Year A - Last Sunday after the Epiphany, February 19, 2023
Faithful, Fiery, and Flawed
To honor the Magnificent Trinity: God, Savior, and Advocate. Amen.
My baptism calls me to follow in Jesus’ steps. I constantly fall short. Another witness I could emulate, according to Scripture and my Roman Catholic upbringing, is Mary, Jesus’ mother. Believe me, I still fall short.
In Scripture and tradition, Simon Peter also rises to the top. He is worthy of imitation. This is a relief because I can get close to Simon Peter’s character. He was dedicated to Jesus, but misunderstood the teachings, was fearful, disloyal, and he rejected the cross.
Don’t mistake me, after the resurrection Peter walked his cross all the way to martyrdom, but he did not welcome it. He even chastised Jesus for telling the disciples of his looming execution. Peter’s my kind of apostle – faithful, fiery and flawed.
As a devoted Jew, he dropped everything to follow a rabbi speaking with authority of the Kingdom of God. Jesus crisscrossed Galilee in an exhausting circuit. Peter stayed with him. Jesus’ teaching was radical and opposed religious and government authorities. Peter stayed. Jesus was thrown out of synagogues and driven from towns. Peter stayed. Jesus informed the apostles they will be handed over to councils, flogged, dragged before the Romans, hated because of him and killed. Peter stayed.
In today's passage, Peter’s steadiness was rewarded. He saw Jesus gloriously transfigured, his garments shone and light poured off his face. When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus, Peter offered to build them ritual shelters. Why? He expected to be on that mountain awhile. Moses was on Mt. Sinai forty days and nights. And if Elijah’s divine encounter was typical, fire and earthquakes and mighty winds were coming, shelter was a good idea.
This moment for Simon Peter is confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah. The heir of King David who would overthrow Rome’s tyranny like Moses with the Egyptians. Like Elijah, Jesus would call fire down upon the apostates and idol-worshippers.
When Jesus first called him out of the fishing boat, Peter wasn’t following Gandhi. He was seeking the Redeemer of Israel. Peter lived under Pontius Pilate – the only Roman governor removed for cruelty. He saw his religious leaders collaborate with Rome. The Jewish puppet king, Herod, wreaked havoc with corruption. People were for living close to an uprising. His world felt suffocated and he was powerless. A Messiah who would, (Ps 2:9) “crush them with an iron rod and shatter them like a piece of pottery” sounded perfect.
It’s occurred to me too. Reading story after story of the strategic violence committed by international criminal organizations in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; seeing Russia’s unyielding shelling of civilian targets in Ukraine; witnessing hundreds of women and children in our country killed by domestic violence; praying through the names of the victims of shootings in Michigan, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania: Peter’s image of the Messiah is attractive.
I want Moses to send plagues against the governments who release violence and tyranny. I want Elijah to rain the fire of God down upon the murderers and abusers. The part of my soul that knows God, but falls short of my baptism, joins Simon Peter in praying for a warrior Christ.
If we were on that mountain, this is when a bright cloud would overshadow us, and from the cloud a voice would say, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!”
Jesus teaches us love – in all things and all ways we must accept divine love and courageously offer love.
These past weeks we have read through most of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount We are taught to avoid anger and banish every desire for violence. To be blessed we are to be meek, merciful, pure in heart. Jesus charges us to be peacemakers, the light of the world. Here God assures the apostles that Jesus is the Beloved, the Anointed whether or not this is the Messiah they expected.
Jesus led the apostles back to the world, down the mountain. They go to Jerusalem, to the cross. Sing your Alleluias loud today, because we are coming down the mountain to journey through Lent into Jerusalem and to Good Friday, at the feet of our tortured Savior.
He did not call down fire or plagues; he placed himself between our sin and our death. Love God and offer gratitude for what you have. Pray forgiveness from God and heal the people we hurt, as individuals and a society. Seek out neighbors in need so you may serve. Take up your cross with faith in the resurrection, my friends. When you fall short, remember Simon Peter, stay with Jesus, for Jesus will turn our hearts and grant us courage: Listen to him. Amen.
Dean Vanessa Clark+