Transformed through Love!

 

 

A friend sent me a story from CCN this week. It was essentially about 3 people – Tina, Ira (her son) and a young man, Jy’Aire. Ira was a fun-loving young man who brightened the world of his family – his mum, grandmother and uncle. He and his single mother were very close and looked out for each other. On his 35th birthday there was a celebration with family and friends and as he showed the last of the guests out, they were talking in the street outside his apartment. Some hoods came around the corner and the leader decided they would rob the 4 men in the street. With guns raised they ordered them to hand over valuables. For some reason the leader shot Ira and Tina heard the shots from inside. She came running and discovered her son bleeding out in the street. She sat and cradled his head in her lap as he died, to love him to the end.

Her grief and anger knew no bounds as she felt lost and alone without her beloved son. If she knew who did this, she would have tracked them down and made them pay, but they were long gone and there were no leads. The police reported in regularly but they had little hope of finding the men responsible for her son’s death.

A bit over 2 years later, there was a break through and the men were identified and arrested. Tina spoke at the trial and spoke of what she missed in her son – his sense of humour, his fun, his presence... Her grief was still deep but her anger and desire for retaliation had subsided, she began to look for the good in people, believing everyone must have something in them that is good. The Leader was given 30 years – Tina wasn’t sure it was enough – and Jy’Aire, the accomplice in the robbery, received 20 years.

Outside the court Tina saw two women and recognised one from work. They spoke and she was surprised to learn that they were Jy’Aire’s aunts. They commiserated over the whole situation and prayed together. There were regular chats and one asked if it would be okay for Jy’Aire to write to her and Tina reluctantly agreed. Through a series of letters and then phone calls, he shared the deeply tragic and difficult story of his own life. His mother was already quite ill when he was born and in and out of hospital. Sometimes he stayed with family members until his mother was released. Life with his mother was hard as they had nothing. His mother died when he was 14 and he felt a great deal of guilt because she had made him promise not to turn any machines off, but the doctors insisted in turning her respirator off at the end – he felt he’d killed his mum.

Jy’Aire ended up on the streets, selling drugs and getting involved in the dark and violent side of life. Through his conversations with Tina, she gave him encouragement, a listening ear and some motherly advice to take very opportunity to better himself and get educated. In the low grade prison he was in, there were plenty of opportunities and he availed himself of them with Tina’s encouragement. When he was able to graduate, inside the prison, with a Liberal Arts Degree, Tina was allowed in to celebrate. Jy’Aire was really changing and trying hard to become a different and honest person. Many other inmates went up to Tina and introduced themselves, wanting to meet Miss Tina, as Jy’Aire called her. They’d heard and benefitted from her wisdom through Jy’Aire. With the help of Tina and others, he received an early release and went to live with Tina.

Tina had felt a bit guilty, like she was betraying Ira by engaging so deeply with this young man partly responsible for his death, but in a dream, Ira encouraged her and told her to keep doing good. At his release hearing, Tina said that in her son’s dying this other boy had found life, new life. She had lost one son but was gaining another.

Jy’Aire went to live with Tina and they founded a foundation in Ira’s name to help young people who needed a first, second or tenth chance to get off the streets, and overcome the struggles of their lives. This is a powerful story of transformation, forgiveness, grace and love. Central figures in the story were changed and new life came out of the deep grief and pain of their lives. God was mysteriously present.

This week we will read from Luke’s story of Jesus (Luke 9:28-43), which is often called ‘The Transfiguration’ because Jesus’ appearance changes and glows brightly on the mountain. In Luke’s story it is preceded by stories of disciples going out to witness to the Reign of God that they’ve experienced in Jesus. They feel weak and helpless before the world but discover that in their vulnerability, there is strength and because they trust in God and something happens. They return and share their stories and as the crowd gathers, Jesus feeds them with a couple of rolls and fish. Then he reveals to his disciples the reality before him - he will journey to Jerusalem, where he will be arrested, tried, handed over to the Romans, crucified and die. He will rise to life in 3 days. They don’t get it!

Then this story. Peter, James and John accompany him up a mountain and whilst he prays, his appearance is transformed and he is joined by Moses and Elijah, figures from Hebrew history and faith. They talk about his leaving, his death. They discuss the reality of his journey ahead through the valley of death’s shadow and into its tight grip. Peter wants to build shelters for the 3 figures, perhaps to contain and hold the experience.

Then a cloud covers the mountain, typical of the epiphany stories of the Old Testament, where the glory of God is veiled – it is too bright, too holy for humans to encounter. The disciples are afraid. A voice from heaven echoes down: ‘This is my dear son, my beloved with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ It is similar to the baptismal story of Jesus and affirms his words and the truth of what he has revealed. Then everything returns to normal and they make their way down the next day.

In the valley they confront life in its rawness – a father with a son who is possessed of a spirit that causes epileptic seizures and the disciples are helpless to fix things. Jesus once again prays and restores the boy. These are stories where pain and grief are held together with joy and glory. We hear a story of Jesus’ glorification, a vision of the end, when all is restored through resurrection, but first there will be crucifixion. The story of Transfiguration holds the story of crucifixion, of pain and death. In the valley of our lives, we encounter the pain of the world and feel helpless before it. We feel helpless before the bizarre and dangerous stories from our world – especially from the US, where Trump’s policies and the arrogant whims of billionaire ignoramuses are creating chaos in the lives of ordinary people and those on the margins of US life and that in the wider world – people are dying through these ill-informed policies and actions. Other tyrants wage war and command death to innocent and ordinary people across the world; other people experience violence in their own homes. Jesus invites us into a way of surrender into the love and grace of God that will transform our vulnerability and bring new life and hope. This path of love has the power to transform and bring new life, as it did with Tina and Jy’Aire.