Sunday next before Lent

Readings: Exodus 34v29-end; Psalm 99; 2 Corinthians 3v12 to 4v2; Luke 9v28-43a.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.

A Word: In Exodus, an ancient scripture, we hear that Moses met with God on Mount Sinai where he was given the covenant to share with all the people of Israel. These people were the ones who had been rescued from captivity in Egypt and were now wandering in the dessert as a landless and itinerant people. What we learn from this reading is that when Moses met with God, his face shined so brightly with the glory of God, that it disturbed the people, so he chose to wear a veil over his face when he was with them.

In Luke we hear about a series of amazing events – an echo of what we hear in Exodus – witnessed by the disciples Peter, James and John. For when Jesus went up a mountain to pray he met with God his father and shone so brightly with the glory of God that the whole of his being and clothes became intensely luminous. The three disciples also saw Jesus speaking with Moses and the prophet Elijah before finding themselves overshadowed by a great cloud and hearing a voice instruct them to listen to Jesus because he was God’s son, the chosen one. After this they went back down the mountain with Jesus and saw him being asked to help a boy who had convulsions. Jesus responded to the request and the disciples saw Jesus cast out the cause of the boy’s illness and healing him from having convulsions.

What do you make of all that we hear in these two scriptures? Well, from these readings, I hear that some people meet God face to face, like Moses and Jesus; and others hear the word of God as a voice, like the disciples of Jesus; whilst others see signs of God, like the bright radiance seen on Moses’ face and in Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain top.

What I also hear from Corinthians, is that we have a veil that clouds our minds and obscures our vision of God. A veil that will be set aside when we turn to Jesus. For when we turn to Jesus we are set free from our sins by the Spirit and begin a journey of being changed and transformed from what we are now into what God would have us become. A hope that Paul proclaims we can all share in through Jesus – the hope of having our minds set free to connect with God.

For we have a glorious God who wants us to connect with him. A God that the psalm calls us to worship, exalt and bow before. For the Lord our God is holy, a mighty king, a king enthroned in heaven, high above all peoples. A king who loves justice and equity. A king who brings fairness and morality. A king who is the same Lord who spoke to and was followed by Moses, Aaron and Samuel. The Lord who can be trusted to hear and answer his people’s calls. The Lord who pardons and forgives his people’s offenses.

For we have a God who is there with us in the clouds of life. A God who is worthy of our worship and praise. A God who is worth listening to and following, wherever he may wish to take us. A God whose glory is reflected out into the world through all who connect with him, a light that shines in the darkness, everywhere we go; pouring out God’s glory and hope into the world.

Let us Pray: Holy God, Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty, grant to us the grace to become aware of his glory and to see your glory in the face of Jesus. Strengthen us for all that life presents to us and help us to speak and act in ways that accurately mirrors Jesus and presents him in the world. May all of us and all we share Jesus with, know his power to save and change us into his likeness. Amen

Thanks for joining us today.