Sleepy Disciples

What's with prayer

August 6 recognizes Jesus’ transfiguration on most Christian calendars. We’ll return to Matthew tomorrow. For today, try to read this incredible event with new eyes.

It might be a bit surprising when we consider how many times sleep becomes a part of the story in the gospels. Twice, some disciples get sleepy when Jesus takes them on an important journey of prayer (in Gethsemane and here in today’s passage). Jesus himself was sleeping on a boat during a storm. Multiple times, one way or another, someone is considered to be asleep when in fact they are not, (Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter). In several parables, mostly about being ready, characters are sleeping while something happens.

It might be hard for us to imagine falling asleep during the event of Jesus’ transfiguration. Right? But apparently something in the grandeur of what was happening caused the disciples to become overcome with sleepiness.

Actually, when we think about it, perhaps something like that has happened to each of us. I remember feeling guilty the night my first child was born because all my body wanted to do was sleep. What’s up with that? Shouldn’t I have been so excited and cared enough that I was now a father to ignore the need for sleep?

Why do you think Luke includes this detail? It’s not simply a fact of trivia, is it?

Luke 9:28-36

About eight days after Jesus said these things, he took Peter, John, and James, and went up on a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes flashed white like lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him. They were clothed with heavenly splendor and spoke about Jesus’ departure, which he would achieve in Jerusalem. Peter and those with him were almost overcome by sleep, but they managed to stay awake and saw his glory as well as the two men with him.

As the two men were about to leave Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it’s good that we’re here. We should construct three shrines: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—but he didn’t know what he was saying. Peter was still speaking when a cloud overshadowed them. As they entered the cloud, they were overcome with awe.

Then a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, my chosen one. Listen to him!” Even as the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. They were speechless and at the time told no one what they had seen.

Prayer

God,

Sometimes I think I am supposed to cast off the humanity you made me a part of. At various times and in different ways, it has been implied to us that being human is part of the problem. But you did make us this way, didn’t you? And when you chose a means for salvation, you placed it directly within the form of humanity.

So help me to embrace my humanness. Give me discernment in choosing what to dismiss as sinful and what to acknowledge is part of the human experience you intended. (People can be really mean about this, God. It’s hard, so help us.) Keep me from desires of the superhero nature. Give me comfort in good food, rest, play, and recreation.

Remind me that Jesus embraced his humanity. Help me lean on those moments in which he demonstrates that having a body is just fine and dandy, and part of what you’ve created. Help me to live within this body as part of his.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.