Perched On The Edge Of Heaven
Drama
Women In The Wings
20 Biblical Monologues
Making It Preach
The transfiguration of Jesus was an awesome event filled with theological meaning, but how does it affect the person in the pew? Here is a woman who, like some of them, is struggling with the dissonance between the mystery of God and her rational mind. The transfiguration was confirmation for Peter, James, and John that Jesus was Son of God. Simon Peter's wife grapples with how knowledge of Jesus' true identity should, and actually would, affect her faith and life. With the amount of information provided by science and technology today, there is a tendency to shrink mystery into the category of a problem to which the answer is not yet discovered. Yet, the explosion of interest in our society dealing with spirituality points to new generations that are less afraid of mystery. Therefore, discussion about Christ's divinity and the mystery of the Holy Spirit among us is important in pointing people beyond living a "good life" toward being transformed by the only one who is good.
Making It Play
This interpretation places Simon Peter's wife in her younger adult years, with a young child and reference to her mother's menopause. However, by deleting or changing those comments, her age could easily be adjusted upward with integrity. She could be described as no-nonsense, moving with purpose, competent in the life of a multi-tasking housewife, mother, fisherman's assistant, dutiful daughter, and responsible member of the community. Her discussion with the congregation is an intentional exercise in which she analyzes the unraveling of her carefully woven existence. Her confidence also begins to unravel until she arrives at a plan, only she lays out this plan with caution due to the vulnerable nature of approaching Jesus about something so personal. A simple tunic with or without head covering would be fine, since this takes place in the middle of the night. However, if your hairstyle is short and/or obviously modern, you may wish to bind or cover it.
Simon Peter's Wife Struggles With The Implications Of The Transfiguration
I know I'm going to regret this! Pacing the house when I should be sleeping. With so much to do tomorrow, I'll be exhausted halfway through the day! My cousin's family is joining us for the sabbath, and my mother will have her hands full with all of the children, so it is up to me to be cook, hostess, servant, and problem-solver. Simon will be his usual jovial self, but he's useless around the house! Or, maybe I should start calling him Peter.
That is the name his renegade rabbi, Jesus, gave him. I say that about Jesus with the greatest affection, though that wasn't always the case -- just as I could never bring myself to address Simon by this new name Cephas, Peter in your language. It means "rock," which is a great symbol of strength, but unfortunately I always associated my husband with things less steady, less predictable. Wind, maybe, since he is certainly full of hot air, or fire, burning with passion, but needing to be safely contained -- no, my Simon was never the rock. But, then again, that was before....
Frankly, the change in him is why I'm having trouble sleeping. I think I'm getting too old for his mood swings. It's bad enough dealing with Mother's, but at least hers are a natural, predictable part of her getting older. My father, rest his soul, sweet, simple man that he was, would not have known what to do with her! But, Simon, uh ... Peter often has me in a tailspin, whether it is trying to keep up with his exuberant new ideas or fishing him, the fisherman, out of the depths of disappointment. He is rarely anywhere in between, or he wasn't until yesterday. And, his calm steadiness then, more like a rock than I'd ever seen, startled me, and actually makes me a little nervous.
Let me back up. Simon, and he was Simon then, had been going on about a new boat he was looking to purchase, a larger one that would allow him and his father and brothers to take in a greater number of fish with each catch. Of course, somebody, probably a wife or two, would have to sew some of the nets together to make bigger nets until they could afford buy the strongest ones. But, since this plan was more practical than some and might lead to the ability to buy some of things for the house we could really use, I felt myself warming to the idea. And, then, what happened? He came home one day and threw it all out the window! He said he was going to become a disciple of a man who might be the Messiah! Trying to control my temper, I reasoned with him.
"A disciple? Do you mean like Andrew did with that John the Baptizer? You used to complain about how you had to pick up the slack when your little brother wasn't there, and now you want to do that to your other brothers? And, your father is getting older, Simon. He is already slowing down. And, what about us? You don't spend much time at home as it is. Your son is growing and changing every day. He's already itching to go to the shore with you."
