This is the book I am going to be using during Lent this year.
Christ in the Wilderness by Bishop Stephen Cottrell, published by SPCK, reflecting on Stanley Spencer’s paintings of that title.
Here is a video of Bishop Stephen speaking last weekend about the paintings at Saint Paul’s. It is worth watching even if you’re not reading the book.
Brilliant – now can’t wait to start the book
We associate glory with something having gone well. A triumphant occasion, something worthy of praise and adoration – something to be proud of. For example the “glory of the cup”, or the “glory days”.
What we see here is true glory. More in keeping with the “Glory of the Lord shone around” of the Angels appearing to the Shepherds at Jesus’ birth in Luke 2.
28 About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up on a mountain to pray. 29 While he was praying, his face changed, and his clothes became shining white. 30 Suddenly Moses and Elijah were there speaking with him. 31 They appeared in heavenly glory and talked about all that Jesus’ death in Jerusalem would mean.
32 Peter and the other two disciples had been sound asleep. All at once they woke up and saw how glorious Jesus was. They also saw the two men who were with him.
33 Moses and Elijah were about to leave, when Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here! Let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” But Peter did not know what he was talking about.
34 While Peter was still speaking, a shadow from a cloud passed over them, and they were frightened as the cloud covered them. 35 From the cloud a voice spoke, “This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
36 After the voice had spoken, Peter, John, and James saw only Jesus. For some time they kept quiet and did not say anything about what they had seen.
It’s all about the glory. Not glory for Jesus, Moses or Elijah, and certainly not for Peter, John and James.
Glory is the
manifestation of God’s presence
It’s about the glory of God shining through, breaking through. The glory of God, here shining in and through the life of Jesus. Bringing Heaven’s glory to earth as he lived and was God.
And Peter, James and John so nearly missed it.
This weeks reading seem to raise questions for me. So, I’ll carry on!:
Are we missing God’s glory, his presence shining? Either because we’re looking in the wrong place, focussing on the wrong thing (like building shelters instead of just taking it in), or because we’re sound asleep?
For with the glory, comes God’s confirmation again,
“This is my chosen Son. Listen to what he says!”
Just in case you missed it at his baptism, just in case you were still wondering – yes, this is my son. He is my presence in the world. Pay attention to him if you want to know what I think.
Quite wisely, the three disciples spend some time in quiet, thinking about what they’ve seen before they start talking. That is never a bad plan as we encounter God in all his glory – to be quiet, be still, let his presence soak in. To take time, for the pressures of tomorrow will soon rush in (v37-43)
Lord,
how sometimes I need
to just sit
and let it all sink in.
Not to rush off,
not to say the first thing that comes into my head,
not to have to “do” anything,
but just be
in your presence,
in your glory.
To hear
and be quiet.
After focussing on the central dot. A green dot emerges at the revolving gap. Later the magenta coloured dots disappear completely.
This is an optical illusion. Sometimes our eyes see what they think they see. Equally our ears can hear what they think they heard. Often because that is what we are expecting, or because our focus is gone. I really struggle, because often my sight is blurry – especially if I’m tired. I have to really focus to grasp what an image is. Sight and hearing are things we take for granted – but don’t always use to their best.
We continue with the theme of Moses’ shining face:
12 This wonderful hope makes us feel like speaking freely. 13 We are not like Moses. His face was shining, but he covered it to keep the people of Israel from seeing the brightness fade away. 14 The people were stubborn, and something still keeps them from seeing the truth when the Law is read. Only Christ can take away the covering that keeps them from seeing.
15 When the Law of Moses is read, they have their minds covered over 16 with a covering that is removed only for those who turn to the Lord. 17 The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and the Lord’s Spirit sets us free. 18 So our faces are not covered. They show the bright glory of the Lord, as the Lord’s Spirit makes us more and more like our glorious Lord.
4 God has been kind enough to trust us with this work. That’s why we never give up. 2 We don’t do shameful things that must be kept secret. And we don’t try to fool anyone or twist God’s message around. God is our witness that we speak only the truth, so others will be sure that we can be trusted.
Wow! God has trusted us with his work. Wow! Nothing scary then?!
But if we are going to be part of God’s work, we have got to listen to what he is saying and see what he is doing. Are we failing to see what God is doing? Or are our minds covered and closed? Seeing only what we want to see? Hearing what we want to hear? Or are we opening up to becoming more like God and his ways?
There seem to be more questions there than answers. But sometimes that’s how it is. We need to ask ourselves these questions, and hear the answers honestly. And then we ask the same questions of God – what is his response to where we are? What is he saying to us? Asking of us? Where is he guiding us?
What work is he asking you to do? Me to do?
Open my heart Lord,
open my mind.
Help me to hear with clarity,
see what is there;
that I may hear you,
know what work you are trusting me with,
and be equipped to go and do it
Pam's Perambulation 