Wednesday 06 August 2008

Background

There are two opportunities to celebrate the Transfiguration ofJesus in the western Church. One is on the fourth Sunday in Lent(although it often gets overwhelmed by Mothering Sunday). The otheropportunity to remember Jesus on the mountaintop is today.

This passage fits in with this theme because it talks about'children of God'. On the mountain of the Transfiguration thedisciples heard God acknowledge Jesus as "my Son the Beloved" (Mark9:7). We read today that we also are the children of God.

There are times when we behave as if we have to earn the love ofGod or earn the right to become God's children by good works orholding office in the Church. And there are times when we believethat the love of God cannot reach us in our desolation because weare unworthy of it. But the above verses tell a differentstory.

John's Gospel and letters have a very different style from the restof the New Testament which can sometimes make them difficult toread or understand. They are thought to originate from a closedcommunity living outside the Holy Land in the 1st century AD. Todaythey might be called a sect because they developed their ownrituals and practices distinct from the rest of Christianity.

In John's Gospel and particularly in the letters there arereferences to "the world" as a place of misunderstanding whereJesus Christ is rejected. There are also warnings about keeping therules of the community or members will be sent back to "the world".The writer frequently addresses the members of the community as"children" or "my children" and 1 John3:1-3 explains why. It is only through God's love that weare all children of God.

To Ponder

God speaks to you, saying "Beloved one, you aremy child". Do you believe it? What might make it hard for you toaccept such unconditional love?

How could we be better 'children' to those whohave responsibility for us?