Metamorphosis and Such

(Copyright First United Methodist Church, Portland, Oregon)

Today, I attended worship at Portland First United Methodist Church. I was in town taking my youngest offspring to the airport to fly to Germany for a semester study abroad. Since I stayed overnight at my mom's house, she and I decided to drop in on the worship service to hear what the senior pastor, Rev. Donna Pritchard, a colleague whom I admire and enjoy very much, would say. In spite (or because) of her vital presence at the emotionally-draining General Conference in St. Louis last weekend, she remained the consummate pastor who spoke the Good News to all of us whose hearts were broken by the actions of the Special Session.

The text for this Sunday was the story of the Transfiguration as told by Luke in Chapter 9:28-36. She reminded us that the glory of Jesus was briefly shared with three of his disciples, one of whom would deny him, and others who would run when he was arrested and tried. Jesus knew what he was getting into. He understood what was to come. Yet he persisted, to the end. 

And three days later a stone rolled away.

I love reading this story in the original Koiné Greek because of one word found in Matthew's version of the event: μετεμορφώθη (metemorphōthē). It is the same word we all learned about way back in elementary school when we collected caterpillars and watched them wrap themselves up into chrysalises and waited for something to happen: metamorphosis. It was a big word to pronounce way back then, but it was really cool when a butterfly emerged.

I love meta- words. There's another word that Jesus and his cousin, John (the Baptist) liked to use: metanoiête, which is unfortunately translated as "Repent!" I prefer to translate it as "Move into your next mind!" 

Next mind? Well, yes, because meta in Greek means "next," as in next in line, next thing to happen, etc. It refers to proceeding to what comes next, with the attendant possibility of progressing into something larger (such as the next mind being expanded consciousness), a bigger perspective on things, a greater, more compassionate way of living, etc., which is what Jesus came to show. He demonstrated what this Next Mind was all about.

Metamorphosis is about moving into the next form. The caterpillar's next form is the butterfly. Jesus metamorphosed into a new form, and then returned to his familiar form. But the cat was kind of out of the bag. 

I love those meta- words.

I love that this text was the Lectionary text for this Sunday after General Conference. I believe that it is time for the United Methodist Church to metamorphose, to move into its next form. I believe that it is time to move into the Next, Bigger Mind, the Next, Bigger Heart. Not everyone will want to transform, but many of us are ready to cast off the constrictive trappings of outdated rules and legalisms and oppressive theologies, and to emerge as something more glorious. I believe that many of the People Called Methodists want this glorious reality of who we can truly become in the light of God's love for us ALL to be freed from the chrysalis that has constrained us for the last 50 years. The wrappings have cracked and the old husk is starting to fall away.

I think that what is going to emerge will be beautiful.