"And, I promise I will take him!" he said with that disarming grin, as he caught me up in his arms and, well, hushed my objections in a rather effective way. What could I do? What I have always done, not the least of which was to try and explain it to my mother in such a way that she didn't have a fit. But, she did, especially when she heard about this man who was teaching Simon.
"Nonsense and magic spells, that's all it is! He tells crowds of people that they are blessed if they are poor -- ha! -- and that they should pray for those heathen Romans who have taken our land and rub our noses in it every time they get the chance. Pray for them! There must be some magic that he uses to make it seem like he is healing people. And, the people he touches -- ach -- filthy! What kind of a holy man would defile himself in that way?"
Of course, she changed her tune, and so did I, when she fell into a high fever. I thought she was going to join my father in his everlasting rest, and so did she. But, Jesus came into the house, he touched my mother's hand, and the fever was gone, just like that! The next thing I knew she insisted he sit down and that she, not me, serve them all. After that, she wouldn't let anyone say one word against her beloved Lord's Anointed. I still wrestled with wanting Simon to be home more when they left home for longer and longer periods of time. But, I did not want to get in the way of the Lord's work being done by this good teacher, if he thought he could use Simon. The term, Lord's Anointed, was a bit strong for Jesus, in my opinion, but there certainly was something about him. People either loved or hated him. That's when I dubbed him the Renegade Rabbi, and Jesus just laughed.
As you can imagine, with things being that rough for Jesus, Simon had his tunic all in a knot a great deal of the time. But, this last week was the worst I had seen him. About a week ago, he came home with this triumphant look in his eyes and strutted around the house like a rooster, crowing about how he was the only one of Jesus' disciples who was sure that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. And, because of that, Jesus told him he was Peter, the rock on which his great assembly would be built. My, you should have heard the plans this Peter had for revolution; it was frightening! He sounded like a zealot, ready to expel Pilate and his cohorts by force and set Jesus on the judgment seat, to judge all with justice and mercy. The Herods would have to be dealt with, too, of course, but they'd be like plucked chickens with Rome gone. On and on he went. But, within a day or two his excitement was replaced with heavy brooding, something about Jesus saying he had to die, thus squashing Peter's plans for glorious revolution!
He remained in that funk for the balance of the week, until he came home yesterday this changed man, this ... rock. And, when I asked about the change, he told me more than I wanted to know, more than my practical mind is able to deal with. At first he hesitated because Jesus had sworn him to secrecy. But, seeing the concern in my eyes, he told me that since we had become one flesh and he knew that I would never break his confidence, he would share something wonderful with me. I only tell you because you already know the end of Jesus' story, while I am only now getting glimpses of it.
Peter told me that Jesus took him, along with James and John, up into the mountains, higher than they had ever gone before, until he felt they were perched on the edge of heaven. Then Jesus' appearance began to change, to glow. But, that was only the beginning! Next, Moses and Elijah appeared. I don't know how he knew it was them, but I suppose God was revealing knowledge as this whole thing progressed. And, finally, after Peter made some silly remark about building shelters for the heavenly visitors, a huge cloud descended, and out of it, the voice of the Lord spoke. Peter swears God said something like this, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
"But Peter ..." was all I could get out. My husband looked at me with more gentleness, more love than I had seen in years, probably because I called him by his new name. He held me for a long time, and he felt solid. Then, he fell into a contented sleep, as my mind began to churn. This goes against everything I am sure of, everything on which I base my life. Though I believe in the concept of the Lord Almighty, I roll my eyes when people say they have seen visions. Wishful thinking, that's all it is -- or, at least, most of it. I know the beauty and complexity of this world are far too carefully designed to be some kind of cosmic accident. So, obviously the Lord has the power to reveal divine knowledge, but to such fools? And, then they parade themselves about as if they know everything and are somehow better than everyone else!
