I consider myself to be an ecumenist at heart, and by that, I mean that I try to look for things that hold us together in faith rather than separate us, sometimes out of spite. I am not a big fan of finger pointing, stating that my/our denomination is better than anyone else’s is, or that we are in the right, therefore everyone else is in the wrong. I am most pleased to pastor a congregation that is blended in nature and able to withstand influences and/or succumb to them. The older I get, the more I understand the true meaning of “don’t sweat the small stuff.”

​The Gospel reading this week, in a huge number of denominations, comes from The Revised Common Lectionary and deals with the telling of The Transfiguration. It is extremely comforting to me to realize how many Christian churches around the world will be reading this story, celebrating the Last Sunday after the Epiphany. It is almost overwhelming to realize how many millions of Christians around the world will be hearing and reading that story, with ministers, pastors, priests and elders explaining the meaning in a way that brings it to life for their congregations. It may be explained differently in Africa or in Australia dependent upon the listeners, but the basic story line will be consistent.

​Christian listeners on Sunday will hear how Jesus Christ took His inner circle of disciples, Peter and James and John, up a high mountain by themselves. He became transfigured before them, and His clothes became dazzling white. Does it matter what mountain was involved and its exact geographical location known? Not to me. Why were three disciples with Him at the time? The Bible states that two to three witnesses are needed to determine the truth of a situation or crime, so that helps me understand the reason for three. Elijah and Moses were with Jesus, speaking with Him. Elijah represented the Prophets and Moses represented the Law and Jesus represented the fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. Peter suggested to Jesus that the disciples could make three dwellings, one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah, not realizing the gravity of what he had suggested, a suggestion made out of fear and possibly wanting to keep the three away from the world. A cloud overshadowed them and there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved: listen to Him! (NRSV, the Gospel of Mark, 9: 2-9). Jesus sternly warned His disciples to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

​The people who preach from this reading should be emphasizing several things for their congregations. The first is that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the Son of God and God. The second is that Jesus represents the complete and total fulfillment of both the Law and the Prophets. The third is that Jesus cannot be contained and/or separated from the world because He died for the sins of the world to give us life, and life eternal. He came in human form so that we could see how much He loves the world and cannot be separated from it. If you leave your church on Sunday and have a good feeling about what was said, you will recognize that we are all the Body of Christ, the Church, and it is through our faith that we will be one.

​If you would like to learn more about ecumenism and how to be in a right relationship with the Lord and with your neighbor, please come to the church of your choice this Sunday, and please bring your children with you.

Rev. Bain White is the priest/pastor at St. Mark’s Church of Grace in Craig. He may be reached at office@stmarksepiscopal-lcog.org.