March 16, 2025: Ordinary Hope

Ordinary Hope

When I was in the monastery they had those of us entering read a book called “ The Unexciting Life.” Doesn’t that sound like a page turner?! Woo-hoo! Sign me up! I was a bit miffed by it and yet remember thinking – this is actually pretty smart. I wasn’t being invited to become a sister where everything was always exciting and fun. That would be unrealistic and invite much disappointment.  However, I was being invited to approach life more realistically. To experience the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. A life that included BOTH the mountaintops AND the valleys. 

Today we have this lovely story of the Transfiguration. Although when I shared with my mom that I was speaking on this she said, “ That sounds DULL.” I definitely won’t share “ The Unexciting Life” with her! But WOW! This story is packed FULL of so many ideas and themes and invitations and is ANYTHING BUT Dull! 

Jesus’ life really makes a pivot here. We can almost say there are 2 parts to Jesus’ life.  From the time of his baptism by John the Baptist to now - he has been proclaiming the kingdom by healing people and being present to those ‘others’ in the community who had felt like outcasts to remind people once again that God includes ALL in his plan. He proclaimed repentance and mercy and compassion for ALL. Then we have this story today which sets up his next part of the journey which means the road to his death and resurrection. So it is fitting that we are hearing this story during Lent. 

We are reminded of ‘freedom’ in this story. Luke shares that Jesus was speaking to Elijah and Moses about his exodus he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Luke’s use of the word exodus is very important and deliberate as it reminds us of the first exodus that Moses led to free the people from slavery to freedom. Now Jesus’ next exodus will lead people from sin to NEW LIFE as he lays down his life. 

Peter wants to build three tents. This too is a reminder of the exodus story with the Feast of Tabernacles when the Jewish people built little ‘tents’ or ‘booths’ to commemorate the 40 years their ancestors spent in the desert on their way to new life.  

And just as Jesus is transfigured with dazzling light, we are brought back to when Moses was blinded by the light of God on another mountain – Mt. Sinai as he went up to listen to God.  

And of course in the midst of this Peter – being Peter! – says “ Let’s stay here!” Perhaps he was nervous about heading back down the mountain to practice what Jesus had been preaching?  That message was going to be a tough one to sell! With all of this dazzling and the comfort of seeing Moses and Elijah, he thought “Yes. This is good. Everyone is here and we can stay.”  

But then God comes in and says “This is my son, LISTEN TO HIM.” God could see where Peter was headed – he did not want Peter getting too comfortable. And again we have God coming in the form of a cloud – as he had when the exodus was happening – a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide them…. God is consistently with his people…. 

This past week my sister and my niece and nephew visited. It was a very full 5 days. As many of you know when family visits you want to try and do ‘everything.” I was feeling a bit down after they left and couldn’t shake it. I also found out on Thursday that 4 different people were either diagnosed with cancer or had complications happening because of cancer. Oof. As I reflected on the Transfiguration, I was reminded of the fact that not all our days are dazzling. Not all of our expectations are going to get met. The ordinary sometimes is tough to muddle through – and yet God is right there in those down times too.  

It is State Tournament time for those in high school – there’s always excitement in the air and great hope and expectation. And then as those seasons end, there is the valley. And this isn’t only for athletes, this is for parents and family too, right? There’s a sense of “Now what do we do? Where do we turn our attention?”  

Or perhaps you have given birth to your first child and all the excitement in the anticipation and celebration of a healthy birth gives way to sleeplessness and the mundane duties of bottles and laundry. Or perhaps there’s just something really challenging happening in your life right now with your job or an addiction or finances or the worrying about what’s happening in our country or family relationships. Those are valley times. And God is there. “ The Lord is my light and my salvation, of whom (or what) shall I be afraid?” Are you able to believe this? Where and how are you keeping hope? 

So in those ‘down’ times or mundane moments, perhaps just let them happen. Don’t reach for a shiny object that might be fleeting to help you THINK you are getting out of the muck. Be present to it and believe that light will come again. A saying that has really helped me through the course of many mountains and valleys is this – and I wish I knew who said it, but: “ It is better to hope than expect, for in expecting we invite disappointment , whereas in hoping we invite surprise. “ x 2 . This has been true over and over again for me. And here at COL we are offering several sessions on Finding Hope – you can find them on the back of your worship aid and in the bulletin.  

As our opening song said, “ In Christ alone, my hope is found, He is my light , my strength, my song; this Corner stone , this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm.  



May we find gift and grace in the valleys. May we LISTEN to our God when he speaks and may we know always it is good to be here - together.