booming from heaven. Here too was brightness, brilliant as burning magnesium. Here too is a cloud that has come and has covered us all with shadow. Truly, under the shadow of this new cloud, we are right to feel afraid.

The shape of that cloud hangs now forever in our sky. Look at the shape of that cloud. It is the new tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We have eaten of its fruit and we shall never be the same again.

We today commemorate Hiroshima day, world peace day, by telling again the story of another climb, another light, another voice, another cloud. Jesus there was speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Jesus was speaking of his death, his destruction by another tree, the cross. And we meet today below that cross, to break bread and proclaim the victory of Christ’s death over every evil, even the total annihilation by human evil.

This is a reposting of an earlier reflection. The full reflection is here.

Other resources from textweek

image: JESUS MAFA is a response to the New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings were selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings. See: www.jesusmafa.com and www.SocialTheology.com.

Resources for Lent 2

Published on February 25, 2010 in liturgy. 2 Comments Tags: collect, lectio, Lent, opening prayer, transfiguration, worship.

Some are celebrating the Transfiguration this Sunday (Luke 9:28-36), others are reading Luke 13:31-35. Here are some reflections for starters

Second Sunday in Lent February 28 (Transfiguration option) from the collect/opening prayer
Second Sunday in Lent February 28 (CofE Common Worship) from the collect/opening prayer

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy:
Be gracious to all who have gone astry from your ways,
and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith
to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son;
who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
BCP (TEC) Lent 2

Others may like to add hymns, prayers, ideas, resources, for Sunday or Lent generally

Week starting February 14

Published on February 9, 2010 in lectionary and liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: catechumenate, collect, epiphany, Lent, new zealand, opening prayer, Revised Common Lectionary, transfiguration.

Reflections based on the collect

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time February 14 reflection from the collect/opening prayer
6th Sunday after the Epiphany February 14 reflection from the collect/opening prayer (TEC BCP USA)

Most using the Revised Common Lectionary will be celebrating Transfiguration Sunday this Sunday (the Sunday before Lent), with the Gospel reading as Luke 9:28-36, (37-43). The Roman Catholic Three Year Cycle, the source of the Revised Common Lectionary has the Transfiguration always as the Second Sunday in Lent. New Zealand Anglicans have always been offered the Transfiguration story or the RCL Gospel on the Second Sunday in Lent, and not the Transfiguration as even an option on this Sunday. There is no explanation in our lectionary. This year, unlike previous years (and again with no explanation of the change), no alternatives are offered on the Second Sunday in Lent. We are only offered the Transfiguration.

It is, of course, also Valentine’s Day

During the week:

Shrove Tuesday – the Tuesday prior to Lent (Tuesday Feb 16 2010)
Ash Wednesday – A Service for the Beginning of Lent
A few simple suggestion during Lent
What is Lent – especially translating it to the Southern Hemisphere

“Alleluia” is not used during Lent. If it needs to be referred to, it is called the “A word” (or maybe the “H word” )

The Gloria is not used in the Eucharist during Lent.

For communities that follow a catechumenal process in which Lent is central:
Lenten preparation (catechumenate)
receiving the Lord’s Prayer (catechumenate)
receiving the creed (catechumenate)
enrolment for baptism (catechumenate)

Please add any comments, suggestions, hymns, prayers, reflections in the comments section.

Transfiguration – Hiroshima – Peace

Published on August 6, 2009 in liturgy. 2 Comments Tags: hiroshima day, Jesus, lectio, transfiguration, world peace day.

transfiguration

hiro1

Reflections week ahead

Published on July 29, 2009 in liturgy. 0 Comments Tags: collect, lectio, transfiguration.

A collect reflection for this coming Sunday August 2 is found here.

A reflection for the Transfiguration August 6 is found here.

Reflect on readings March 8

Published on February 28, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 5 Comments Tags: gospel, Jesus, lectio, lectionary, Lent, liturgy, psalms, transfiguration.

2nd Sunday in Lent

Text of the readings
All reflections at Category: Lectionary

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

This is from the P(riestly) version of the covenant with Abraham. The J version is Genesis Chapter 15 [hence the lack of acknowledgement that the covenant has already been established two chapters earlier]. Today’s reading skips the innovation of circumcision as a sign of the covenant. El Shaddai meant “God, the One of the Mountain” (cf. Judges 5:5). In the Priestly tradition YHWH (LORD) was revealed to Moses (Exodus 6:2-3). Changing name (verse 5) changes one’s destiny. J does not stress Sarah’s part – here, her being ninety on top of lifelong inability to bear children, underscores the supernatural quality.

