Brian’s Reflection: The Weekend, Feb 22, 2009

[Elijah responded to Elisha, who asked for a double share of Elijah’s spirit] "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." ….. a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. [2 Kings 2]

It is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God [2 Cor 4]

Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them … [Mark 9]

- from the readings for the Last Sunday of Epiphany (and before Lent)

In this Hebrew myth, why did Elisha have to see Elijah go up in the chariot? What is the meaning of that? What does it say to us about Elisha being granted “a double share” of Elisha’s spirit? What is the message to us?

Why did Jesus take the Three up to the Mount?? Why was it important that they see Jesus “transfigured”, in the company of Moses, the symbol of the Law of God’s hesed, lovingkindness, and of Elijah, the symbol of God’s prophetic message of God’s covenantal unconditional Love? What is the message to us?

The message, to me, is simple. We human beings cannot experience our Oneness with “God” until we have seen and been enthralled by the vision of the great Mystery that is “God”. We don’t get “a double portion”, we don’t understand that we are One with “God” in Christ, until we see the fullness of the Mystery. Elisha saw that Elijah was “Devine;” Peter James and John saw that Jesus was “Devine” - that is, One with the Mystery of the Source of Life.

This is our destiny. To be One with the Devine. If we only see the mythological “Elijah”, if we only see the mythological “Jesus”, as human beings, our hearts and minds and spirits will not be called out into our destiny - full humanity.

“God’s” light “shines out in darkness” (2 Cor) revealing the glory of “God”. And of us. Like Elisha, and like Peter, James and John, we have seen the Light.

Brian+