How fortunate that we are here (Lk 9:33)

It is painful to see the people who lost their houses by Tsunami looking for their photo albums in the heap of the rubble. A Japanese poet, KIDO Shuri, whose home town is in the affected aria wrote, "our daily life after '3.11' can never be the same as it was. However, it's impossible to take everything away from us. Tsunami destroyed the streets and houses of the towns along the coast, still it cannot erase my memory of the day when I went swimming at the Jodogahama beach with my family."(Asahi Shimbun 2 April, 2011)


Luke wrote the story of Jesus using Mark and other resources. What he had done is something like a restoration of an old album whose pages and pictures were lost and scattered.

Peter said, "Master how fortunate that we are here." This might be the happiest moment for the disciples and Jesus. Luke added his own touch of shadow in this beautiful picture. Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were talking about the departure --- the way to the cross.

The starting point to the cross is at the same time the highlight of the happy days. God allowed the disciples to have this joyful moment. Let us pray to God, so that God gives us the happiest moment, which disciples had with Jesus.

(Summary of the sermon on 3 April 2011, at Sado Church, United Church of Christ in Japan)