It is time for Elijah
to say goodbye. Elijah called Elisha by throwing a mantle, a cloak,
over him. . He finds it hard to say goodbye. They hit important towns
in Israel, filled with memories going back to Jaco and forward to the
conquest. Maybe that is why we remember far back as we grow older, to
help us revisit our past. It cannot be an accident that Elijah goes
to the area where Moses died. Because it seems Elijah is assumed into
heaven, he became a messianic/end times figure. In Jewish lore, there
is a place for Elijah at a circumcision and at Passover. (See Mal. 4)
Note his presence in transfiguration accounts. By this time, since
Moses was not buried, it was thought he could be assumed into heaven
as well.

This could be a good
look at grief process. As they go place to place, the reality of
moving on without Elijah hits Elisha. It is hard to say goodbye.
Saying goodbye is in itself a process of goodbyes, as we see with
Elisha. Goodbyes mean bowing to the reality of death. We do our best
to fend death off, for life is so precious. Even now, tearing
garments is a sign of grief. What rituals do we have to express
grief? I fear that we try to push trough grief so quickly that our
culture has become impoverished in giving us guidelines during loss.
It is too great a burden for us to make it up as we go along, and
then have people judging us for how well we are doing.

Elijah throws a mantle
on Elisha in I Kings 19. The mantle is a symbol of power, just like
the rod of Moses or Aaron. What are the good and bad things about
receiving a mantle? Think of following a good or poor person in a
leadership position. The mantle is also a keepsake. We all like to
have some tangible reminders of someone. When it goes to far, we make
a shrine that is too sacred to be touched. That is a sign that we
have yet to come to grips with the reality of the loss. We are still
waiting for them to return. Still, we carry on. We sometimes take up
unfinished work of others and make it our own. We try to make the
mantle fit comfortably on our shoulders as we may well hand it on
down the road.

In its way, the
transfiguration, the change in Jesus is a preview of coming
attractions. The Jordan acts here a boundary. place. Where are
others? The Jordan is a place for transformations. It was for Jesus
when his life took a turn after his baptism. When we have a major
change in roles, a marriage, parenthood, a different career path that
can be a transfiguring time, the same person with a new aspect.
Perhaps, ti would be better for us to consider inner transformation,
where we look the same in the outside, but have a new aspect within.

Of course, our ultimate
crossing of the Jordan will be our death only, but entry into the new
life of heaven. Just as the transfiguration of Jesus sis a sign of
resurrection, our crossing into resurrection life will be a
transfiguration. It was still Moses, Elijah, and Jesus in the vision.
We will be ourselves in heaven. We will be recognized and will
recognize others. Heaven will find us at our best. We will be living
out life beyond our potential, our very being dazzling white, the
color of purity, of light itself. Just as Jesus talks with Elijah and
Moses, we will be in community, a place of conversation, a place of
togetherness. Heaven will transmute our base instincts into golden
ones; it will transform pain into understanding, forgiveness,, and
love.