Luke 9:28-43 (NRSV)
28 Now about eight
days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went
up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the
appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly
they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared
in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish
at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with
sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who
stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to
Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one
for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While
he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified
as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that
said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” 36 When the voice
had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told
no one any of the things they had seen.
37 On the next day,
when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just
then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is
my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he
shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will
scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but
they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse
generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your
son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the
ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy,
and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astounded at the
greatness of God.
The theme of
Luke 9:28-36 is a story of the miracle of the Transfiguration.[1]
The uniqueness of this miracle is that Jesus does not perform it. It comes from
outside him.[2]
This story deepens the affirmation of faith by Peter in 8:29. This event
anticipates the glorifying that Jesus experienced at the resurrection.[3]
The story offers a tantalizing glimpse into the true nature of the Messiah. The
story suggests that if the disciples had only had faith to listen and see, they
would have known who Jesus is.
An understanding
of the eschatological future as revelation of the divine glory determines what
New Testament authors say about the future of Jesus Christ. If we view the
tradition as something that took place in the earthly history of Jesus and not
as an account that originally belonged to the stories of the resurrection, then
we may see it as an anticipatory manifestation of the glorifying that Jesus
experienced at his resurrection.[4]
28 Now about eight days[5]
after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter [who had just
confessed Jesus as the Messiah] and John
and James, who had been with Jesus since the first chapter, leaving their
nets to follow,
and went up on
the mountain. They are in a zone known in
biblical literature for its sensitivity to revelation from God. On a high
mountain, Moses received the legal code (Exodus 34:29ff); on a mountain Solomon
built the Jerusalem temple. Biblically speaking, mountains are the contemporary
equivalent of a fax line straight to God. The fact that Jesus has taken them up
a mountain should stir their anticipation for what will come next. Jesus takes
them up the mountain to pray.
Luke adds this to the Mark account. 29
Further, while he was praying, Luke
adding this to Mark, specifying that prayer is central in bring forth the
Transfiguration. Prayer for Luke is a signal for the approach of some revelatory
event, the premier posture for divine manifestation. At prayer, Jesus is caught
up in the presence of God. This prayerful vigil brings him and the disciples
into the divine presence, where they receive the special revelation. Thus,
while praying, the appearance of his face
changed (metamorfw).
The strange event on the mountain is an epiphany,
the link with Exodus 24:12-18 being unmistakable. Exodus 34:29-35 describes the
appearance of Moses changing as he descends from the mountain after receiving
the Ten Commandments. The features of Jesus became a mirror of the radiance of
the divine light. Further, his clothes became dazzling, an
intensification of the word Mark uses, white.
30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah
together represent the testimony of all Scripture‑‑both the Law and the
Prophets‑‑about Jesus' true messianic identity. In addition, Moses' presence
calls to mind the mountaintop transfiguration he experienced in Exodus 34:29‑35.
Moses' face also "shone" with a dazzling light after he was addressed
by a voice from the clouds that covered the mountaintop. Paul both affirms and
differentiates the similarity between Moses' experience and Jesus'
Transfiguration in II Corinthians 3:7‑4:6. The apostle reminds his reader that,
after his experience, the face of Moses was constantly "veiled,"
while for Christians the event of Jesus' Transfiguration is only the first
showing of the splendor and radiance of God's glory that is fully revealed at
the Resurrection. The vision blends elements of the resurrection appearance
tradition (e.g., the whiteness of his clothes, compare to Mark 16:5) with Old
Testament messianic imagery evoking Moses and Elijah. In this vision, the role
of Jesus as Messiah is affirmed according to traditional biblical categories
(e.g., a return of Elijah precedes the Messiah). Moses and Elijah were talking to him. 31 They appeared
in glory and were speaking of his departure [death], which he was about to accomplish, passion events and the
salvation they offer, at Jerusalem. Luke
adds this, with Mark not presuming to know what they discussed. It becomes a
story of a heavenly confirmation of the passion. The scene is on the way to the
cross, God giving the fearful disciples a revelation of where the journey with
Jesus is leading, which is not just martyrdom, but glory.
