Transfiguration B – NL 2
February 11, 2024
Our Savior’s, Faribault, MN
Mark 8.27 – 9.8
“This is my son, the Beloved; listen to him!”
Back in late summer of 2020, about 13.5 years ago, shortly after arriving at my last settled call at Grace in Mankato, I suddenly lost hearing in my left ear. Not having a doctor yet, I went to urgent care and was diagnosed with an ear infection. Furthermore, I was advised by the doctor to schedule a follow-up visit with an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor). I didn’t, but when I didn’t regain my hearing, I did what I should have done sooner. After tests and scans, I was told I had Idiopathic Sudden Sensory Hearing Loss. (Idiopathic means “we don’t know what causes this,” but doctors can’t bear to say that, so they use “idiopathic.”) I was also told that there was nothing they could do because even if they were to attempt surgery to correct what might be a vascular or neurological problem, the surgery would do more harm than good. Furthermore, hearing aids wouldn’t help. I did get a second opinion that agreed with the first.
I suffered for about 5 years with this condition until I thought my hearing had deteriorated further, so I went for another test. This time I was told hearing aids could help. They do help, but only partially. I have a lot of trouble in crowded, noisy places, and the theater is almost impossible. People think talking loudly helps, but not necessarily. It’s not that I can’t hear things, it’s that I don’t understand what I’m hearing. Even so, part of the blessing of having hearing loss is that I can relate to what older people must deal with.
So it was that my ears “perked up” as I worked with today’s Gospel reading from Mark. God says, “This is my son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Today is the end of the short, green season of Epiphany which helps us grow in our understanding of who Jesus is. (Much like the longer green season of Pentecost during which we grow in our understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.) Epiphany is bookended by two white festivals, Baptism of Our Lord and the Transfiguration. (It’s also why we’re celebrating Communion today.) Along the way we’ve discovered Jesus being revealed as healer, teacher, miracle worker, and one who goes where no one else dares go, even into death, and one who has and gives authority. Today we hear again how Jesus is not only the Son of God and Son of Man, he is the Messiah/Christ/Anointed One, God’s Beloved.
It’s a pivotal time in Mark’s Gospel as Jesus turns toward Jerusalem. In this text Mark essentially asks us if we are going to keep following Jesus or or turn aside. It’s a theological fork in the road and Mark could be channeling the words of the incomparable Yogi Berra: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” To push us in this direction, Jesus asks a seemingly innocent question, “Who do people say that I am?” The disciples take the bait and answer. “Some say Elijah, some John the Baptist, and others one of the prophets.” Jesus stops suddenly, looks them in the eye, and becomes more pointed, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter, in a burst of insight prompted by the Holy Spirit declares Jesus to be the Messiah, also translated as the Christ or the Anointed One. But then blows it when he rejects Jesus’ declaration that is is necessary for the Messiah to undergo suffering, rejection, crucifixion, and being raised.One can imagine they all go pale when Jesus says they must deny themselves, take up his cross, and lose their lives to save them.
So, when God says, “This is my son, the Beloved; listen to him!” we ask, “Listen to what?” And perhaps we can add, what gets in the way of us hearing Jesus and following him? One pointer comes in the text itself, that what gets in the way is setting our mind on human things rather than divine things. There are so many messages in our culture and society that make it hard to hear Jesus. For example, there are factions in our country that demand allegiance to a political party or person. This breaks at least one Commandment and probably more. The first Commandment says, “I am the Lord your God, have no other gods before me.” While we’re at, in the process of breaking this one, we break the Eighth: “You shall not bear false witness” or, as Martin Luther admonished us in a positive way, to speak well of others. (By the way, if you are assuming that I am a Republican or Democrat, I’m neither. What I’m saying cuts across political parties.) I am also not advocating for a theocracy where religious leaders are in charge. I believe that engagement in our democratic process is important, even critical. Yet, the way of Jesus is even more so.
Of course, it’s not just the political cacophony that drowns out Jesus’ voice. You could name as many as I can, such as materialism and consumerism, maybe more. But my aim today is not to gore anyone’s particular ox. Rather, I think that listening to Jesus, following his way gives us grounding and perspective to hear these voices. Following the way of Jesus gives us “hearing aids” if you will, to discern healthy messages from unhealthy ones.
To help you with this listening, Pr. Drew and I have put together a Lenten Sermon series, “The Way of the Cross.” This title can be taken two ways. First, we are inviting you to walk with Jesus this Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and to the empty cross on Easter Sunday. The second way is to listen deeply to the scripture texts each week that inform us what that way looks like in our lives of following Jesus, what walking the way looks like. We begin this coming Ash Wednesday on “Being Great.”
One final thought: listening to Jesus is hard work, taking up the cross, and denying self. Yet, we are not left with resources for, as ML says, we pray “Lord, give me what you’re commanding.” Furthermore, as we take the gift of Holy Communion we believe that Jesus is present in the bread and wine, giving us food for the journey. So, will you join Pr. Drew, me and your fellow companions of the journey, listening to Jesus? Some day it’s the journey, not the destination, but we believe it’s both. Amen.
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