At least Jesus' teachings, though they seem confusing at first, make sense. God did not create all of life to serve puffed up princes and wealthy merchants! Those of us who have a little more than enough to live on should share it with those who struggle. And, though loving our enemies is difficult, living with war and resentment will be much harder in the long run. If the Lord can show mercy on us with our many mistakes and selfish hearts, we should be able to cut one another a little slack! Yes, there is much that Jesus says and does that encourages my heart and increases my faith. But, this ... this thing, this vision, whatever you want to call it, that Peter experienced, disturbs me more than I could ever explain. I think that is because part of me really believes it, or wants to, even though it makes no sense to my rational mind. People glowing, men returned from the world of the dead, God speaking in a cloud ... what does that have to do with my life of raising a child, running a household, entertaining a renegade rabbi and his even more questionable band of disciples? What does it have to do with me?
I'm jealous, I think, that Peter has found this peace and a deeper faith, and I just go through the motions every day of my life, and I never feel different inside. He believes in the miraculous so easily, and I can't -- or I won't, something stops me. Maybe it is because I feel like one of us needs to keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. But, maybe not. Maybe I'm just afraid. Yes, me, the steady one, afraid. I'm afraid because this world is changing, and I cannot continue to fix everything and make everything better, not by myself, not when I wake up to a different world every morning! I'm afraid that this new Peter will turn back into Simon and leave me hanging out here all by myself!
I think I may try to talk with Jesus about this. In fact, I think he's been waiting for me to talk with him, and though I've successfully avoided ever sitting still long enough for that to happen, now is the time.
Pray for me, will you? And, pray for the other people like me, who have trouble believing beyond what they see and know for certain. If Jesus really is the Son of the Almighty, then we are the ones who will have the hardest time believing it and accepting the divine gifts he offers. I need to get used to praying, too, I suppose. Whenever I do, I feel like I'm just talking to myself. I know Peter would help me with that, if I'd let him. I guess I need to trust him more. I'd better join him before he comes looking for me. Thank you for your ears and your prayers. The Lord bless and keep you ... in wonder and faith.
The transfiguration of Jesus was an awesome event filled with theological meaning, but how does it affect the person in the pew? Here is a woman who, like some of them, is struggling with the dissonance between the mystery of God and her rational mind. The transfiguration was confirmation for Peter, James, and John that Jesus was Son of God. Simon Peter's wife grapples with how knowledge of Jesus' true identity should, and actually would, affect her faith and life. With the amount of information provided by science and technology today, there is a tendency to shrink mystery into the category of a problem to which the answer is not yet discovered. Yet, the explosion of interest in our society dealing with spirituality points to new generations that are less afraid of mystery. Therefore, discussion about Christ's divinity and the mystery of the Holy Spirit among us is important in pointing people beyond living a "good life" toward being transformed by the only one who is good.
Making It Play
This interpretation places Simon Peter's wife in her younger adult years, with a young child and reference to her mother's menopause. However, by deleting or changing those comments, her age could easily be adjusted upward with integrity. She could be described as no-nonsense, moving with purpose, competent in the life of a multi-tasking housewife, mother, fisherman's assistant, dutiful daughter, and responsible member of the community. Her discussion with the congregation is an intentional exercise in which she analyzes the unraveling of her carefully woven existence. Her confidence also begins to unravel until she arrives at a plan, only she lays out this plan with caution due to the vulnerable nature of approaching Jesus about something so personal. A simple tunic with or without head covering would be fine, since this takes place in the middle of the night. However, if your hairstyle is short and/or obviously modern, you may wish to bind or cover it.
Simon Peter's Wife Struggles With The Implications Of The Transfiguration
I know I'm going to regret this! Pacing the house when I should be sleeping. With so much to do tomorrow, I'll be exhausted halfway through the day! My cousin's family is joining us for the sabbath, and my mother will have her hands full with all of the children, so it is up to me to be cook, hostess, servant, and problem-solver. Simon will be his usual jovial self, but he's useless around the house! Or, maybe I should start calling him Peter.
