The Transfiguration

Last week was an amazing, wondrous time for me, I was able to be in San Diego for the birth of my granddaughter, Olivia Gracie…. on Saturday July 26^th to be precise.   As she emerged into the world I felt as if I was in a sacred place, an observer of a miracle.  Over the next 2 days I spent as much time as I could sitting in a rocking chair, holding this baby, who looked just as her mother did when she was born,………… wanting to sit in that chair forever, looking at her, marveling at this miracle of life. ……. and   I wonder if that was how Peter felt being on that mountain, in the presence of Elijah, Moses and Jesus.  Did he want to stay there forever, holding onto a wonderful, miraculous moment in time?  “Lord it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, for Moses, and one for Elijah”.  But they couldn’t stay up on that mountain; anymore than I could stay in San Diego, they needed to come down, following Jesus as he continued on his journey to Jerusalem.

It would be much easier and safer to stay in those moments, or on that mountain, no risk, no pain, no chance of loss, but we can’t we need to go back into the world, a world that at times is a very scary place.

63 years ago today, an Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.  Over 50,000 people died immediately with more than 200,000 dead by the end of the year from the effects of radiation poison. Human beings closest to the epicenter ,  of the bomb were instantly vaporized, the only indication of their previous existence were shadows caused by the radiation.  3 days later on August 9 another Atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.   We live everyday with the knowledge that we have the capability to destroy much of God’s creation. 

For those of us who grew up with bomb drills in school, huddled under school desks for dubious protection and signs for fall out shelters everywhere, it is frightening to see the world race to build bigger and badder bombs that we can use to kill each other with.   And the use of nuclear weapons is becoming more of a possibility each day, when world leaders talk blithely about the potential use of these weapons in the endless cycle of violence around the world.  . .  We will not turn away from this path unless we let go of violence and intolerance toward the “other”, those of different religions, ethnicities, or whatever labels we attach to our brothers and sisters.  Until we stand up and say “enough”………….., no more, ……….., we will not tolerate leaders who talk about “obliterating” entire nations or groups, or stand idly by in the face of bigotry and hatred toward our fellow human beings.    William Sloan Coffin tells us  “ For men and women in a nuclear world, when the human race has outgrown war but hardly knows it yet, Jesus more than ever is the best way to liberation, freedom and peace.  The hostility than churned up Cain,……….  and  others throughout the centuries have sought to perpetuate,……… Jesus seeks to ground.  That makes it our calling to ground, not to perpetuate hostility.  The violence stops here, with each one of us who claims Christ’s holy name.  The gossip, the false witness borne against a neighbor, the cold unconcern for warm human beings------ all forms of violence, everything that violates human nature-------stops with us”.

On this day 63 years after a mushroom shaped cloud rose over Hiroshima, as people of faith we know that God always has the last word.   In the birth of a child, born with the promise and hope for the future, and in the voice of God in the cloud on that mountaintop that trumps the mushroom clouds of violence and death, We are reminded to listen to God’s chosen one and follow him down that mountain into a fuller life…………..  “Then from the cloud came a voice that said, This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!”-----------Listen to him.             Amen