2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2
"Transfiguration" - Year C
Paul was not a biblical literalist. There is no report in scripture of Moses' sense of the presence of G*D having dimmed or failed. He was strong enough to complain and ended his days full of vitality. To move from a reference that Moses wore a veil to cover glory to Moses not wearing a veil mistakes and limits the presence of G*D to a moment of ecstasy.
Glory, like gifts, is revealed in different way to different people and at different stages of their life journey. To start measuring the amount and style of glory among us is a battle that, at best, ends up being lose-lose.
G*D is large enough to not require all having the same gift or the same amount/expression of glory, either in the present or at some future time.
We can still have heart, whether we revel in or dismiss Moses. The refusal to admit to cunning is a very cunning thing to do and we all fall short of self-revelation to others. Let's get off this either/or approach to various components of everyday life. An extension of being both saint and sinner is that we are have a whole range of glory from prevenient grace to lived wholeness. Lift up your heart and lift up your Neighb*r's heart — we are in this together.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2013/02/2-corinthians-312-42.html
Hope leads to boldness!
Hope that doesn't lead to boldness is wishful thinking.
So what is the more that you are hoping? Does it go as far as resurrection? Yes, your resurrection.
Now, with your eye firmly fixed on such hope that brings boldness, go ahead - bold away!
What will that boldness lead to in your own spiritual disciplines that will go beyond a Lenten trial period?
What will that boldness lead to in your own family (however you define that)?
What will that boldness lead to in your own congregation and denomination/one-true-church/sect/etc.?
What will that boldness lead to in your culture, particularly in its political, economic, and educational life?
What will that boldness lead to in your experience of GOD?
Where is an extreme makeover needed? When will you be about that business because you have emboldening hope?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/february2004.html
There is a mystery in a relationship that cannot be finally plumbed. We like to think a relationship with G*D will bring clarity about many things - no more dim mirrors or veiled countenances. This may simply be our conceit - that we (I) can live without veils.
In some tremendously important ways to be in the presence of another is to be in a cloud where belovedness is understood to be present, but just how is an entirely other matter.
Another way of coming at this is that mercy is always appropriate to apply to the circumstances one experiences. Mercy - for ourselves when we find ourselves doing exactly what we have renounced. Mercy - for others when they are not up to our standards. Mercy - for G*D in whose image we find ourselves.
With large hope we boldly engage mercy.
- - -
whatever our brand of faith
we work with veils
some call them creeds
masking new revelation
some call them experience
avoiding larger grounding
some call them discipline
fencing in options
some call them mercy
lost without boundaries
some call them hope
insulation from pain
some call them literalism
deflecting multiple meaning
some call them heresy
bypassing engagement
whatever our brand
we work with veils