32 Now,
sleep weighed down Peter and his companions, which may explain why they did
not hear his epiphany, but since they had
stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just
as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be
here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah.” Most scholars dismiss Peter's suggestion (that the disciples build
"booths" or "tents" to provide shelter for these visiting
dignitaries) as both foolish and wrong‑headed. The disciples with Jesus must
have been overwhelmed. It is possible Peter’s response relates to Amos 9:11-12,
where the booths of David refer to the dwellings that the armies of David would
have when on a successful campaign. The
suggestion of booths could mean temporary housing for some messianic army God
will send, an army headed by Jesus, Moses and Elijah. In any case, Jesus could not fulfill his
mission from the mountaintop. He had to
complete it on a cross on top of a garbage heap. Yet, Peter’s suggestion may be just as
ridiculous as it first appears! It is true that Peter's suggestion seems to
imply that he wished to sustain the magic of the moment by building shelters
for the transfigured Jesus and his two comrades, Moses and Elijah. Jesus' own
testimony about the suffering and death that immediately precede this narrative
denies the possibility of a glorified Jesus without the passion events.
However, we may give Peter less credit than he deserves. The term used here‑‑
skene or "booths"‑‑refers primarily to those structures built during
the Jewish holiday of Sukkot‑‑the
festival of booths. Originally, an agricultural celebration of the harvest, by
Jesus' day Sukkot had taken on significant
eschatological meaning. Gathering under the shelter of the Sukkot symbolized the gathering together of all the righteous in
their heavenly tents. Yet, while this heavenly "sukkot" was eternal, those constructed by observant Jews on
earth were intentionally temporary, lean‑to type constructions. A traditional sukkot could have four walls. More
often, they had only three, or even two and a half. The roof was supposed to
give only minimal shelter from the elements. Ideally, the stars, the lights of heaven,
should be visible through the roof in several places. More than we have
appreciated, Peter may have realized the transient nature of the occurrence.
Desirous to do something to commemorate the event, he proposed building
temporary shelter for them to dwell in.] Peter's response to the vision of
Jesus, Moses, and Elijah in 9:5 is yet another example of his incomplete
understanding of who Jesus is as the Christ. Peter, in his fear, sees the
importance of the vision, and yet he again misunderstands the mission. We can
see the awkwardness of the attempt Peter makes in the grammar. —not knowing what he
said. Peter is obtuse concerning what he saw,
heightened by use of “Master” rather than “Lord.”
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and
overshadowed them. Exodus 24:15-18 has the
cloud cover the mountain, which seems to be identical with the glory of God. Further,
they were terrified as they entered the
cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my
Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” In Luke 9:9, Herod wonders who Jesus is,
about whom he hears such things. Luke gives an answer. The parallel with the
baptism is clear. Here, however, the voice addresses the disciples, calling on
the disciples to live in obedience to him, that is, “listen to him.” Disciples
are to live their lives bound by this obedience. The divine voice becomes another affirmation of the role of Jesus
as Messiah. The entire event serves to demonstrate the authority of Jesus and
his messianic identity. I have approached this text as if it relates a
visionary type of experience within the ministry of Jesus.[6] An
understanding of the eschatological future as revelation of the divine glory
determines what New Testament authors say about the future of Jesus Christ. If
we view the tradition as something that took place in the earthly history of
Jesus and not as an account that originally belonged to the stories of the
resurrection, then we may see it as an anticipatory manifestation of the
glorifying that Jesus experienced at his resurrection.[7] 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. Moreover, they kept silent and in those days told no
one any of the things they had seen. After Luke 9:21-27, where Jesus reveals
his suffering, death, and resurrection, we find another hinge moment in the
ministry of Jesus. On the trip down the mountain, Jesus underscores that his
mission to Jerusalem is indeed an essential part of the glory that God has
revealed about him on the mountain. He orders them not to tell anyone what they
have seen until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. In other words, they
will not know the full meaning of his glory before he has been crucified,
buried and risen. Jesus' mission as the Christ has a purpose, and that purpose
is the full manifestation of the power of God's love in the endurance of human
suffering and the defeat of the powers of sin and death through the cross and
resurrection.
