Trinity, March 5, 2021
We hear in our gospel reading this week (Mt. 17) the voice of The Father. He tells us that it is His will for us to listen to His Son. He tells us to rejoice in the word of Christ Jesus… but what is Christ saying? How can we attune our inner ear to His voice?
It is striking to see in this gospel reading, the Transfiguration, that in His transfigured state of being, Christ says nothing. The gospel describes that He simply shines like the sun.
And yet, this shining is also a speaking. Christ speaks in His shining. He turns His countenance toward us, speaking peace into our hearts with His presence, speaking warmth into us, blessing us with His mercy. His shining ‘word’ is I AM with you. I AM for you. I AM your true being.
And we can see this word of Christ, in its shining and blessing, also revealed in a meditation that Rudolf Steiner gave:
“Christ speaks before you like a sun shining before you, raying into your heart….
Let your soul be carried by my strong power
I am with you
I am in you
I am for you
I am your true I”
We can also recognize this voice in a prayer that has united many Christian’s confessions throughout the world. ‘The Blessing’, as it is called, originated as an impulse in the United States as a response to Covid, but has caught fire and gone ‘viral’ around the world. In the words below, notice also how it reflects the image of Christ as a sun-like being and also Steiner’s meditation above. Here are some of the words:
“The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The lord turn His face toward you
And give you peace
amen, amen, amen
….
May His presence go before you
And behind you
And beside you
All around you
And within you
He is with you
He is with you
In the morning, in the evening
in your coming, in your going
In your weeping and in your rejoicing
He is for you
He is for you
He is for you
Amen”
This is the response to Covid that has been uniting many Christian souls around the world.
May we also be inspired to follow the divine will of The Father and hear the voice of His Son!!
Contemplation by Rev. Jonah Evans