We finished our examination of the Book of Common Prayer.
Lots of stuff people weren't familiar with.
But a big crowd since it is part of the confirmation class.
Lots of people at Trinity haven't been confirmed.
That's probably since they have not had a priest for a while.
But they are interested and ready.
I feel humbled and proud to take them through it.
Humbled and proud.
Last two nights, I've slept like a log until 9 a.m.
Turned on the air conditioner in my office this afternoon for a spell, but then it got cool.
Sat on the deck with cool breeze from the south.
The former President gets deeper and deeper in the do-do!
Jack Smith is coming at him from two directions and New York and Georgia have a lot to say.
Yet he is leading in the polls for President for Republicans and is close to Biden in the race.
Who can support someone so bad?
Bad people?
I've heard MAGA people interviewed.
What a mess they are and what a mess we're in....
The Friday rainstorm never came, I don't know why. The weather folks, like all of us get things wrong sometimes.
That would be a good motto for life: "I get things wrong sometimes."
Last night I couldn't get to sleep. Don't think I did until nearly 3 a.m. A little congestion didn't help, but mostly it was the weather.
We haven't used air conditioning for several days--pretty weird for August!
Last night the window was open and a fan on.
I would get cold (cold in August!) and cover up and get too warm and uncover and get too cold again.
That went on for several hours.
When I finally slept I had very strange and a tad disturbing dreams.]
I don't remember them now but know they were strange and disturbing.
And I got up at 7:45 to go to Milton for church.
Then in the service I had to miss the recessional hymn to go to the bathroom so I didn't poop my vestments!
Luckily I made it.
A strange few days, but church was great....
It's supposed to rain a lot tonight.
We're still waiting.
It's been cloudy all day, so every time I leave the back deck after reading for a while, I bring the cushions from my deck chair back to the porch.
Bern is talking to our granddaughter, Eleanor, who lives with our daughter and son-in-law in upstate New York, and they've had one storm already.
But we're still waiting.
I take Brigit out to pee at 8:30 or 9 p.m. and she hates the rain. Hopefully there will be a break long enough for us to go out.
But we're still waiting.
THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION 2023
Today, as you have doubtless figured out, is the Feast of the Transfiguration.
We celebrate both Jesus transfiguration and Moses’ as well.
You can’t be around God without being changed in some wondrous ways.
Before writing this sermon, I looked up ‘transfigure’ in the dictionary. Here’s what Merriam-Webster told me:
“Transfigure=transform, metamorphose, transmute, convert, transmogrify. Transfigure means to change a thing into a different thing. Transform implies a major change in form, nature or function. Metamorphose suggests an abrupt or startling change indeed if by magic or supernatural power.
To give a new and typically exalted or spiritual appearance: transform outwardly and usually for the better.
Transfigure has 33 synonyms.”
That’s more than I needed to know!
After God gave Moses the 10 Commandants, Moses’ face was shining so much that the leaders didn’t want to look at him or be with him. He had to cover his face with a veil most of the time.
Jesus’ transfiguration was more than just his face appearance—though that did change. His clothes turned ‘dazzling white’ and two men were with him—Moses and Elijah, the disciples thought.
Peter wanted to put up a structure to commemorate the moment, but a cloud descended on them and they were ‘terrified.
Then God’s voice spoke to them and called Jesus “my son, my Chosen” and told them to listen to him.
Luke tells us the disciples ‘kept silent and told no one any of the things they had seen.’
That may have been true in those days, but the lesson from 2nd Peter today is Peter writing about the day of Transfiguration. He gets God’s words a little different from Luke but it had been years and, I don’t know about you, but my memory doesn’t serve to get past events right!
So, the question to ponder is this—What Transfiguration does God have in mind for you? How does God want to transform you?
The churches I grew up in—first the Pilgram Holiness and then a Methodist church that was more evangelical than those in New England—they had an answer: God wants to save your soul!
I may have told you this: When I was in the 9th grade, I went to a Methodist revival meeting and the preacher scared me so bad I went up to the altar rail and he laid hands on me and told me I was ‘saved’.
The next Monday in math class, the teacher, who was my father’s sister-in-law, told the class, “Jimmy was saved this weekend.” I was so embarrassed I dropped my pencil and when I bent down to pick it up, I looked up Donna Comber’s dress.
“Oh, no,” I thought, “it didn’t take!”
Episcopalians look at it differently. God wants us to do God’s work in this world—clothe the naked, feed the hungry, help to poor, welcome the friendless and don’t look down on anyone.
You folks at Trinity do a good job of all that.
But ponder for a moment what else God might want from
You folks at Trinity do all that and more, but ponder for a few moments what else your transfiguration might involve.
Ponder being transfigured….
Amen and amen.
I buried the dead bird to the left of our front porch, near the driveway.
I said a silent prayer for the bird and all dead animals.
Then I covered the bird with dirt.
Still a heart-breaking moment.
I went out this morning to go to the grocery store and found a dead bird on our front porch.
It was dark colored and not as large as a robin or cardinal.
I'm no expert but I think it was a cat bird.
I felt awful and put it up on the bannister to bury later.
I don't like to find dead things--especially dogs and birds.
It breaks my heart.
