Sunday Homily, March 1, 2015, 2nd Lent, B
Readings:
Genesis 22, 1-18, God put Abraham to the test.
Psalm 116, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
Romans, 8, 31-34, If God is with us who can be against us?
Mark 9, 2-10, The Transfiguration.
Genesis observations:
Today’s Selection: To figure out what is going on in Genesis this morning, I want to tell you a story, the story of Abraham and his wife, Sarah.
But first, a few brief reminders. Genesis is the first book of the Bible, a fascinating look at our ancestors trying to answer the universal questions, like where did we come from and how did we get to be the way we are. Last week we heard God tell Noah that floods would no longer kill everybody, and the signature of this agreement, the rainbow.
This morning we are watching Abraham, the great father of the Jewish nation. Abraham is being asked by God to sacrifice his son. To appreciate even more the power of this, a little story. We are reading chapter 22. Chapter 18 sets the stage for the story in chapter 22.
One day, Abraham was sitting in front of his tent at the hottest part of the day. Suddenly he looked up and saw 3 men. Without thinking, Abraham rushed to welcome them and offer them refreshment. They accept and Abraham personally serves them his best food under a shade tree.
They asked him where was his wife, Sarah. Both Sarah and Abraham were old, like in their 100’s. Abraham says Sarah was in the tent. One of the men said that in 9 months they would return and Sarah would have a son.
Sarah, who was listening behind the tent flap heard the man and laughed. ‘What a preposterous idea,’ she thought.
God hears her and God asks Abraham why Sarah laughed. “Do you think I cannot do this,” he asks Sarah. Because she was scared she said to God, “I did not laugh.” And God said, “Yes, you did.”
Guess what happens 9 months later.
The reading today in chapter 22 assumes you know all this and that you know Sarah had her baby, which she named Isaac. In the story today Isaac, the beloved son, is a boy of about 10-12. See what God wants. Remember that this is tribal oral tradition passed down for centuries, not history.
Mark 0bservation:
The story in Mark today is the transfiguration. I want to talk about transfiguration events in our lives. For example, how about Fred's Memorial a couple of weeks ago?
Transfiguration Events
Like I mentioned I would like to say a few words about our transfiguration events. What makes an event a transfiguration event? When something takes place and I come away with greater faith, greater hope, and greater love, greater faith in people, hope in people, and love for people, and, perhaps, all the above about myself.
Three examples.
First, our dear friend Beth one day is heading to the Tom Landry Center to work out so she can beat me on a real bicycle. She is late. She gets out her iPhone to check the parking garage connected to the Landry Center. It is full. Curses. She then checks the pay parking spots on the street. She pulls in. It takes quarters & she does not have enough. More curses.
As she stands there looking in her pockets for quarters, a black guy, somewhat shabby looking, maybe homeless, comes up and all friendly says, “Hi, Looking for change?” “He is looking for a handout,” thinks Beth immediately. Remember Beth and Rob now live in the marvelous new melting pot of downtown Dallas.
So, what does the guy say next? “Would you like some quarters? I have some extras.” “Yes, I really would, thanks so much.” And the guy pays for her parking.
Transfiguration event? I think so. Even for me when she told me the story. Greater faith in people, hope for people, and love for people.
The second story comes from the Thursday Dallas Morning News, Metro section. Seems there is a guy named Ted Washington. He came from Arkansas and spent 20 years in the Navy. Since 2005, a good year for Rosemary and me, Ted became a mail man. He loves it. He says it is a job that is peaceful and gives him time to reflect on life.
This past week he has faced rain, sleet, and snow, and faced them with good humor. He delivers the mail in the Lakewood section of Dallas, on the east side of White Rock Lake. Is this Mary’s mailman?
Ted says he will continue to deliver mail as long as he can, hoping to make the world a better place. He also is a black man. The article closes with him saying, “I am a simple man. I don’t have extravagant needs and wants. When I am carrying mail, my goal is to just help people have a good day.”
Ted Washington, you are a transfiguration person for me. Thanks.
The third event was, hang on, the all day snowfall we had Friday. It was beautiful. I forgot how beautiful first snow can be. Everything is clean and quiet. Nobody was moving around our neighborhood. Aviana loves it and goes hopping around like a white rabbit, sticking her nose and face into it and tossing her head.
I hope none of you were caught in that 15 car pileup on 75 & Melissa or in the back up. I was blessed because I could not go out and do any yard work or housework. Instead I sat in front of our bay window with Rosemary and Aviana and watched our neighborhood turn magic.
Schools all let out at 1:00. In Saturday’s paper there was a picture of kids and folks sliding down Flag Pole Hill. For those of you who don’t know that hill it is on NWST Highway just where Buckner Blvd. begins and heads south toward the Casa Linda area.
When I was a kid our family used to have picnics on Flag Pole Hill, sometimes with just our family, often with other families. I love the place and still see it when Rosemary & I ride our bikes around White Rock in milder weather.
The snowfall was a transfiguration event for me. The world was transformed and I had more faith in people, hope for people, and greater love.
What is your latest Transfiguration event?
