Exodus 24:12-18

Epiphany 4 – Year A
Epiphany Last - Transfiguration

Exodus 24:12-18

As Moses, following G*D's invitation, ascends a mountain, the number of folks with him dwindle. Finally it is Moses and Joshua (aide/assistant/minister) who are left. Before spending a moment with Moses entering a cloud of unknowing in order to further ascend the mountain, there is the business of the usefulness of "disciple" language in today's world.

Try on these descriptors:
I am Jesus' disciple.
I am a disciple of Jesus.

Which of those is the stronger for you? Which is clearer for those you meet?

I am Jesus' assistant.
I am Jesus' aide.
I am Jesus' minister.
I am Jesus' partner.

How do these descriptions change your involvement with the various aspects of your life?

It may be time to reclaim Joshua's relationship to Moses as we encourage and support one another to enter G*D, a cloud.

How might Jesus' Transfiguration scene be different if Peter, et. al., were there as assistants to Jesus, not disciples? How might your own on-going transfigurations be different if you claimed to be a partner with Jesus, not a disciple, where you mutually encouraged and supported one another to enter deeper into G*D?

The deal here is not to focus on the results of tablets, which will vary in syntax according to the context being addressed, but on the journey – entering the cloud, entering G*D.

While we can track time before an encounter with Divine, six days and seven, entering a Cloud G*D shifts our perception to the immeasurable, forty days times forty nights. This can be a scary shift so we need all the encouragement and support assistants, aides, ministers, and partners can give; so we need to give all the encouragement and support we can to others.

Make the most of these days of preparation. Help and be helped to be ready for the invitation to enter a cloud that will call out, "Beloved!", and, in a moment, create another Big Bang, another Transfiguration – you – set loose in the world.