…we know not what we shall be…

The August heat is upon us. The liturgy in the midst of Ordinary Time points to a brilliance from a source other than the sun. We are shown the brilliance of the Son.

The feast of the Transfiguration shows us a Jesus we can barely look at. We are being shown our own humanity in the state of its own transformation. We can hardly believe it. Like a tender mother, the Word shows the three disciples this amazing sight to prepare them for the degraded view of the human Jesus that they are going to witness during the passion. They are being prepared so that hopefully this imprint on their experience will help them get through it. Then on the 15th of August, we will be shown “…the woman clothed with the sun…” to make sure we get the point. We celebrate the Assumption of Mary, the Mother of God.

What is the point? It’s really quite amazing. In this time and with the world situation what it is, we are told that all the struggle, all the greed, all the violence, all the corruption will end. It will be no more. When all is said and done, the human will look like these two beautiful people. The human will shine.

 Now I don’t know about you, but I have to swallow hard, and fight back tears when I watch the news. I watch children crying for their parents. I see endless bombing. I hear crude speech about women, about blacks, about Muslims, about immigrants. Most of all I feel helpless to do anything to change what they are going through. So maybe what the liturgy during this month says to us is, “Don’t be hypnotized by the evil. Do the loving thing right where you are. Fold the laundry with love, make the bed with love, butter the toast with love, make lemonade with love…for love will win…up the loving quotient and you will really be doing something.” So can I believe that this is what really counts…can you?

 Lord, you shine!

Yet I know what is coming for you.

I can’t wish it away…blot it out.

It’s going to happen.

They are going to take you to the cleaners.

They are going to do you in.

They are going to try to destroy you.

But they won’t win.

You refuse to stay dead – how come?

Because you are Love

and Love wins.

Help me to remember when the heat is on and the yelling starts.

Amen.

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