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<DIV><FONT size=4>I used to be a SCUBA diver, and one of the simplest things I
learned when I was a diver was that the things you can know about the ocean from
the surface are only a fraction of what there is to know about the ocean. You
could be a sailor and live your whole life at sea; you could know every
coastline, island and current; but if you never stick your head below the
surface with a face mask on, you know very little about the ocean. If you do
stick your head down with a mask on, you’ll still know very little, but you will
know a lot more about how much there is to know. There is an awful lot of
reality down there that you simply can’t see without passing through the veil of
the ocean surface.<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html">http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>["Glimpses of Reality"]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Nathan Nettleton, 2001</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Now, in Luke’s story, this event—usually called the
‘transfiguration’—has a particular purpose. It shows the disciples, those who
are about to join Jesus in his pilgrimage to Jerusalem, that their journey shall
not be in vain. Yes, there will be very difficult times. There will be
misunderstanding and suffering, there will be the fracturing of the community of
disciples, and there will even be torture and death. But the transfiguration
assures them that for all this, God will not abandon them. God will be as
present and active in all of this as he is in the human Christ they see before
them. His glory may be hidden, but it is real and present nevertheless.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html">http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>["The Pilgrimage of Prayer"]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Garry Deverell, 2003<BR>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>All of us were created in the image of God, and in Jesus
Christ we have seen what that potential looks like fulfilled and on fire with
the glory of God. The connection I mentioned earlier between the transfiguration
story and the resurrection stories is written into this Lenten journey. On this
last Sunday before the journey begins, we hear this story, and when the journey
ends, we will be celebrating the resurrection. In between, the journey of
transformation takes us by way of the cross. Those who would realise their
potential and achieve their destiny with the transfigured and risen Christ, must
walk with him the way of the cross. For only there, only as we are put to death
with him, will the powers of death lose their hold over us, and leave us free to
be raised with Christ, that we might with him shine with the blazing glory of
God.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html">http://www.laughingbird.net/ComingWeeks.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>["Glorious Potential"]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Nathan Nettleton, 2007</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Peter clearly doesn’t understand; perhaps he thinks he is
witnessing a <U>super</U> Feast of Tabernacles (“dwellings”, v. 33) – a time
when the whole city was brightly illuminated. The “cloud” (v. 34) is a symbol of
God’s presence; the words from it recall Jesus’ baptism, and add “listen to
him!” (v. 35). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cepfll.shtml">http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cepfll.shtml</A><A
href="http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/archive/cepflm.shtml"></A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Chris Haslam, 2010 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><EM></EM></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><EM>Verse 30</EM>: “Two men”: There are two similar
appearances:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>-at the Resurrection, in </FONT><FONT size=4>24:4</FONT><FONT
size=4>: “While they [the women who had come from Galilee] were perplexed about
this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them” </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>-after the Ascension, in Acts </FONT><FONT
size=4>1:10</FONT><FONT size=4>: “While he was going and they were gazing up
toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them”. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT size=4>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><A
href="http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cepflm.shtml">http://montreal.anglican.org/comments/cepflm.shtml</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Chris Haslam, 2010 </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>- - - - -</FONT></DIV>
<DIV></FONT></FONT><FONT size=4><FONT
size=4></FONT></FONT> </DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>