Sermons

Sunday Next before Lent
Sunday 18 February at 10am

Lesley Ashton
Readings: 2 Corinthians.3.12-4.2, Luke 9.28-36

Paul's words to the Corinthians

'All of us then reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.'

Transformation seems to be currently part of the mind set of contemporary society. The amount of time devoted to it by the media is phenomenal, there are programmes and magazines devoted to how we can improve our homes, our body image, our finances, out health, our job prospects; it seems that there is no part of our lives that cannot be transformed if we are willing to give it the time and attention needed.

When we speak about transformation it is often with an understanding of what if means in terms of today's world.

The word 'transformation' is also the key word being used in Leeds this year to mark the bi centenary of the British Parliamentary Abolition Act of 1807. The Abolition Act brought to an end Britain's involvement in a slave trade that kidnapped, captured and transported over 12 million African people, to labour on plantations in the Americas for the financial benefit of Europe.

Britain was responsible for approximately 25% of the slave trade in which people were treated like animals, numbered and branded. The Church was not exempt from this time of atrocity, it benefited economically and also supported the belief that the African people were without souls and could therefore be treated like animals. Last year the General synod made a public apology on behalf of the Church to the people whose families have been ever since marked by the slave trade.

Transformation understood in the light of the experiences of the African people is a very different understanding to the popular themes in today's society. The Abolition Act marked the beginning of Britain moving from being slave traders to being an anti slavery nation and it is good to know that there were people from the Church involved in the campaigning and awareness raisng that helped to bring this about.. The transformation for the African people was also led from within and although we remember the name William Wilberforce, we often have not heard of African people like Olaudah Equiano who transformed themselves from enslavement into beacons of light and hope for democracy and social justice. The African people have made invaluable contributions to the transformation of their own lives and self liberation often against the harsh realities of living in countries and communities who still believe in white superiority.

We are all marked and formed by our histories but to be marked and formed by a history of enslavement is something that most of us in can never understand. I and there is still much we all have to do to make the particular transformation for African people complete.

And with this in mind the story of the transfiguration of Jesus is one that is helpful to reflect upon.

As Jesus goes on to the mountain to pray he himself is transformed or transfigured, his face is changed and his clothes become dazzling light. Peter and James and John who are with him see him talking to two men, Moses and Elijah. They see Christ clothed in glory, a glimpse of what it is like to be in the presence of God, a foretaste of that place of truth and light. and where the mystery and the hiddenness of God become known and reconciled.. The veil had been removed.

Peter says to Jesus 'It is good for us to be here', lets make 3 dwellings, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. In other words ' Lets stay here, let us just bask in this experience of glory, maybe we don't need to return, we can stay and enjoy this wonder and revelation'

And the voice comes from heaven as it did as Christ was baptised. This is my Son, my Chosen, listen to him.'

Remember that Jesus had only a few days before been speaking to them about his suffering and death and warning them that they too must take up their cross daily and follow in his footsteps. Listening to Jesus, God's Son was not always an easy experience..

The disciples had for a short time seen Jesus in His glory and when the veil was removed they wanted to hold on to that moment and remain. As Christians we have had the veil removed permanently and if we choose to look at Christ we can be transformed from one degree of glory to another.
We can do this because Christ walked back down the mountain, back to the work that God had called him to do and to turn towards the suffering and death that would remove the veil for us for all time.

In Luke's gospel Jesus returns and the very next day he heals the boy with the unclean spirit, bringing transformation to his life and to the life of his family.

It can be easy, indeed too easy for us to enjoy the transformation that comes into our lives through knowing Christ. Too easy, to relax into his reflected glory. Too easy, to become people who want to continue to bask in mountain top experiences. We often want to hold on to the 'experiences' when there is still work to be done for God.

It is too easy to forget that there are still people whose lives need to be transformed. Transformed from modern day experiences of slavery, sex trafficking, and forced labour.; transformed from poverty, transformed from the daily experiences of prejudice and oppression, transformed from believing that easy makeovers of home or body bring everlasting joy..

Like Christ and the disciples we too must choose to come away from the mountain into the everyday realities of life, following the example of Jesus who chose to simply get on with the work his Father had given him to do.

And when we do the same, when we move from our individual and self satisfying agendas, it is then that we shall really experience what it means to be transformed day by day into the likeness of the Christ we are called to serve.

Because it is in the places and with those people whom we often fear, criticise or condemn that we find Christ already present, accepting and loving the very people we find it hard to turn towards.
This is where the real transformation takes place because it is where Christ dwells and this is where we grow to become more like Him. Christ waits to meet us and it is here we truly learn the meaning of mercy, compassion, transformation and the abundant grace of God..

The final words I leave to that often forgotten African campaigner, Olaudah Equiano, one time slave, who knew the meaning of transformation and worked for others to know the same. His words.

'After all, what makes any event important, unless by its observation we become better, wiser, learn to do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly before God'

Amen

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay