The text for Transfiguration, which we are reading this week, is one of the more obviously “Mystical” texts we encounter throughout our journey through the lectionary each cycle. Jesus, with a couple of his closest disciples, heads up a mountain to pray and during his prayer everything is suddenly different. Jesus is now Sparkly Jesus and joined by Moses and Elijah, two of the most important figures in all of Judaism. This text would be easy to write of as some kind of narrative tool that probably didn’t happen by the author if it wasn’t attested to in all three synoptic Gospels and 1 Peter. There is almost no logical or scientific way to make sense of what happens on top of the mountain during the transfiguration. We are almost forced to accept the mystery of that mountain top moment, and unfortunately mystery is something a lot of us are not exactly comfortable with.
In their weekly lectionary podcast called “Pulpit Fiction” one of the hosts contends that much of the “White Western Protestant tradition” really struggles with the Transfiguration text because of the way it is mystical. This rings especially true for those of us who are Lutheran and have much our theology developed by someone who was originally a lawyer. We like the pragmatic, logical, and scientific approach to the Gospel and Faith. I can’t say I’m any different. In seminary I took a class on Mystics and spent most of time taking shots at and dismissing the experiences and writings of the mystical wing of the Christian tradition we were talking about. I’m not sure my classmates enjoyed my sarcastic approach to the class but oh well. I just couldn’t wrap my head around the meaning we were supposed to be taking from dreams, visions and stirrings of the heart we were reading in class when there didn’t seem to be a ruler or test, we could judge them by.
All that being said I do have a begrudging respect for my Mystical companions in this journey we call faith. Oftentimes because when I am most need of hope the mystical parts of the Gospel and tradition are the places I turn to for hope. The pragmatic and legalistic approach to faith gets dry and bleak quickly if you let it. If we only have that which is quantifiable, logical, and testable to judge our faith in reality it can be hard to find the grace, mercy, and love in the world around us (I’m sure you’ve noticed but it is kinda bleak out there right now). At the same time if my Mystical friends get too far away from reality they can lose meaning as well. It can be hard to find solace in the promised love of the distant kingdom when you are starving for love now. So, my question to you this week is what do you need right now? A little bit of mysticism. Of clouds and lighting bright visions and the hope of what is to come after death and resurection, or do you need a little pragmatism that yes, the future kingdom will be great but we have those in need of food and clothing now?
Peace,
Corey
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