That is the name his renegade rabbi, Jesus, gave him. I say that about Jesus with the greatest affection, though that wasn't always the case -- just as I could never bring myself to address Simon by this new name Cephas, Peter in your language. It means "rock," which is a great symbol of strength, but unfortunately I always associated my husband with things less steady, less predictable. Wind, maybe, since he is certainly full of hot air, or fire, burning with passion, but needing to be safely contained -- no, my Simon was never the rock. But, then again, that was before....
Frankly, the change in him is why I'm having trouble sleeping. I think I'm getting too old for his mood swings. It's bad enough dealing with Mother's, but at least hers are a natural, predictable part of her getting older. My father, rest his soul, sweet, simple man that he was, would not have known what to do with her! But, Simon, uh ... Peter often has me in a tailspin, whether it is trying to keep up with his exuberant new ideas or fishing him, the fisherman, out of the depths of disappointment. He is rarely anywhere in between, or he wasn't until yesterday. And, his calm steadiness then, more like a rock than I'd ever seen, startled me, and actually makes me a little nervous.
Let me back up. Simon, and he was Simon then, had been going on about a new boat he was looking to purchase, a larger one that would allow him and his father and brothers to take in a greater number of fish with each catch. Of course, somebody, probably a wife or two, would have to sew some of the nets together to make bigger nets until they could afford buy the strongest ones. But, since this plan was more practical than some and might lead to the ability to buy some of things for the house we could really use, I felt myself warming to the idea. And, then, what happened? He came home one day and threw it all out the window! He said he was going to become a disciple of a man who might be the Messiah! Trying to control my temper, I reasoned with him.
"A disciple? Do you mean like Andrew did with that John the Baptizer? You used to complain about how you had to pick up the slack when your little brother wasn't there, and now you want to do that to your other brothers? And, your father is getting older, Simon. He is already slowing down. And, what about us? You don't spend much time at home as it is. Your son is growing and changing every day. He's already itching to go to the shore with you."
"And, I promise I will take him!" he said with that disarming grin, as he caught me up in his arms and, well, hushed my objections in a rather effective way. What could I do? What I have always done, not the least of which was to try and explain it to my mother in such a way that she didn't have a fit. But, she did, especially when she heard about this man who was teaching Simon.
"Nonsense and magic spells, that's all it is! He tells crowds of people that they are blessed if they are poor -- ha! -- and that they should pray for those heathen Romans who have taken our land and rub our noses in it every time they get the chance. Pray for them! There must be some magic that he uses to make it seem like he is healing people. And, the people he touches -- ach -- filthy! What kind of a holy man would defile himself in that way?"
Of course, she changed her tune, and so did I, when she fell into a high fever. I thought she was going to join my father in his everlasting rest, and so did she. But, Jesus came into the house, he touched my mother's hand, and the fever was gone, just like that! The next thing I knew she insisted he sit down and that she, not me, serve them all. After that, she wouldn't let anyone say one word against her beloved Lord's Anointed. I still wrestled with wanting Simon to be home more when they left home for longer and longer periods of time. But, I did not want to get in the way of the Lord's work being done by this good teacher, if he thought he could use Simon. The term, Lord's Anointed, was a bit strong for Jesus, in my opinion, but there certainly was something about him. People either loved or hated him. That's when I dubbed him the Renegade Rabbi, and Jesus just laughed.
As you can imagine, with things being that rough for Jesus, Simon had his tunic all in a knot a great deal of the time. But, this last week was the worst I had seen him. About a week ago, he came home with this triumphant look in his eyes and strutted around the house like a rooster, crowing about how he was the only one of Jesus' disciples who was sure that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. And, because of that, Jesus told him he was Peter, the rock on which his great assembly would be built. My, you should have heard the plans this Peter had for revolution; it was frightening! He sounded like a zealot, ready to expel Pilate and his cohorts by force and set Jesus on the judgment seat, to judge all with justice and mercy. The Herods would have to be dealt with, too, of course, but they'd be like plucked chickens with Rome gone. On and on he went. But, within a day or two his excitement was replaced with heavy brooding, something about Jesus saying he had to die, thus squashing Peter's plans for glorious revolution!