Just before this
passage, Jesus promised that this generation would not taste death until they
saw the kingdom of God. We then have this story of the transfiguration of
Jesus, which occurs at the end of the ministry of Jesus in Galilee. It has a
connection with the baptism of Jesus, which occurred before the Galilean
ministry of Jesus. The question of their seeing the kingdom of God before they
die has a preliminary answer in this story. It confirms the story of the
passion, the suffering and death of Jesus upon the cross, as the suffering and
death of the Son of God. This journey, with all that it implies, is the journey
of the Son. It reveals the way of God among us. Luke often mentions Jesus at
prayer, a moment that reveals the purpose of the Father in the life of the Son.
When the transfiguration of Jesus takes place, the story finds its basis in
Exodus 34:29-35, where the face of Moses shined when he received the Ten
Commandments on two tablets of stone. However, in this case, the shining of
Jesus leads to a statement of who Jesus is, the Son, and that disciples of
Jesus are to listen to him. As the story unfolds, they see Moses and Elijah.
Scholars are not sure what they signify. They could represent the Law the
Prophets. They could represent the distinctiveness and superiority of Jesus
over the Law and the Prophets. In Jewish apocalyptic literature, they were persons
who would re-appear at the end of time. Luke says he knows that about which
they talked: the “departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.”
The disciples show some disorientation. Yet, Peter seems to have some awareness
of the holy place this mountain had become, and thus suggests three dwellings.
However, the departure of Moses and Elijah, and the voice from heaven asserting
who Jesus was and that they were to listen to him, are quite significant.
Disciples are now followers of Jesus.
The disciples
will know the full meaning of his glory before he has been crucified, buried
and risen. Jesus' mission as the Christ has a purpose, and that purpose is the
full manifestation of the power of God's love in the endurance of human
suffering and the defeat of the powers of sin and death through the cross and
resurrection. Jesus and the disciples ascend the mountain and experience the power
of the presence of God. In a sense, the mountain gives them a vision of the
direction of the Son. The disciples receive a vision of the divinity of Jesus,
insofar as they could apprehend at this time. They saw that God dwelled with
him in a unique way.[8] As mountains often do,
they enable a broader vision of the surroundings. Yet, of course, they will not
live in that broader vision. Like streams that begin in the mountains, they
must descend to bring fruitfulness to the valley below.[9]
Jesus
brings to its climax the work of the prophets who have proclaimed the word of
the Lord. Jesus fulfills, brings to its desired conclusion, the entire story of
Israel, who was to be a light to the nations. God formed the nation of Israel
for a purpose. Israel was to be the vehicle of the redemption God wanted to
offer the world. Israel was to be a witness among the nations of that
longed-for redemption. Israel was to be a model of redemption. Israel existed
for the sake of the redemption of the world. Jesus brings the story of Israel
to fulfillment. He is the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. Yet, such a message
of salvation and redemption would not be possible without the ministry of
Moses, Elijah, and the ministry of the kings of Israel.[10]
I would
like to offer an analogy. The analogy carries with it a risk. I do not know how
much the reader hungers for beauty. You know when you beauty invades your
ordinary experience. It captures your attention. If you have not had that
experience, I think it is fair to say that you hope it will happen someday. It
may happen with the physical or even spiritual beauty of person. It may happen
in nature, of course, but it may also happen with a work of art. In that
moment, as transitory as it may be, we will express something like the good
fortune we have had to be there, in the presence of such beauty. Such beauty
calls out to us. It calls us to recognize the true value and worth of another.
We may have some thrill to be in the presence of such beauty. We are likely
thankful. Beauty has a way of reaching out, seizing us, and demanding our
attention. Such experiences of beauty may well provide a clue to give us a sign
or glimpse of what it would be like to allow the beauty of the Lord to reach
out, seize us, and demand our attention. If we do, we worship.[11]
Have you
had what you would consider a genuine awakening to God?
