chariot of fire
Good morning!
Here (scroll down) are a couple of our "Proper" readings for this coming Sunday. You can tell by the gospel reading that it's "the last Sunday after Epiphany" because we always read about Jesus with Peter, James, and John up on the mountain for the Transfiguration.
There are two "great epiphanies" - - Jesus' baptism and Jesus' transfiguration, both of them "theophany" events when the voice of God speaks, proclaiming Jesus as God's Son. We read Jesus' baptism as the Epiphany Season begins, then we read Jesus' transfiguration as the season ends and we move into Lent. This is "the Sunday next before Ash Wednesday," when Lent begins.
In the "Propers" a couple of things get to me. One is the petition in The Collect, "and be changed into his likeness ..." which is the entire objective of the Christian life, to be changed into the likeness of Christ. Our baptismal vows are meant to guide our lives into that.
The 2 Kings story of Elijah and Elisha, Elijah's being carried up to heaven in a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire, a great story: what is to be made of it by people with telescopes who no longer believe, as the writer of 2 Kings seems to have believed, that heaven, the abode of God, is just above the clouds? Moses is dead and buried somewhere that's not known, and Elijah is dead and carried bodily away into heaven; two great men of God in their Times.
Maybe just leave the "Swing low, sweet chariot, comin' for to carry me home" story as the Bible's testimony to the greatness of Elijah - - it's Heilsgeschichte, a holy story, and we do not need to solve or rationalize like the idiots who searched for a sandbar that Jesus might have walked out on, or the other idiots who searched for a fish big enough to swallow Jonah and him live inside it for three days. It's a story, a holy story, and it's ours! Read and visualize and enjoy!!
As for the Transfiguration story, it also is Heilsgeschichte, one of our special holy stories, not to be rationalized in terms of scientific plausibility, but God's testimony about who Jesus is. And I appreciate Mark's calling Jesus the Son of Man, an allusion to the cosmic figure in Daniel 7.
Relationship between the 2 Kings story and the Mark story? For one thing, that Jesus the Son of God and Son of Man is greater than Moses and Elijah.
Lots of good stuff for an adult Sunday school or midweek Bible study session.
RSF&PTL
T88&c
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The Collect
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Old Testament 2 Kings 2:1-12
When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent.”
Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. The company of prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take your master away from you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be silent.”
Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. Fifty men of the company of prophets also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.” Elisha said, “Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” He responded, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.” As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha kept watching and crying out, “Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
The Gospel Mark 9:2-9
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.
As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.