Holy Encounters
Matthew 17:1-9
February 3, 2008
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
One day a year or so ago, Jane Kiedaisch, Doreen
Henderson and I were leading the weekly worship service at
Rosewood Care Center. During one of the first songs I
happened to notice one of the residents staring intently at
me, as if reading my lips as I sang. So I continued to look
directly at her. As I did so I became aware of her eyes; they
were so open and so transparent that it almost seemed as if
I could see her soul shining through them. I could not take
my gaze away from them and then something amazing
happened; it was as if my own heart broke open and a
connection was made between the depth of this woman's
soul and my own. In that moment I knew that her soul was
speaking to mine in a language that neither of us understood
but the message it conveyed was love -pure, unconditional
love! It was a Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance,
a moment when I knew that I had seen the face of God,
touched the hem of a holy garment, and tasted pure grace!
It was a moment of blessing that sent me on my way
transformed, renewed and ready for a future only God could
see!
Some 11 or so years ago, when I was on my sabbatical I
took some classes at the Institute for Culture and Creation
Spirituality in Oakland, CA. One of my teachers was Sister
José Hobday. Sister José, who was a Catholic nun, taught a
class in Native American Spirituality and Ritual. She talked
about the belief, held by most native peoples, that
everything in creation -each plant and animal, each rock and
hill, even the soil and the air, the water, the sun, the moon,
the stars, everything- has holy wisdom to share if we have
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 2 -
the eyes and hearts to receive it; this wisdom, Sister José
said, was the medicine of the plant or animal or rock or
whatever. One afternoon our assignment was to take a walk
in one of the wooded areas around the school and watch and
listen for something that wanted to share its medicine with
us. As I did so, I became aware of a very large tree with low
hanging branches and a vine growing around the trunk. In
the way of mystic visions, this tree had a glow about it that
seemed to call out to me. So I stopped and just gazed at the
tree for a long, long time. Then I reached out and gently
touched the trunk and little by little drew closer until I was
first embracing and then leaning on the tree. As I did so I
sensed the deep rootedness of the tree. I sensed her
strength and her flexibility. Then something amazing
happened; my heart opened and I felt a deep connectedness
not only with this tree, but with the soil that nourished her
and the rain that bathed her and the sun greened her. As I
drew in each breath I knew it was her gift to me and as I
exhaled my own spent air I knew that I was gifting her in
return. And in that deep connectedness I felt a oneness with
all of creation and with the Author of Creation itself. It was a
Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance, a moment
when I knew that I had seen the face of God, touched the
hem of a holy garment, tasted pure grace. It was a moment
of blessing that sent me on my way transformed, renewed
and ready for a future only God could see!
In December, 2007 just before my dear friend and this
congregation's former secretary, Laurie, died her husband
Joe called from Florida to tell me that she was in a coma and
probably would not survive. He wanted me to know and he
also wanted to know if Laurie had ever gotten around to
asking me if I would officiate at her funeral. She had not.
"There's no one beside you she would want to do it," Joe
said. "Do you think you can do it?" he asked.
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 3 -
"I don't know," I answered, "but if that's what Laurie
wants, somehow I'll make it happen,"
It was an incredibly difficult time, meeting with her family,
doing the things I usually do when I'm going to officiate at a
funeral, all the while my own heart felt like a hole had been
torn right through its center. Yet, at the same time I felt
Laurie's presence so strongly as I prepared the service that I
knew it was the right thing to be doing. Then the day of the
funeral arrived. The bagpipe played and as I walked up to
the chancel I thought my knees were going to give way
beneath me. I stopped in front of the altar and then walked
to the side and sat down during the remaining prelude
music. "God," I cried out silently, "I need you help. I don't
think I can do this." And I tried to breathe in God's love and
breathe out the pain that gripped my heart. Just as the
music ended I felt a surge of loving energy that was so
powerful it defies description. It was almost as if I was
literally lifted up and carried to the pulpit and held in the
strong arms of God through the remainder of the service. It
was a Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance, a
moment when I knew that I had seen the face of God,
touched the hem of a holy garment, tasted pure grace. It
was a moment of blessing that sent me on my way
transformed, renewed and ready for a future only God could
see!