I am not
thinking of conversion. I am thinking of an experience that “in some way”
deepened your connection with God. Many Americans think they have had such an
experience. About one third of all Americans claim a religious or mystical
experience. Some of them felt a union with the divine. Some describe special
communications with the dead, divine beings, or visions. Sometimes, light
accompanies such visions.[12] An experience like that does not
prove that God exists, of course. Yet, it can give assurance to one has
received teaching concerning God. Such an experience can give some assurance at
a deep and profound level, deeply personal, that one has heard taught is true. William
James famously outlined his understanding of the mystical experience. The
quality of these experiences at least four defining characteristics. James
referred to them as mystical states of consciousness. Ineffability: these
experiences are not precisely in ordinary language but only with the language
of metaphor: "It was like . . .” Transiency: the experiences are typically
brief; they come and go. One does not live in a permanent state of mystical
consciousness. Passivity: they receive them rather than achieve them. Though
spiritual practices may help create the conditions for such experiences, they
are not under the control of the person. Fourth, these experiences are noetic.
People who have them say they involve a knowing, and not just strong feelings
such as joy or awe or dread or wonder (though they frequently involve one or
more of these as well). Mystics are strongly convinced that they know something
they did not know before. What they know is not another bit of knowledge or
piece of information, but another reality: they have an experiential awareness
of the sacred.
Importantly,
such experiences are transformative. They transform a person's way of seeing
and being. Mystics see the world differently. Rather than seeing the world as
"ordinary," they frequently see it as "suchness," as the
playful and wondrous dance of the void. Moreover, mystical experiences also
transform a person's way of being, leading to freedom from conventional
anxieties and inhibitions and to compassion as a way of relating to the world.
The Christians I know can often think of such experiences. Yet, they do not
rely upon them. Most of Christian life is lived day to day, apart from such high
and blissful moments. However, when I read of such experiences, when I reflect
upon the few I have had in my life, it reminds me to be alert to every moment.
If one can experience God like that, then God is in some sense knowable “right
here” and not simply “everywhere.”[13] We need to hold on to time. We need
to guard it and watch over it. If we do not give due regard to each moment, it
will slip away. In a sense, every moment is sacred. Each moment can have its
clarity and meaning. Each moment deserves the weight of our awareness. Each
moment has its true and due fulfilment.[14] Overwhelmed with anxiety, we might
see a vanity plate on a car that has the word “trust” on it. The ordinary
moment can become a revelation.[15]
Similar moments occur in worship when we catch some snippet of a phrase, some
insight, some vision (which may be extremely difficult or even embarrassing to
share with others) and base our lives upon it. Such are the ways of revelation.
Such experiences have the intent of genuine transformation.
The British writer and humorist,
Maximillian Beerbohm (1872-1956), has a story called “The Happy Hypocrite.” It
is a sort of parable. The main character is a notoriously self-centered
individual, named — appropriately enough — Lord George Hell. After many years
of overindulgence in pleasures of the flesh, Lord George is a wreck of a man —
as can be seen most clearly in his face, which is bloated and unhealthy
looking. Something happens one day that changes George’s life forever. He sees
a beautiful young woman and falls in love. It is a singularly pure attraction
for such a corrupt and degenerate man. With every good intention, he wants to
make her his wife — but he knows she would never accept his offer if she knew
what he really was like. There is an element of magic to this story. Lord
George Hell puts on the mask of a saint to hide his sinner’s face. As far as
anyone knows, he is a kind and virtuous man. He courts the young woman and
marries her. They live happily together. That is, until a woman shows up from
George’s past. The mask does not fool her. She knows the man underneath it (or
thinks she does). One day, in the presence of George’s wife, she confronts him
and tears off his mask, expecting to reveal the bloated, pockmarked face of the
old degenerate. What she reveals is something quite different. The mask was
magical in many ways. Behind the mask of a saint is now the face of a true
saint — the saint Lord George Hell has become, by wearing the mask.
The movie Life
as a House (2001) is the
story of a very dysfunctional family. The movie depicts an amazing process of
transformation. The relationship between Sam, the rebellious teen, and George,
his father, goes through a change as they tear down a shack and build a house
together. As they build the house, Sam rebuilds his self-esteem and sense of
identity. In the early stages of this transformation, George tells Sam, “Change
can be so constant you don’t even feel the difference until there is one. It
can be so slow that you do not know your life is better or worse until it is.
Or, it can just blow you away, making you something different in an instant.”