He remained in that funk for the balance of the week, until he came home yesterday this changed man, this ... rock. And, when I asked about the change, he told me more than I wanted to know, more than my practical mind is able to deal with. At first he hesitated because Jesus had sworn him to secrecy. But, seeing the concern in my eyes, he told me that since we had become one flesh and he knew that I would never break his confidence, he would share something wonderful with me. I only tell you because you already know the end of Jesus' story, while I am only now getting glimpses of it.
Peter told me that Jesus took him, along with James and John, up into the mountains, higher than they had ever gone before, until he felt they were perched on the edge of heaven. Then Jesus' appearance began to change, to glow. But, that was only the beginning! Next, Moses and Elijah appeared. I don't know how he knew it was them, but I suppose God was revealing knowledge as this whole thing progressed. And, finally, after Peter made some silly remark about building shelters for the heavenly visitors, a huge cloud descended, and out of it, the voice of the Lord spoke. Peter swears God said something like this, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
"But Peter ..." was all I could get out. My husband looked at me with more gentleness, more love than I had seen in years, probably because I called him by his new name. He held me for a long time, and he felt solid. Then, he fell into a contented sleep, as my mind began to churn. This goes against everything I am sure of, everything on which I base my life. Though I believe in the concept of the Lord Almighty, I roll my eyes when people say they have seen visions. Wishful thinking, that's all it is -- or, at least, most of it. I know the beauty and complexity of this world are far too carefully designed to be some kind of cosmic accident. So, obviously the Lord has the power to reveal divine knowledge, but to such fools? And, then they parade themselves about as if they know everything and are somehow better than everyone else!
At least Jesus' teachings, though they seem confusing at first, make sense. God did not create all of life to serve puffed up princes and wealthy merchants! Those of us who have a little more than enough to live on should share it with those who struggle. And, though loving our enemies is difficult, living with war and resentment will be much harder in the long run. If the Lord can show mercy on us with our many mistakes and selfish hearts, we should be able to cut one another a little slack! Yes, there is much that Jesus says and does that encourages my heart and increases my faith. But, this ... this thing, this vision, whatever you want to call it, that Peter experienced, disturbs me more than I could ever explain. I think that is because part of me really believes it, or wants to, even though it makes no sense to my rational mind. People glowing, men returned from the world of the dead, God speaking in a cloud ... what does that have to do with my life of raising a child, running a household, entertaining a renegade rabbi and his even more questionable band of disciples? What does it have to do with me?
I'm jealous, I think, that Peter has found this peace and a deeper faith, and I just go through the motions every day of my life, and I never feel different inside. He believes in the miraculous so easily, and I can't -- or I won't, something stops me. Maybe it is because I feel like one of us needs to keep her feet firmly planted on the ground. But, maybe not. Maybe I'm just afraid. Yes, me, the steady one, afraid. I'm afraid because this world is changing, and I cannot continue to fix everything and make everything better, not by myself, not when I wake up to a different world every morning! I'm afraid that this new Peter will turn back into Simon and leave me hanging out here all by myself!
I think I may try to talk with Jesus about this. In fact, I think he's been waiting for me to talk with him, and though I've successfully avoided ever sitting still long enough for that to happen, now is the time.
Pray for me, will you? And, pray for the other people like me, who have trouble believing beyond what they see and know for certain. If Jesus really is the Son of the Almighty, then we are the ones who will have the hardest time believing it and accepting the divine gifts he offers. I need to get used to praying, too, I suppose. Whenever I do, I feel like I'm just talking to myself. I know Peter would help me with that, if I'd let him. I guess I need to trust him more. I'd better join him before he comes looking for me. Thank you for your ears and your prayers. The Lord bless and keep you ... in wonder and faith.
