Seeking The Spirit And Courage To Change
Rev. Erik Swanson
February 15, 2026
You can watch the video of the sermon here.
As we begin envisioning the larger projects of our capital campaign, I find myself acknowledging something simple but profound: it’s time for change. The narthex, the front sign, the social hall, the kitchen — so many parts of our physical space are ready for renewal. Even something as ordinary as the new faucets we installed in the men’s room reminds me how long we can live with what is worn out and not working well. At some point, we have to admit it’s time to upgrade.
Seeking Change Within
It’s easy to see what needs attention in a building. It’s harder to look within. Yet as we approach Transfiguration Sunday, I hear a deeper call: what in me needs new color, fresh perspective, cleaning, repair? What old attitudes, values, or habits have lingered too long? What inner fixtures need replacing so that I might shine in a new way? If I’m honest, I know I have work to do. We all do. We need to admit that if I want to live into the vision of humanity Jesus taught and embodied, transformation isn’t optional — it’s necessary.
An Invitation Into Intentional Spiritual Practice
Transfiguration Sunday also opens the door to a longer journey — roughly 100 days that will carry us through Lent, Holy Week, Easter, and on to Pentecost. I see this as an invitation into intentional spiritual practice: a season of reflection, prayer, and growth. I don’t have to travel anywhere dramatic to begin. In Gospel of Matthew, Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a mountain — a traditional meeting place of heaven and earth. But I can create my own “mountain” right where I am. I can carve out silence. I can step outside in the cold morning air and listen. I can commit to five minutes — or an hour — of daily practice. It’s not complicated. It just requires intention.
The Deeper Question
I know change can unsettle us. Even small shifts can stir resistance. My instinct, at times, is to defend who I am and how I’ve always done things. “I’m fine as I am,” I might think. But that’s not the way of the Spirit; that’s the way of ego and preservation. Real spiritual life asks a deeper question: not whether change will happen — it will — but in what direction? Toward greater love? Greater wholeness? Greater holiness?
Interrupting Normal Patterns
As I enter these 100 days, I want to take an honest look at my inner life — my fears, my assumptions, how I see myself and others. The practices of Lent are meant to interrupt my normal patterns so I can actually see them. Holy Week and Easter call me to face death and new life, to let go of what is worn out and rise into something deeper. By Pentecost, the hope is that I will be ready to re-enter the world empowered by the Spirit, living with renewed courage and love.
Holding Opposites Together
The presence of Moses and Elijah in Matthew’s transfiguration story reminds me that maturity means holding opposites together — law and mercy, structure and creativity. It’s tempting to cling to extremes, personally and politically. But wholeness requires a broader embrace. In Christ, there is room for the full spectrum.
Encountering Mystery
Finally, the story warns me that transformation involves mystery. The disciples want to build tents, to manage and contain the moment. I recognize that impulse in myself. I like control. Yet God is beyond my control. If I truly open myself during these 100 days, I will encounter Mystery — and I must be willing to be unsettled.
So once again, I resolve to enter this retreat season with courage. I want to welcome the change that needs to happen in me, so that I might become more fully who God calls me to be — and live that love more boldly in the world. Today and always. Amen.