I know that we
often criticize Peter for saying that he wants to build three dwellings. We
cannot stay on the mountain. Yes, I know that – but here is my fear. Too many
of us have no mountaintop and do not properly cherish the moments with God that
God graciously gives to us. Do you have a sacred place in your home?
The voice from
the cloud said we are to listen to Jesus. We are to follow him. If we have
truly seen divinity in Jesus, then we have a decision to make. Too often today,
even people within the church want to downplay the uniqueness of Jesus, seeing
him as just one of many wise and compassionate spiritual leaders who have had a
positive impact on the world. Sure, Jesus was kind, gentle, meek, and mild. He
was a good man. Yet, such sentimental statements about Jesus miss a crucial
point. Look at the transfiguration.
Examine it. Breathe it in, deeply. This event reveals that Jesus is the exalted
Lord, the center of history, the goal of human history, and the one binds all
of creation together. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Once you have seen
this side of Jesus, you have to pick up your cross and follow, or get out of
the way. He is a man on a mission. We need to decide to be part of it, or set
it aside.
Luke emphasizes
the role of prayer in this story. I like the idea of prayer as simply going
through life with Jesus. Sometimes, I need to set aside specific time with
Jesus. I need time to become better acquainted with where Jesus is going, the
path he takes to get there, and what role he wants me to play. Many persons
wonder who this Jesus is and I understand the question. Life has so many
complexities, including the honest reality that those of us who follow Jesus
too often obscure the message by our lives. I have come to realize one thing,
however. Jesus knows who he is. He is the Son. He is the one through whom God
will bring the kingdom. He is the one who invites people to experience the
grace of that reign of God. The problem is not with Jesus. Jesus is already
Lord. Jesus already shines brightly. Jesus already knows the direction he is
heading. The problem, I confess, is with me.
I often do not have the vision to see or the ears to hear. I am too
often sleepy of spirit, weighed down by the cares and anxieties of this life.
In particular, the journey may well have its cross for me to bear. Even though
following Jesus may well have its share of suffering, I want so much to listen
to him and obey him. If my life is only about satisfying my desires, my vision
is far too limited. I need to open my life to the vision Jesus has for the
world. Then I can know better the role God has for me in that vision.
Shakespeare, The
Tempest, Act I, Scene 1, has an example all of typical of us in prayer. The
people are on a ship at sea and in a terrible storm. The Mariners say, “All
lost! To prayers, to prayers! All lost!” Gonzalo continues by saying, “The king
and prince at prayers! Let us assist them, for our case is as theirs.” We want
to pray when we are in trouble, of course. I hope that is not only time we
pray. In the same play, however, Prospero has a concluding speech, including
these sentiments:
And my ending is despair
Unless I be relieved by prayer;
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
Prayer is part of our
longing for a connection with the eternal, and therefore, with God.
We do not always get that for which we ask, of course. In
Anthony and Cleopatra, Act II, Scene 1, Messina makes an interesting
observation about unanswered prayer:
We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
God may well know better
than we do. Even if God does not bring you the answer you want, writes
Frederick Buechner, God “will bring you himself. And maybe at the secret heart
of all our prayers that is what we are really praying for.”
The way
we are living can make prayer even more difficult. In Hamlet, Act III,
Scene 3, Claudius, who has killed his brother in order to be king, tries to
pray. However, he says, “My words fly up, my thought remains below: Words
without thoughts never to heaven go.” Our words may seem like they get no
further than the ceiling, we say. We need to take an honest look at what is in
us that may hinder our prayer.
Luke 9:37-43a is a story about Jesus involving the exorcism
of the epileptic boy. The source is Mark. It stresses the authority of Jesus. The
healing of the epileptic boy in 9:37-43a becomes a sign of the kingdom of God,
for, as we find in 11:20, Jesus casts out demons as a sign of the kingdom of
God. 37 On the next day, when
they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just
then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is
my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he
shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will
scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but
they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse
generation, an emphasis in the gospel story is the lack of trust by the
disciples, how much longer must I be with
you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming,
the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the
unclean spirit, emphasizing the authority of Jesus, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all
were astounded at the greatness of God.
