Focus
When we think of the transfiguration of Jesus (if we remember what that means in the church year) we might just think of the dazzling white and bright shiny-ness on top of a mountain. But if we get caught up in that image then we end up like the disciples with him and we lose sight of the target on which God calls us to follow.
Pastor Todd had us focus on the Focus of Jesus - what is it that Jesus was heading toward? And where are we called to participate?
During epiphany at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ventura, we have used a different version of the Lord’s Prayer than we are used to. We have been reciting what is known as the “contemporary” version (which in fact is still a bit “old” for many of us). What it does for us though, is to strip out the archaic language that is only used in Shakespeare plays and church liturgy (the order of words of a worship time)….and give us a moment to really think about what we are saying.
It is still hard to learn new words, no matter when you learn them, no matter how long you have known this prayer. One likes to say/recite/pray in a way that is utterly familiar. But it is good for us to look and consider what we are saying…
How are we forming the phrases and how do we then interpret the words. For example in the phrases “lead us not into temptation” vs. “Save us from the time of trial”. We are challenged to think about what we are saying and what those words mean. We can say both lines, and argue that they “mean” the same thing, but they will each elicit a different feeling and nuance in how we live those lines out in our lives.
As you think about that, consider the following in life and following Jesus…
- Using the same path every time can be a good discipline, or it can become a rut. As the saying goes, “Familiarity breeds contempt”. Therefore one could argue for those who leave the ritual of church. There are some obvious reasons that doing the same thing can build walls rather than tear them down. When we become familiar without using our minds and hearts, we often find ourselves in a place where we do not appreciate the things closest to us. Therefore one thing that happens when we learn to pray the Lord’s prayer with “new” words is that we think about them in a different way.
- When considering the Gospel text we must also note that Jesus is laser focused on going to Jerusalem. He knows that it is going to be rough. Therefore, Jesus starts his journey by taking time in prayer. He prays so that He can stay focused and ready for what God has planned for him.
There is much to learn in just these few short verses. Pastor Todd gave us much more to think about, but in the main, we are called to pay attention to how we can follow. And how can we get lost If Jesus is glowing so brightly in the transfiguration. What a blessing for us, but still not easy to follow with the transfigured Christ.
Let us take some time over the next six weeks of Lent to consider how it is that we ARE following Christ, and what it is that might be holding us back. How can we learn to focus more on Jesus and how might that help us in living out our faith?