Roman Catholics use Genesis 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18

Psalm 22:23-31

Romans 4:13-25

Paul wrote this letter either from Corinth or Cenchrae, the port of Corinth in 57 or 58CE. Translations of verse 13 are regularly incorrect σπερματι is seed (singular). The promise is not to Judean Israelites (regularly mistranslated anachronistically as “jews”) but to Abraham and his seed (singular). “Wrath” refers to God defending His honour. No disobedience – no dishonour. Verse 25 does not have “to death” in the original. “Handed over” and “raised” are in the passive.

Roman Catholics use Romans 8:31b-34

Mark 8:31-38

“This adulterous and sinful generation” is a questioning of the parentage of the listeners who are unprepared to join Jesus’ new “kindom”. Peter is rebuked as “Satan” the tester of loyalty. Jesus realises the consequences of rising above the status of his birth.

Mark 9:2-9

See Transfiguration

Please add your insights, reflections, sermon suggestions, hymn suggestions – anything positive and useful (even layout and web organisational ideas) – in the comments box. I will choose to publish from what is sent here. Do not send anonymous comments. You can follow comments (and posts) by the Entries Feed and Comments Feed at the bottom of the page.

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.

Reflect on readings March 1

Published on February 17, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 4 Comments Tags: baptism, faith, gospel, Jesus, lectio, lectionary, Lent, liturgy, psalms, transfiguration.

1st Sunday in Lent

Text of the readings
Reflect on readings February 15 or Transfiguration Sunday
All reflections at Category: Lectionary

Genesis 9:8-1

The Hebrew people were terrified of water. The psalms, for example, are full of water as a metaphor for danger. Whilst being a nation on the Mediterranean coast, they only had a navy under King Solomon. The story of the exile, with the destruction of all and the return of a small, faithful remnant to start afresh is well retold using an ancient flood story. God has been shooting the arrows of his flood at his people. Now God hangs up his bow in the clouds.

Psalm 25:1-10

1 Peter 3:18-22

Verses 18 and 22 appear to come from a hymn or creed.

Verses 19-21 requires familiarity with the Book of Enoch. This book is quoted in Jude 1:14-15 and by many Church Fathers. It is held to be part of the Bible by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Genesis 6:1-2 reads: “When people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose.” In Enoch’s understanding, the sinning angels had intercourse with humans who gave birth to giants. This sets up the original sin punished by the flood. God eternally imprisons the angels who continue to encourage sin on earth. Enoch (Genesis 5:21-24) is taken up into heaven where he tells the angels that they will be imprisoned (1 Enoch 6-21). In today’s text Jesus is another Enoch.

Mark 1:9-15

Jesus has left the safety of his kinship group and will establish another form of kinship group. Joining John the baptiser, Jesus has an experience of altered state of consciousness (cf. Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 42:1). The Mediterranean reader of Mark, the first and here simplest Gospel account of the Temptations, would see the honour ascribed to Jesus at his baptism inevitably lead to that honour being tested. Honour requires acknowledgement by others – as there is no such acknowledgement within the story, the readers of Mark’s text are challenged to grant Jesus this honour.

John is Jesus’ mentor (cf. John 3:22; 4:2). Jesus picks up the leadership of John’s movement and transforms it when John is arrested. Jesus, of course, attracts followers to himself, posing a dilemma for John and John’s disciples (cf. Luke 7:18-23). This longer process is telescoped into todays summary. “Believe” is not to be understood as a merely mental excercise. It is be loyal to, be commited to.

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.

Reflect on Transfiguration Sunday (Sunday before Lent)

Published on February 10, 2009 in lectionary and liturgy. 3 Comments Tags: after epiphany, collect, epiphany, faith, gospel, Jesus, lectio, lectionary, liturgy, new testament, opening prayer, ordinary time, prayer, transfiguration.

Transfiguration Icon

Whilst February 22 Roman Catholics, New Zealand Anglicans and others will be reading Mark 2:1-12 etc., those following the Revised Common Lectionary will generally be celebrating the Transfiguration with the following readings.

Mark 9:2-9

This describes an altered state of consciousness understood and experienced in 90% of cultures studied by anthropologists, but blocked in the contemporary, secular, materialististic Western culture, where we deny and fear that which we cannot control. Some scholars see this as a resurrection story projected back into Jesus’ life, others describe it as “eschatological” – a “preview of coming attractions”. Jesus is there with the great lawgiver and the great prophet. Mountan, witnesses, signs, and shared experience are common to similar biblical theophanies (Exodus 19-20; 34; 1 Kings 19:4-18). Jesus’ sonship, declared in Mark 1:1, and 1:11 is re-arffirmed here at the centre of the gospel – this will lead to its declaration at the end by the centurion. This underscores the nature of Jesus’ group (kin-like), his mission, and the challenge to be loyal to him.

Don’t forget: each week I also publish a reflection on the collect/opening prayer.