[1] The
"Transfiguration" event is recorded in the other two synoptic gospels
(Mark 9:2-8 and Matthew 17:1‑8) as well as in the epistle II Peter 1:16‑18.
[2]
Barth, Church Dogmatics III.2 [47.1]
478.
[3] Pannenberg,
Systematic Theology Volume 3, 626.
[4] Pannenberg,
Systematic Theology Volume 3, 626.
[5] Mark
says six
[6] Vincent
Taylor, in his commentary, gives four hypotheses concerning this text. One, God revealed the true form of Jesus by breaking
through the limitations of his humanity in divine revelation to the three
chosen disciples. This would affirm historicity of the account. In addition, we might find further
affirmation of historicity in the view that this was a visionary experience of
the disciples. Two is a visionary
experience. It may be a prelude to the
resurrection. Three is a legend or
symbolic story. It could be a
resurrection story read back into the earthly life of Jesus. However, this view is difficult because of
the presence of Moses and Elijah. Some
scholars refer to it as a “misplaced” resurrection narrative. However, Mark as
a theologian likely had good theological reasons for giving readers a hint of
the risen Lord in the midst of the ministry of Jesus. Four, it may be pure
symbolism. In this case, v. 4-5, 6, 7-8
could be Jewish eschatology and v. 3 could be Hellenistic mystery religion.
[7]
Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume
3, 626.
[8]
--Saint Gregory Palamas (1296-1359 A.D.), Archbishop of Thessalonica,
"Sermon on the transfiguration,"
http://oca.org/fs/sermons/sermon-on-the-transfiguration. Retrieved September
10, 2014. "What
does it mean to say: He was transfigured?" asks the Golden-Mouthed
Theologian (Chrysostomos). He answers this by saying: "It revealed
something of his divinity to them, as much and insofar as they were able to
apprehend it, and it showed the indwelling of God within him."
[9] --Henry Drummond, Scottish theologian. God does
not make the mountains in order to be inhabited. God does not make the
mountaintops for us to live on the mountaintops. It is not God's desire that we
live on the mountaintops. We only ascend to the heights to catch a broader
vision of the earthly surroundings below. But we don't live there. We don't
tarry there. The streams begin in the uplands, but these streams descend
quickly to gladden the valleys below.
[11] (N. T. Wright, For All God’s Worth: True
Worship and the Calling of the Church [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997], p.
7.)
[12] - George
Gallup, Jr. Adventures in Immortality, quoted in Anthony C. Winkler, Jo Ray
McCuen's, Rhetoric Made Plain, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1988.
Our surveys have shown that nearly one-third of all Americans - or about 47
million people - have had what they call a religious or mystical experience. Of
this group about 15 million report an otherworldly feeling of union with a
divine being. They describe such things as special communications from deceased
people or divine beings, visions of unusual lights, and out-of-body
experiences. For instance, one said, "I was reading the Bible one night
and couldn't sleep. A vision appeared to me. I was frozen and motionless. I saw
an unusual light that wasn't there - but was. There was a great awareness of
someone else being in that room with me."
[13]
(Marcus J. Borg and N. T. Wright, The Meaning of Jesus, Two Visions [San
Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999], pp. 61-62.)
[14] -Thomas
Mann, from The Magic Mountain, quoted by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold in
Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1999), 16. Hold fast to time! Guard it, watch over it,
every hour, every minute! Unregarded, it slips away, like a lizard, smooth, slippery,
faithless. ... Hold every moment sacred. Give each clarity and meaning, each
the weight of your awareness, each its true and due fulfillment.
[15] David
Bartlett tells of how Frederick Buechner was consumed by worry over his
daughter's affliction with anorexia. Sick with worry, driving back to his home
in Vermont, he pulled into a rest stop. There Buechner spied a license plate,
one of those vanity license plates, although this time it was not really a
vanity plate. The license plate read simply "trust."
For
Buechner it was a revelation. A great sense of calm swept over his life and he
knew he could go on. Bartlett says you have to admire that New England Bank
trust department officer, who in a pun on his title, put "trust" on
his license plate.
You have
to admire Buechner for taking that license plate and turning it into a
revelation from God for his life.
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