Text: John 12:1-8. GUC 3 April 2022 Lent 5

Introduction
The gospel portrays an intimate incident in the house of Lazarus. We are reminded that Jesus raised

Lazarus from the dead and he is at the table. Jesus is surrounded by his friends including Martha and Mary. Martha has prepared the meal, and her mention was brief: “Martha served” (12:2). Mary was at the feet of Jesus, “Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus feet and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (12:3) There was some dispute among the disciples and Judas Iscariot suggested that the perfume was wasted on Jesus, “Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor?” (12:5). Apparently, Judas was more interested in stealing funds from the common purpose.

Today I would like to think with you about how we connect with God. In the gospel account, I would suggest we see four different ways of relating to Jesus. This will be highlighted by attachment theory, which has been influential in education, counselling and childhood development. It has also been applied to our spiritual life. Now, for some necessary groundwork.

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Text Luke 15:11-32 The prodigal son. GUC 27 March 2022

“The pursuit of happiness” is one of our most fundamental rights. It is enshrined in The American Declaration of Independence. This is hardly controversial since almost everyone thinks that wanting to be happy is a good thing. If only it were that simple; unfortunately, I see at least two difficulties.

First, there are many people who have done well – basically have everything a person could want – but are perfectly miserable. Many have sought happiness but not found it. Maslow developed his hierarchy of needs. People have assumed, along with Maslow, that if our basic and higher needs were met, we would be happy.

Let’s stop a person on the street and ask. Fred is employed in a public service clerical job, he is married with two adolescent children. He has an income which meets his family’s basic needs (food, water, warmth, rest), and living in Australia meets his safety needs. He has a stable relationship and friends (belonging and love needs). He did a part-time university degree and feels he has achieved something (esteem needs). Notice that we have ascended the need hierarchy. Neither Fred or I know what Maslow, a child the human potential movement, meant by self-actualization which was placed at the peak of the need’s hierarchy. But Fred has recently talked with his GP and has started anti-depressant medication. Maybe Fred should be happy but he isn’t.

There are countless people just like Fred – who have every reason to be happy but are deeply unhappy for no apparent reason. A couple of my closest friends are ‘in the same boat’. They are older and perhaps with more money but unhappy. The second barrier? You will have to wait until later in the sermon. I will have ‘to set the stage’ with the parable of the prodigal son which is one of the best known in the New Testament.

Reflect: There are three people: the younger brother, older brother and the father. Who do you identify with? Think for a moment. Ask yourself why. What life experiences have you had to make such an emotional connection?

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Luke 9: 28-36

The inner circle of the apostles: Peter, John and James accompany Jesus up a mountain to pray. Then the ‘ordinary’ of their ministry experience was interrupted by the ‘extraordinary’. Jesus’ face was changed and his clothes became dazzling white. The disciples saw him talking to Moses and Elijah and the gospel writer noted the disciples, though heavy with sleep, “saw his glory”. Peter felt the need to do something, offering to make dwellings for each of them, which seemed a silly response (but churches have been built for stranger reasons!). A voice came from the cloud, presumably God, announced, “This is my Son, my chosen; listen to him!” (9:35)

This incident is hard to understand. But over the last two thousand years people have tried. It seems important because it is reported in all three synoptic gospels. Perhaps a historical point is being made. Jesus stood in the OT tradition of Moses with the law and Elijah with the prophets. This adds significance to “Listen to him!” Theologians have tried to make sense of it. Some have argued that it as the meeting place of the human and the divine, or the temporal and the eternal. Perhaps it prefigures the resurrection. In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican traditions there is a Feast of the Transfiguration. I am not sure any of this helps it is a gospel passage that remains mysterious and it is hard to see any contemporary relevance.

But one point can be made: Transfiguration invites us to see with different eyes.

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