Sermon, Transfiguration (10 feb)

There are moments in our lives that we recognise – either immediately or afterwards – as pivotal. They are seminal. These are moments that we know will change our lives. Whether it’s big or small, we’ve all had those moments. A student failing an exam in mathematics may not seem like a big deal at the time, but it may cause that student to veer away from their dream of working in the maths and sciences, and find their true calling in the humanities.  Small thing, big difference.  And the friends and family of that student will notice differences – easier time doing homework, less stress about assignments, more enthusiasm towards learning.

For another example, the announcement of pregnancy changes everything – in a big way. There will be a re-focus of energy and time and finances on the bouncing bundle of joy. Nothing will ever be the same for the parents, grandparents, extended families: for in one moment where nothing appears to have changed, everything is different. Suddenly the mother-to-be is not just happy, she’s glowing; the father-to-be has started painting the nursery and assembling furniture even before the bump is noticeable, and his colleagues haven’t seen him without a broad goofy grin in weeks.

Things change us. They guide us, direct us, move us in ways we never expected. And when we respond to these things in a prayerful, faithful way, the world will notice. They will notice that we are neither preventing our own movement in life, nor are we trying to forcefully increase its momentum.  We realise that we are being changed, and as people of faith we realise that we are being shaped, molded, into who God has made us to be.

These changes are not easy – this is why they happen gradually. This is why we can tell if it is the right thing, by the support that we receive from loved ones. This I why we know that we are responding to God’s call in our lives, because others will be able to tell. They’ll know, because we have changed. They’ll know, even if we can’t see it ourselves.

One of the best ways that we respond to life is by talking things out with these dear ones. We can share with our beloved when we are overjoyed, or saddened; when we are struggling with issues or when we are simply aware of our blessings. We sometimes use words, we sometimes use actions, but we are always communicating.

And one of our communications is with our most beloved, with our Lord. When we talk to God, we are sharing the outcome of these little moments. We are recognising that our lives are always changing, whether we think we want them to or not. When we talk to God, we’re opening up to someone who knows us better than we know ourselves – and it changes us.

When we spend time in prayer, it has an impact on how we view the world. We pray for the world, and we then experience the world not as something broken that is easy to be ignored, but as something to be cherished. And our actions reflect that emotional connection.

When we pray for one another, we put aside our differences and arguments and instead focus on the best that they have to offer to the world. We put their health and well-being and safety ahead of our other concerns. As a result, our actions begin to demonstrate this ultimate care even moreso than before.

As we pray for ourselves, we become aware of many of the gifts and blessings, as well as the aches and pains. We are conscious of the requests that we are making, and may amend them as we are still in prayer. As we become more self-aware, our behaviour will reflect our attention to ourselves and who we want to be.

And so we are changed. We act just a tiny bit differently – we treat others the way we would want to be treated, we think twice about our words to make sure they won’t be heard negatively, we make choices that will help build up just structures and authorities instead of just complaining about what exists now.

We are changed. And the world will see it. We may not glow like Moses did, we may not need a veil to interact with other people. But they will see that we have a certain glow about us as the joy of the Lord shines through. They will recognise a light in our eyes that radiates from our having spent time with God. They will see us transfigured, in small but meaningful ways. And we never know – perhaps that light, that prayerful glow, will be one of those pivotal moments in someone else’s life that helps them to enter into a personal relationship with God. Who knows what miracles God will work through us – because we have been open to them – because we were willing to be changed by prayer.