Sunday Reflections

Mountains and high places are significant in our readings this weekend.  Indeed, mountains and high places are significant in the story of salvation.  Mountains and high places were seen as significant places of encounter with God.  Upon the heights one encountered God.  Last week Jesus called us out into the desert, and this week he calls us to climb the mountain with him. 

In the gospel Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up Mount Tabor with him.  There He is gloriously transfigured, and He is revealed to them as the Son of God.  The voice of the Father – imagine, the voice of the Father – says, “This is my beloved Son.  Listen to him.”   The presence of Moses and Elijah are significant, as Moses represents the Law of the Hebrew Scriptures, and Elijah the Prophets.  Jesus, as God-made-man, has come to complete the revelation that proceeded His coming.

Our challenge this Sunday, and this Lent, is, do we want to listen to Jesus?  We live in a world in which we hear so many ‘voices’, that can confuse us and deter us from the way of Christ.  Listening to them may bring us momentary happiness and satisfaction, but they do not lead us to eternal realities.  During this Lenten season let us take time, in silence, to “listen” to Jesus, as He calls us to be and do more, to be faithful to His teachings, and to build up the Body of Christ, of which we are all members.  Those who climb the mountain (or like last week, go into the desert) experience being alone and isolated, alone and isolated from the ‘other voices’, so that alone with God, and isolated from the distractions and noise of everyday life we may listen to the words of Jesus.