Posts Tagged ‘Mark 9:2-13’
Mary’s Yes, Our Yes – Br. Lain Wilson
The Transfiguration closes the season after the Epiphany, and bookends, in language and details, Jesus’s baptism, which opened it. Jesus ascends—from the water at his baptism, and up a mountain now. A voice recognizes him as “my Son, the Beloved.” But between the two events, Jesus has invited people to follow him; he has called his disciples to be with him and to share in his ministry.
These disciples have had glimpses that Jesus is more than just a man. But here, glimpses give way to full vision. The three disciples see Jesus transfigured, his clothes becoming “dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them.” They are terrified. Peter doesn’t really seem to know what’s going on. They see Jesus, their teacher, their friend, their Messiah—and they see him changed.
But we might ask, “who was changed? Who was transfigured?” Was Jesus changed—or were the disciples? Was it, perhaps, that the eyes of the disciples were opened so that they could see the reality behind the reality?
That reality, ultimately, is that both their visions of Jesus were true. Jesus was both the man in homespun clothing and the shining figure in resplendent white. Jesus is both human and God. Read More
The Nature of Epiphanies – Br. Jim Woodrum
A sermon preached at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Paris, KY
Mark 9:2-13
The other day I was talking to one of my brothers and marveling about the fact that Lent was just around the corner. It seems like yesterday that we were decorating the monastery chapel liturgically in blue for Advent in the excited anticipation of Christmas. I mentioned to him in jest that Epiphany was almost over and I was a little panicky because I hadn’t had one yet. He laughed, shook his head and said “You live in a monastery Jim, it could happen at any moment!” Even though we were joking, it got me to thinking about the nature of epiphanies in contrast with the season of Epiphany. According to the Merriam Webster dictionary an epiphany is: a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way. In the church, Epiphany is a season beginning on January 6th when we celebrate Christ being made manifest to the world through the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem (epiphany, from the Greek, literally meaning manifestation). Read More
Eureka! Epiphany! – Br. Jim Woodrum
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I was marveling the other day that Lent is just around the corner. Isn’t that amazing? It seems like yesterday we were dressing this chapel liturgically in blue for Advent, in excited anticipation of Christmas. Now, Epiphany is almost over and I’m getting a little panicky…..because I haven’t had one yet. Maybe you can relate. Have you had an epiphany during this church season of Epiphany?
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary an epiphany is: a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way. In the church, Epiphany is a season beginning on January 6th when we celebrate Christ being made manifest to the world through the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem (epiphany, from the Greek, literally meaning manifestation). Read More