Sunday before Lent (Transfiguration) 2013. Recognising our family likeness. Luke 9:28-36.
It’s very good to be with you. I come with greetings from Birmingham Cathedral and the assurance of our prayers. We pray for you and your ministry every day.
I’ve been Dean of Birmingham now for two and half years. One of the good things about moving south from Huddersfield, (as though living in Birmingham wasn’t enough!) is that both Robin and I are nearer now to our families. My side of the family live in East Anglia, and I saw them just after Christmas.
Now my dear Dad passed away 18 years ago. But when I get together with Mum and my brother and sisters, and their children, whilst we’re always aware of his absence, I’m also very aware of his presence, in that I see Dad in the faces of his children and grandchildren, I can see the family likeness through the generations. There is Dad’s genetic legacy, and also traces of his character and expression; glimpses of his image. I’m keenly aware of the past, present, future – (what will become of these lovely children who share this likeness?) Time comes together; past, present and future.
I’ve been reflecting on my earthly family and family likeness in the light of our readings from scripture this week. Perhaps the transfiguration of Jesus teaches us something about our spiritual family likeness.
St Luke tells us that Jesus goes up to a mountain to pray, with Peter James and John. (There are overtones here of Gethsemane (when the humanity of Jesus is revealed). In this event it is glory that is revealed. Jesus’ appearance changes, his clothes become dazzling white. Moses and Elijah are with him. They are his ancestors, his forebears. Jesus is in that great line of prophets, but he is much greater: from the cloud comes the voice, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen, Listen to him!’ Jesus is revealed for who he truly is; God’s Son. Jesus is always glorious always alpha and omega, but now the disciples see it.
After this great event, St Luke tells us that the next day they are thrust back into the demands of ministry. The father of a sick boy shouts, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child.’ The poor child has convulsions, both violent and distressing, ‘Look at my son.’ Remember what we heard on the mountain, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen, Listen to him.’ God’s Son looks at another only son, humanity made in God’s image, and he heals him.
Well how does this affect us today? Scripture is showing us the reality that we occasionally glimpse, but often forget; a reality that we can’t always see with our eyes, but know in our hearts; which is that we are God’s precious children, made in the image of God. We carry the family likeness, perhaps not to the naked eye – in our human family we have great diversity, we look different, but we are God’s children. He asks us to behave as brothers and sisters, and care for one another.
Jesus taught this lesson over and over because we always tend to want to limit love, but Jesus always pushes those limits outwards, beyond family, beyond neighbour, beyond race, religion, certainly beyond our comfort zones. Jesus says, ‘love your enemy’.
So perhaps transfiguration happens today, when we see Christ’s face in one another, in friend and stranger; when we recognise someone else as our brother or sister. When we see that family likeness, and all that we share: the image of God in each person.
This week we’ve all been shocked, I am sure by the report on the Stafford hospital. The accounts about neglect of vulnerable patients have been truly shocking, inevitably we ask ‘how on earth could these things happen’? I don’t want to cast blame, but simply point out how important our Christian understanding, of humanity made in the image of God, truly is. This conviction has contributed so much of what is best in our culture, and we lose it at our peril. Christianity teaches, not simply ‘treat others as you wish to be treated’, although that’s really good and all major world religions teach that. Christianity goes much further, teaching, ‘love one another’ as brothers and sisters, after the example of our Saviour who washed the feet of his friends.
Each one of us shares the family likeness. We are all made in the image of our heavenly Father. Let’s behave as brothers and sisters.
I close with these words of the Collect:
‘Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth
and made us in your own image:
teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and your likeness in all your children:
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord
who with you and the Holy Spirit
reigns supreme over all things
now and for ever.
Amen.`
The Very Rev’d Catherine Ogle. Dean of Birmingham Cathedral.