Transfiguration Sunday

Transfiguration Sunday (February 14th, 2021) is the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday (on Feb. 17th in 2021) and the 7th Sunday after Epiphany. 
 

This Sunday highlights the transfiguration of Jesus that is recorded in Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, and Luke 9:28-36. After the transfiguration, Jesus heads to Jerusalem, knowing that He would suffer and die. 

A key phrase in the transfiguration is "listen to Him". It is what the disciples heard God say to them about Jesus. 

We have a lot of noise in our world today. Listen to Him.

We have noise from news networks. Listen to Him.

We have noise from people afraid they are not being heard. Listen to Him.

We have noise from people speaking in fear, in anger, or in hate. Listen to Him.

We have noise from businesses urging us to buy so that we can be satisfied. Listen to Him.

We have noise from voices crying out against injustice and oppression. Listen to Him.

And as we listen to Him, the events around us are still the same, but we are different. 

We hear the noise, but we block it out to hear His voice. 

We hear the news and hear His voice telling us to pray and intercede on behalf of the people. 

We hear people shouting, afraid they will be silenced, and we hear Him say, "Love them. Show them compassion. They too are made in my image". 

We hear people speaking in fear, anger, and hate, as we hear Him call us to respond in love, in truth, and in compassion. 

We hear businesses telling us to "buy, Buy, BUY!", but we block the false narrative that things will satisfy us, fulfill us, or comfort us so we can turn to Him who does satisfy us. 

We hear voices crying out against injustice and oppression, and we realize that He too is speaking against these evils, even as He wants to reconcile oppressor and oppressed to Himself.

This Transfiguration Sunday, I urge you to listen to Him. Turn off the noise around you and listen. Stop talking and listen.  

The Presentation of the Lord

Presentation of the Lord is celebrated 40 days after Christmas on February 2nd. This was when Jesus was presented in the temple and He, as the firstborn of Mary, was redeemed in accordance with the temple law. 

Scripture: Luke 2:22-40

Did you notice that Mary and Joseph sacrificed two doves or pigeons? Did you realize that was what the Old Testament law required for those who couldn't afford a lamb? Jesus was born into a family that was poor. While Jesus and His family were in the temple, Simeon and Anna the prophet approached with words of blessing, warning, praise, and redemption. 

Let's talk about poverty. 

Poverty isn't when we don't want any of the food choices in our pantry, freezer, or fridge. Poverty is having empty shelves. 

Poverty isn't when we can't afford everything our heart desires. Poverty is being unable to afford our needs. 

We get a skewed view of poverty in the US, because we are so focused on the mega-wealthy, that we convince ourselves that we are poor. I am not saying that poverty doesn't exist in the US (it does) or that people in our communities don't have tight budgets (they do), but rather, we devalue people's legitimate poverty when we complain that we are so poor that we can't afford both eating out AND buying a new ___. When we complain that we are STARVING, we are cheapening the words for those who really are starving, those who have gone without food for so long that their bodies are wasting away. 

Globally, there are more than 675 MILLION people living in extreme poverty by surviving on less than $1.90 per day. Poverty rates do vary by country and are influenced by the cost of living in each area, so I find it helpful to look at federal poverty levels (the threshold identifying when a person or family officially qualifies as living in poverty by government guidelines). We don't have to idly wonder what it's like to suffer from poverty; today's challenge has some suggestions on ways you can experience the food insecurity that plagues many people and then do something to help alleviate people's hunger.

Challenge: For many of us who haven't experienced true poverty, I challenge us to live as if we did for the next 5 days. Commit to spending only (an average of) $2 per day on food and beverages. Don't rely on your pantry and freezer to get you through this challenge. Take $10, go online to your favorite grocery pick-up place, spend only $10, and then only eat that food for the next 5 days. (Hint: beans & rice go a long way). After you do this challenge, reflect on your experience. What was it like to eat on such a limited budget? Did you have enough to eat? Did your hunger impact your ability to focus? Did you miss out on opportunities to eat out with family and friends? (I hope not, because you're in a pandemic, people!) Don't stop with merely reflecting, but use this as an opportunity to help others. Take the money that you would have spent eating out or on groceries and donate it to a charity that feeds the hungry.