From Day 1- (Brian is a friend who I serve with on Executive Council)
Glory. I am supposed to tell you about the Glory of the Lord. In the lesson from St. Mark's Gospel, Jesus' face changed while praying on the mountain and his clothes became dazzling white and I am supposed to tell you about the Glory of the Lord that Peter and John and James were witness to on that day.
The Glory is such an odd idea in the Christian tradition. I have discovered that there are two kinds of preachers. There are the kind of preachers who love the word 'Glory' and use it every opportunity they can. 'Glory' ends up being used in every sentence and as different parts of speech and on the rare occasion even as a form of punctuation.
And then there is the second kind of preacher. I am the second kind. If I saw the Glory of the Lord coming down the street towards me, I might be tempted to cross over so as to not get too close.
Now, please don't misunderstand, I am not opposed to the Transfiguration. But unlike the other major events in the life of Jesus, I find it hard to know where to start. And I guess I am not alone.
A good dictionary definition of glory will tell you that glory always involves great honor and praise. Radiant beauty and splendor and lights and halos are often used in trying to describe and define glory.
So, maybe it is hard to speak of the Glory of the Lord because it seems so removed from our world, our present moment. Ours is an anxious age, not a glorious one.
More here-
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