Peter and James and John went with Jesus to the
mountain to pray. In the midst of their praying they were
touched by the Spirit of God and they saw the radiance of
Divine Love permeating every fiber of Jesus' being in a way
that connected them with all that had been and empowered
them for all that was to come. It was a Holy Encounter, a
glimpse of Divine Radiance, a moment when they knew that
they had seen the face of God, touched the hem of a holy
garment, tasted pure grace; and they wanted nothing more
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 4 -
than to hold on to that moment and stay in that place. But
such Holy Encounters do not come so we can bask in their
glory and hang on to their joy. They come to refresh and
empower us. They come to heal and transform us. They are
sacred moments in time that come to awaken us to the everflowing
stream of Divine Love and the Sacred blessing of all
that is.
Now, most of the time, we move through life unaware that
the Spirit is lurking in the background, ready to break in and
transform our lives. Yet, in a moment when we least expect
it or most need to sense it, we just might experience a Holy
Encounter that will open our lives to the ever-present power
of Divine Love moving through us and our world. Such Holy
Encounters make visible for a moment what is true in every
moment, God is in us and we are in God and we are never
alone. In the words of Mechtild of Magdeburg a 13th century
mystic and visionary, "The day of my spiritual awakening
was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God and God
in all things."
As we sit on the mountain with Jesus, as we walk through
the days of our lives, may we be open to receive what God
longs to give us - Holy Encounters, glimpses of Divine
Radiance, moments when we see the face of God, touch the
hem of a holy garment, taste pure grace; moments of
blessing that will send us on our way transformed, renewed
and ready for a future only God can see! Amen.
Matthew 17:1-9
February 3, 2008
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
One day a year or so ago, Jane Kiedaisch, Doreen
Henderson and I were leading the weekly worship service at
Rosewood Care Center. During one of the first songs I
happened to notice one of the residents staring intently at
me, as if reading my lips as I sang. So I continued to look
directly at her. As I did so I became aware of her eyes; they
were so open and so transparent that it almost seemed as if
I could see her soul shining through them. I could not take
my gaze away from them and then something amazing
happened; it was as if my own heart broke open and a
connection was made between the depth of this woman's
soul and my own. In that moment I knew that her soul was
speaking to mine in a language that neither of us understood
but the message it conveyed was love -pure, unconditional
love! It was a Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance,
a moment when I knew that I had seen the face of God,
touched the hem of a holy garment, and tasted pure grace!
It was a moment of blessing that sent me on my way
transformed, renewed and ready for a future only God could
see!
Some 11 or so years ago, when I was on my sabbatical I
took some classes at the Institute for Culture and Creation
Spirituality in Oakland, CA. One of my teachers was Sister
José Hobday. Sister José, who was a Catholic nun, taught a
class in Native American Spirituality and Ritual. She talked
about the belief, held by most native peoples, that
everything in creation -each plant and animal, each rock and
hill, even the soil and the air, the water, the sun, the moon,
the stars, everything- has holy wisdom to share if we have
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 2 -
the eyes and hearts to receive it; this wisdom, Sister José
said, was the medicine of the plant or animal or rock or
whatever. One afternoon our assignment was to take a walk
in one of the wooded areas around the school and watch and
listen for something that wanted to share its medicine with
us. As I did so, I became aware of a very large tree with low
hanging branches and a vine growing around the trunk. In
the way of mystic visions, this tree had a glow about it that
seemed to call out to me. So I stopped and just gazed at the
tree for a long, long time. Then I reached out and gently
touched the trunk and little by little drew closer until I was
first embracing and then leaning on the tree. As I did so I
sensed the deep rootedness of the tree. I sensed her
strength and her flexibility. Then something amazing
happened; my heart opened and I felt a deep connectedness
not only with this tree, but with the soil that nourished her
and the rain that bathed her and the sun greened her. As I
drew in each breath I knew it was her gift to me and as I
exhaled my own spent air I knew that I was gifting her in
return. And in that deep connectedness I felt a oneness with
all of creation and with the Author of Creation itself. It was a
Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance, a moment
when I knew that I had seen the face of God, touched the
hem of a holy garment, tasted pure grace. It was a moment
of blessing that sent me on my way transformed, renewed
and ready for a future only God could see!
