Beloved Members of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas,
Grace and peace be with you all on this sacred occasion of Transfiguration Sunday, also designated as World Mission Sunday. As we gather in the light of Christ's transfiguration on the mountain, let us open our hearts to the transformative power of God's love and reflect on our call to mission in the world.
Today, as an assisting bishop and missionary for Latino Ministry for our Diocese, I felt called to share with you some words of reflection on the theme of Mission. I am deeply moved by the passage from Mark 9:2-9, where Jesus is transfigured before his disciples. This passage is rich with meaning and significance for our lives as Christians and as a community of faith called to serve in God's mission.
In this passage, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up a high mountain, where he is transfigured before them. His clothes become dazzling white, and Elijah and Moses appear, speaking with Jesus. Then a cloud overshadows them, and a voice from heaven declares, "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" (Mark 9:7, NRSV).
The transfiguration of Jesus reveals his divine nature and confirms his identity as the Son of God. It is a moment of revelation and transformation, where the disciples catch a glimpse of the glory that awaits Jesus and the fulfillment of God's plan for salvation. But the transfiguration is not just about Jesus; it is also about us and our call to mission in our communities and the world.
As followers of Christ, we are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2) and to reflect the light of Christ in the world (2 Cor 4:6). The transfiguration reminds us that our lives are meant to be transformed by encounters with the divine and that we are called to be agents of transformation in the world around us.
In the midst of our broken and divided world, the transfiguration offers us hope and inspiration. It reminds us that God's love has the power to transfigure even the darkest corners of our lives and that through Christ, all things can be made new. It is in this principle of our faith that we know that there is hope for our communities and the world.
As missionaries, we are called to embody this message of hope and transformation in our work. We are called to be agents of reconciliation, breaking down barriers of division and building bridges of understanding and solidarity. We are called to bear witness to God's inclusive love, reaching out to those who are marginalized and oppressed and working for justice and peace in our communities. I share these words with the understanding of the calling you have entrusted me, but also as a reminder that this mission field is not about a person but about the commitment that we all have towards the fulfillment of the call, “Listen to Him.”
On this Transfiguration Sunday, let us recommit ourselves to this sacred mission. Let us listen to the voice of God, speaking to us through the words about Jesus: "This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!" Let us open our hearts to the transforming power of God's love and allow ourselves to be transfigured by the light of Christ.
Yours in Christ,
Silvestre Romero
Assisting Bishop and Missioner for Latino Ministry