Be transformed!
Therefore, I urge you, siblings, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—God’s good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12: 1-2
trans·for·ma·tion
/ˌtran(t)sfərˈmāSH(ə)n/
noun
- a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance.
“its landscape has undergone a radical transformation” - a metamorphosis during the life cycle of an animal.
A caterpillar changing into a butterfly is an impressive process. A simple egg hatches into a caterpillar and, eventually, becomes a beautiful butterfly. The caterpillar eats and sheds its skin as it continues to grow and creates an outer casing (called a pupa) that allows the caterpillar to transform into a butterfly.
Our theme for this year’s Lenten series is: Power. Privilege. Presence.
The process of transformation is “a thorough or dramatic change in form or appearance”. In transformation, others may not recognize us. Would you recognize the caterpillar when you gaze upon the butterfly? I believe that is what this Scripture/Sacred text is telling us. We are unrecognizable with the renewing of our mind, and that’s the goal.
As part of my commitment to transformation, I ask myself the following questions on a regular basis. Maybe some of these questions can accompany you in your journey. I would love to know how you might engage with some of these questions and reflections.
Power.
Recognize power. Who carries it and where and how do they use it? Most often power is ‘power over’ instead of ‘power with’. I am working at releasing my grip on power because I see the harm it can do to myself and others. I need others to hold me accountable in this work. I can’t do it alone.
Where do I hold power?
How do I use my power?
When I use my power, is it power over others? When, how and why does this happen?
Who am I building power with?
Privilege.
I benefit from privilege. Most of my education has been shaped by books, movies, TV shows, politicians, celebrities, history, and more that has been written and created by people who look just like me. It feels very comfortable. Until it’s not.
When I center the voices, experiences and stories of Indigenous, Black, Latinx, Asian and multiracial people in my learning through books, podcasts, music, social media, movies, and tv shows, I learn a different narrative. This learning causes me to question what I have learned. This renews my mind.
Racism, oppression, and white Christian supremacy are at play in systems, policies, the Church, and institutions. I am trying to recognize how white Christian supremacy lives in my body, mind, spirit, and Church. I am trying to release these ‘patterns of the world’ (systems of oppression) that hold me and others down so that I may ‘discern what is the will of God’. This is hard work. We will mess up. We will continue to get it wrong. And we have to keep at this work because our faith calls us to it.
What privileges do we receive?
Which are unearned assets?
Which privileges did we earn?
Where and when do we access those privileges?
Who might be harmed when we access our privileges?
Presence.
Presence matters. I learned this in my Spiritual Direction training and through organizing and anti-racism training. How I show up makes a difference. With the deep work of self reflection – action – self reflection, I am able to show up more authentically.
How do others experience me?
What kind of space do I take up?
What kind of presence do I want to have?
How do I carry the presence of God with me?
Where and when do I feel connected to God? Where and when do I feel disconnected to God?
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Power. Privilege. Presence. Committing to sustained work around all three of these matters. Transformation is an ongoing process.
Immediately after a butterfly emerges from its pupa, it still needs time to grow. To strengthen its wings. Eventually, that butterfly grows strong and gracefully takes flight.
After I do the work of shedding the patterns of this world, I emerge and strengthen my wings to fly. Pretty quickly, I find another layer that I need to shed and my transformation process begins again. I won’t ever be finished with this process. I am committed to it for the rest of my life.
What might your transformation look like this lent?
What is your pupa? What do you need to eat, sit with, and shed?
Who will greet you when you are ready to emerge with your new self?
Who will celebrate your transformed self?
Who and what may you need to release in your transformation?
Who will wish you stayed a caterpillar?
Who doesn’t want to see your transformation into a beautiful butterfly? Why?
What are we (and others) missing out on when we don’t fully transform into what we could be?
Wherever you find yourself in this journey of transformation, letting go of the patterns of this world, and the renewing of your mind, may you lean into it, not wait too long to emerge and find others who will support your growth as your wings strengthen and you take flight. Your beautiful wings await you. We can do hard things. You are not alone.
God, Give us good courage to take a long and loving look at ourselves to recognize the ways you call us into transformation. May we recognize how we conform to the patterns of this world. Help us break free from those chains of oppression. May we release what is causing us and others harm, even when we may not know it. May we recognize ourselves as your beloved children. Give us strength to trust the process and lean into our ‘pupa’. Thank you that you are there accompanying us and that we don’t have to transform on our own.
May it be so. Amen.
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- Desta (Ronning ’96) Goehner, Director of Congregational Relations