In December, 2007 just before my dear friend and this
congregation's former secretary, Laurie, died her husband
Joe called from Florida to tell me that she was in a coma and
probably would not survive. He wanted me to know and he
also wanted to know if Laurie had ever gotten around to
asking me if I would officiate at her funeral. She had not.
"There's no one beside you she would want to do it," Joe
said. "Do you think you can do it?" he asked.
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 3 -
"I don't know," I answered, "but if that's what Laurie
wants, somehow I'll make it happen,"
It was an incredibly difficult time, meeting with her family,
doing the things I usually do when I'm going to officiate at a
funeral, all the while my own heart felt like a hole had been
torn right through its center. Yet, at the same time I felt
Laurie's presence so strongly as I prepared the service that I
knew it was the right thing to be doing. Then the day of the
funeral arrived. The bagpipe played and as I walked up to
the chancel I thought my knees were going to give way
beneath me. I stopped in front of the altar and then walked
to the side and sat down during the remaining prelude
music. "God," I cried out silently, "I need you help. I don't
think I can do this." And I tried to breathe in God's love and
breathe out the pain that gripped my heart. Just as the
music ended I felt a surge of loving energy that was so
powerful it defies description. It was almost as if I was
literally lifted up and carried to the pulpit and held in the
strong arms of God through the remainder of the service. It
was a Holy Encounter, a glimpse of Divine Radiance, a
moment when I knew that I had seen the face of God,
touched the hem of a holy garment, tasted pure grace. It
was a moment of blessing that sent me on my way
transformed, renewed and ready for a future only God could
see!
Peter and James and John went with Jesus to the
mountain to pray. In the midst of their praying they were
touched by the Spirit of God and they saw the radiance of
Divine Love permeating every fiber of Jesus' being in a way
that connected them with all that had been and empowered
them for all that was to come. It was a Holy Encounter, a
glimpse of Divine Radiance, a moment when they knew that
they had seen the face of God, touched the hem of a holy
garment, tasted pure grace; and they wanted nothing more
O:\Sermons\sermons 2008\02-03-08 matt17-1-9.doc Last printed 2/18/2008 12:48:00 PM - 4 -
than to hold on to that moment and stay in that place. But
such Holy Encounters do not come so we can bask in their
glory and hang on to their joy. They come to refresh and
empower us. They come to heal and transform us. They are
sacred moments in time that come to awaken us to the everflowing
stream of Divine Love and the Sacred blessing of all
that is.
Now, most of the time, we move through life unaware that
the Spirit is lurking in the background, ready to break in and
transform our lives. Yet, in a moment when we least expect
it or most need to sense it, we just might experience a Holy
Encounter that will open our lives to the ever-present power
of Divine Love moving through us and our world. Such Holy
Encounters make visible for a moment what is true in every
moment, God is in us and we are in God and we are never
alone. In the words of Mechtild of Magdeburg a 13th century
mystic and visionary, "The day of my spiritual awakening
was the day I saw and knew I saw all things in God and God
in all things."
As we sit on the mountain with Jesus, as we walk through
the days of our lives, may we be open to receive what God
longs to give us - Holy Encounters, glimpses of Divine
Radiance, moments when we see the face of God, touch the
hem of a holy garment, taste pure grace; moments of
blessing that will send us on our way transformed, renewed
and ready for a future only God can see! Amen.
