A Sermon for Last Sunday after Epiphany
The Rev. Patricia Gillespie

Exodus 24:12(13-14)15-18
Philippians 3:7-14
Matthew 17:1-9
Psalm 99

"Lord, it is good for us to be here."

And it is. It is very good to be here, together in this place. Have you ever had one of those really good moments -- a brilliant flash of pure joy almost out of nowhere? when you could laugh and cry and dance all at once? They're rare and wonderful, like falling in love; and, like Peter, we want to make the moment last.

How good it is to be in such a place. If only we could stay with that kind of joy, peace, and security always. But what happens if you stay there, clinging to that "peak moment"? Life goes on ... and you're gonna get left behind.

I bet you've seen it happen: Marriages and friendships fall apart because one partner refuses to see that the other has grown and changed. Businesses fail when they continue with "business as usual" while the world around them changes. And though we don't like to admit it, churches die when the world around them changes so much that people can't hear the good news in the old ways anymore.

The goodness of our peak moments -- at home, at work, or in church -- is real and to be celebrated; but to stay forever on the mountaintop can be to stagnate and die. Jesus sends us back down the mountain. So it seems that there's a time to let go of even the good stuff.

The apostle Paul understands about letting go of the good stuff when he writes to the Philippians: "whatever gains I had... I come to regard as loss... I regard everything as loss... I regard them as rubbish. The word we translate "rubbish" is not a nice word. Paul is telling us that compared to "the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus [our] Lord" even our treasures are garbage. Might as well throw the good stuff out. Let it go. Don't let it hold you back or stop you from growing. Everything is Insignificant beside the awesome substitute of Christ's God's in our lives. We are rich in Christ. Paul knew what the Gospel means about seeing only Jesus. For Paul, as for Peter, James, and John, beside the radiance of Christ everything else fades away into nothingness.

But it's so hard to let go of those cherished things that have given meaning to our lives. Peter wanted to hold on to the peak experience, when Jesus was transfigured with Moses and Elijah. But remember what happens? "A bright cloud overshadowed them" and a voice announces "This is my son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him."

Sound familiar? Those are nearly the same words we heard when Jesus was baptized. This time there is something new added: "Listen to him." And what is the disciples response? The disciples were terrified. And who can blame them? Who wouldn't be frightened inside a cloud and hearing strange voices? Everything around them is changing. God seems to have left them nothing to hold on to.

But if we listen to Jesus, as we are told to do. What does Jesus, the beloved son, say? "Get up and do not be afraid." Don't be afraid? I wonder if Peter, James, and John in their fear were even able to hear that. Sometimes words aren't enough.

God in the cloud seems awesome, terrible, distant. Frightening."Let the people tremble ... let the earth shake" as today's psalm tells us. If words alone don't get rid of fear, what does?

Look beyond what Jesus says -- What does Jesus DO? "Jesus came and touched them."

Simple human touch. This is not awesome, terrible, distant, and frightening. Loving touch speaks more clearly the message: "Get up and do not be afraid."

It is love that casts out fear. Simple human touch: It's a sacrament -- an outward and visible sign of the love that gives us something to hang on to.

Love allows us to let go of those other things to which we cling for security, peace, joy. Our bank accounts and our houses, our prayer books and our churches, all are rubbish compared to love. Which of you would not choose to trash your house or give away every possession rather than lose someone you love? Real love straightens out our priorities pretty fast.

Love gives us the security we need to let go of any "rubbish" in our lives, so that we can grow and to change. Love allows us to live.

Jesus' love, as the Apostle Paul wrote, surpasses everything else, makes everything -- even those peak experiences -- seem insignificant.

In response to Jesus' loving touch we can let go of everything else so that our hands are emptied and we can receive God's love. So that we can forget what lies behind and reach out for the heavenly prize of God's love.

It is a prize that is meant to be shared. When we receive Jesus' loving touch we take it down the mountain to the world. That's when things get interesting. When we come down the mountain we look at our world in new ways. That's when we need to learn about our faith so we can share the gift. Perhaps that's why Lent follows the Transfiguration. Lent helps us back down the mountain into the world. Lent is a time to learn, to pray, to study - to reflect on our faith so we so we will be able to share Easter.

The church offers us tools for that. This year we have a wonderful opportunity to learn about our faith through Via Media. On Sundays we are fed during worship. This Lent we can stay for lunch and the nourishment continues with Via Media. It's a chance for spiritual renewal a chance to learn about our faith and our church, a time to connect with others who are questioning and growing with us. It is a chance to touch and to be touched and transfigured with God's love. Gathering together in faith can change our lives.

Here today we celebrate a sacrament of transfiguration. Bread and wine. Body and blood. You and I. All changed. We stretch out our empty hands and God fills them. We receive God into our lives and become Christ's body in today's world.

So listen to Jesus and don't be afraid. Let go of everything that holds you back. Get up and stretch out empty hands to receive Jesus' touch. And be transfigured by that love. Then go down the mountain and touch others with God's love.