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Transfiguration B - Last Epiphany 6B
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Gospel: Mark 9: 2-10

Highlighted Verses: Mark 9: 2-10

Jesus Cleanses a Leper



(Note that this week's sermon makes use of a visual aid, a sheet of paper labeled (depending upon its orientation) MOM or WOW. A printable pdf version can be accessed by clicking here.)

I have a little test for you today - a reading test. I'm going to show you a word that I'm pretty sure some of you will know. Take a look quietly and put your finger on your nose if you can tell me what this word is...ready? (Reveal the paper, oriented to read "mom." Solicit children's answers.)

That's right - "mom." M-O-M spells mom, but are you sure that's what this word really says? What if I turn it over like this? (Turn paper over to orient the letters to read "wow.")

Hmm...You're right - and "wow" is a good word to describe it too, because just by turning the paper in a different direction we have a whole different word. It's the same paper - but we're seeing it in whole new way.

Something similar happens in this week's Gospel lesson. Several of the disciples are walking with Jesus up a high mountain when all of a sudden they see him in a new and different way. His clothes suddenly become a dazzling white and they hear the voice of God explaining that  "this is my Son."

There's a special name for this in the Bible. See if you can say it with me. We call this the transfiguration. When something is transfigured it changes the way it looks or is transformed. (We could say that caterpillars are transfigured when they change into butterflies - their whole appearance changes and they become something new.)

Jesus doesn't change his shape - but like with our "mom" sign, suddenly the disciples are able to see him in a whole new way: as the Son of God.

It's a very exciting moment that changes everything for them.

Can we pray?

Dear God,



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