What I’m Thinking: Exceeded Expectations

When Jesus brought Peter, James, and John up the mountain, they’d traveled with him for some time. He’d done many wonders in their presence. You’d think they were immune from surprise: but they weren’t.

Here’s a transcript:

We have a special guest this coming Sunday at Church of the Holy Cross. The Rev. John Madsen-Bibeau is visiting. He’s a seminary classmate of mine and a very dear friend. I’m really looking forward to the message that he brings.

And I also confess that I’m more than a little relieved, because he’ll be preaching on Transfiguration Sunday. The Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-43) describes this encounter that some of Jesus’ disciples had with him and some mysterious figures at the top of a mountain in Galilee. Jesus began to glow, and then, suddenly, there were the figures of Moses and Elijah walking about.

Simon Peter blurted out that, well, it was a good thing they were there, because they would make three booths: one for Jesus, one for Moses, one for Elijah. But before he could finish speaking, a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.”

I think Transfiguration Sunday – the Transfiguration story – reminds us that we can not take this faith for granted. We have plenty of expectations, much that we anticipate, but the faith can and will take us in different directions.

Just before this story, Luke tells of Jesus feeding thousands of people, and you’d think that that would leave his disciples in a place where anything might be expected, where nothing might surprise them – and yet they’re clearly surprised at the top of that mountain.

And thus, I think, is our situation. We do not know what God has in store. We do not know what God might do. We do know when things might be bright as the sun. We do not know when the legends of the past might affirm our future.

That’s what I’m thinking. I’m curious to hear what you’re thinking. Leave me your thoughts in the comment section below; I’d love to hear from you.