His well-received sermon started with him calling Mark's Transfiguration a subversive text. Bishop Dave highlighted the prefix sub as meaning under in this context. He suggested this was a story below a common story that we tell ourselves.
He went on to detail his experiences for the past year in navigating the current national polices and climate as an ELCA Bishop that do not align with his personal values For those who criticized his stands based on his Christian convictions as too political, he delineated a distinction between political and partisan.He continued to preach about what is in the current national dialog, referencing the #me too and #black lives matter movements. He used this as a way into the Transfiguration Gospel by focusing on the power structure described in the passage. Bishop Dave observed everyone on the mountain top - Jesus, Peter, James, John, Elijah and Moses - were all white, male and Jewish. The disciples were comfortable because, as Bishop Dave put it, "these are my peeps". This may have been one reason why Peter felt comfortable in his proposal to make the three dwellings. Although Peter did not know what to say, he was comfortable with this encountered order.
That order immediately disappears when Moses and Elijah are no longer on the mountain top. When the voice from the cloud says, "This is my Son, the Beloved listen to him!" a new order is emphasized. Only Jesus is there who can guide them through what happens from here on.
Also, in this new order, the concern is not so much about what we do but who we are and how we shape our lives. There is a recognition that, rather than focusing on reward, we should come to the realization that this will end up costing us something, just like it will cost Jesus. This "subversive text" invites us to seek out special situations and act as God's hands. Where we hear God's voice, whether that be in scripture, within ourselves, via our church or through others, we should listen and let it inform who we are and how it keeps us holding one another in prayer.
I appreciated all this and wondered about another way in which the transfiguration is subversive that is alluded to, albeit more indirectly. That is in it's timing in the narrative of the journey to Jerusalem
Consider when the transfiguration happens in Jesus Christ Superstar. If crucifixion is considered how God intended Jesus' mortal life to end, transfiguration as a sign of divine endorsement should happen immediately after Jesus dies on the cross. Happening here there is no doubt the hero is victorious. In the film Jesus Christ Superstar, triumphant music announces God's plan has come to pass when Jesus is led to his death.
When the transfiguration takes place in Mark's Gospel is more "subversive". Indeed the entire arc of Bible stories move in this way. Living according to God's will in the Old Testament often led to some reward at the end of the story. In the New Testament the cost is emphasized far more.
The transfiguration story happens at the beginning of the journey to Jerusalem where Jesus will take up the cross and die. The movement is from a description of God's love, glory and power to the silence of the tomb after the crucifixion. Certainly there is the resurrection of Jesus to offer another perspective however Paul, for one, preached Christ crucified much more than Christ resurrected.
Generally Jesus, and the scripture as a whole, is more subversive in living into the bringing about God's vision on earth as it is in heaven and the First Lesson Micah 6:6-8 captures this well. What the Lord requires of us is not based on what others tell us. It is not about strictly abiding by laws that we no longer cherish in our hearts. It is about who we are as we do justice. If we love kindness we will follow the right path. If we walk humbly we will listen, prepared to follow the command "This is my Son, the Beloved listen to him!"
No comments:
Post a Comment