Get Up

God, of many names and faces, thank you for this sacred space, this holy place for us, may we each hear whatever we need to today and may the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.

Courage to Change the Things We Can: that’s our theme for Lent and it felt just right for our community, at this time in our country, when so much calls to us, when so much pulls on us, demands our attention, needs us to save it, to change it, we wanted to create space for each of us to discern what is ours to change. Once we sort out what it is that is ours, knowing that alone we can’t and shouldn’t try to do it all, once we know what has our name on it, then how do we have the courage to do something about it? 

As we talked about last week, Lent is a time of getting things right, a time of repentance, which is metanoia in Greek meaning to changing mind, changing direction, turning around.  Knowing this, Lent is for us a season of being honest with ourselves about where we have been thrown off from our true self, from God, from love and where we need to turn around. It is about realigning our intentions and our beliefs with our actions, making sure there is not a gap between those and our actions. In order to do that, we need to shed something, we have to let go of something- old stories, patterns, behaviors, ideas, habits, illusions, so we can see things as they are, which allows us to begin to realign. 

And today we are talking about looking for the places where we might need to stop waiting. Where are the places where we have not taken action because we are thinking that something else needs to shift first? Or where are the spots in our lives where we have allowed fear to get us stuck? Or the places on our path where we have stopped because we are like those following in the story Jesus and we fallen down because we are overcome?

There was a time last month where I felt like overwhelmed with the sense that I needed to call my senators and congress people again. On top of work and caring for friends and family. It just felt like a lot. And I felt stuck. I was sitting on my couch. I realized that is exactly what they want! So I just added to my daily checklist for that Monday that I would block off some time to call our two senators as well as my Congressman’s office. For both Senators, I was brought to an automated message, where I left my heartfelt soliloquy, I believe then on the unjust invasion in Venezuela and the kidnapping of their leaders and the stealing of their resources.  But when I called the Congressman’s office, to my surprise, a real human answered the phone. At first, I was thrown off, expecting another answering machine. But then I went into why I was calling and ended by asking if there was more we could do. He sounded young. He was earnest and he was really trying to hear me. I began to choke up. He could hear that on the phone “Don’t give up hope he said!” Each action makes a difference!

I started to laugh. There was I was weeping on the phone to a dutiful young staff person named Max who was giving hope to the despairing preacher. I am confident that my phone calls that day did not change anything. But I can say with certainty that they allowed me to get unstuck, to remember my power, to be inspired by his reminder that many had called, He said, “It matters!” “Don’t give up!”

This Transfiguration story in the Gospel of Matthew is the midpoint in a number of events that characterize who Jesus is and what he is about. He is under the oppressive rule of Herod and he brings companions up a mountain on a cloudy day. We read that “suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud” the Divine speaks. And for Jesus after he burns hot and bright and then “he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white,” then a cloud comes and a blessing rain from the Holy. It is noteworthy to me that at both his baptism and in this story, a voice is heard, seemingly from another realm, from the heavens, announcing that Jesus is beloved and an expression of God among them. Here’s the other thing I notice about these mountain top stories right now:  They are not climbing alone. Moses goes with Joshua and Jesus goes with Peter, James and John. And also they seem awestruck and are reduced by the whole experience, unsure of what to do next. Were they thinking this Savior would save them? Were they waiting for something to shift first? They were afraid. They had fallen down because they were overcome.

On a weekend, where we woke up to the news of an unwanted, unauthorized, immoral war, I really appreciated this story. It doesn’t feel like we are being heard. And those causing harm are not being checked. How easy it would be to stay on the ground like the disciples, afraid, overwhelmed, and stuck. 

Here is what wisdom I sense from this old story for us right now.

First, don’t forget we need a crew to get up. That’s what happens here. And line really jumped out at me this week. Jesus looks at them and says, don’t be afraid get up! And he helps them do that. I want to remind us: We are a crew for each other. We need each other. Individualism is a lie. Community is our truth. Where can we help each other get up and not be overcome with fear and not stay stuck?

Second, in some areas where we need a change, are we waiting for someone else, when the answer is us? Are these words from Amanda Goreman for us? “If only we’re brave enough to see it, If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

What are the areas of your life where the answer is simply being brave to see and brave to be it for ourselves? What if you are your answer? Where are you the light and the bravery that is needed?

Third and last, we need to remember that we can’t wait for fear to go away to act. As we read in the text Jesus’ friends “fell to the ground and were overcome by fear.” Jesus says, “Get up and do not be afraid.” I wonder how long the time was before they actually got up. Maybe they needed to be on the ground afraid for a while. But eventually they get up. I bet their fear didn’t go away, but still they got up.

So together I wonder what is possible? We can help each other get up and not stay overcome and stuck on the ground in fear.

Let us never forget we don’t need to go it alone, we should have a crew on the climb and where are we are the answer we have been waiting for? Where we are stuck, on the ground, let’s not stay there too long. I love this quote from Ellen Glasgow, “The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.”

In this season of realigning and turning closer to God, where do you need to “get up” and do something?      

Beloved of God, we are awake for the new dawn, together we will be brave enough to see it and be it! Don’t be afraid to ask for help, if you need help, getting up. Get up! Do not be afraid! May it be so. Amen.