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| Mt Sinai |
Mountains have a
logical religious symbolism for biblical cultures since their peaks are “closer
to God” who was believed to dwell in the heavens. As a result, God often
reveals himself on the mountaintop.
In the Hebrew
Scriptures, the mountains of Sinai and Zion are most significant. Mount Sinai,
of course, is associated with Moses and is the place where Moses received the
gift of the Law, the Ten Commandments. Thus, Mount Sinai is a symbol of God’s
Covenant with Israel. Zion, to the south, is the location of the Jerusalem
Temple. In the New Testament (Mark and Luke to be precise), Jesus appoints the
Twelve on a mountain. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus delivers the Beatitudes in his
Sermon on the Mount, conjuring an image of Moses who received the Commandments
on Mount Sinai.
Perhaps the most
significant mountain scene in the Gospels, however, is the Transfiguration of
Jesus that we have just heard as our gospel this morning - Jesus is accompanied
by Moses and Elijah, who themselves encountered God on the mountaintop in the
Hebrew Scriptures. Now, they encounter God through Jesus and Jesus, in turn, is
seen as the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).
Mountains have always
had significance for myself. As a teenager, and a family we lived in the shadow of 9 great
copper bearing mountains in the Congo and a decade a go I came to appreciate
the beauty of the mountains that make Jamaica so beautiful and produced some of
the best coffee in the world. last year I returned to Africa to climb Mt
Kilimanjaro to celebrate my 25 years of ordained life and thanks in part to
your generosity was able to raise £5.5K for the Bishop of London’s Mission
Fund.
So Mountains remind us
of God , are places that touch and inspire the human imagination and in the
ascent of them test our own character and will power.
We
climb the mountain of Transfiguration each year before Lent begins
for
the same reason Moses climbed Mount Pisgah, to get a glimpse of the Promised
Land. We climb to see where we ourselves are headed and to get some perspective
on our journey of faith.
When
Jesus arrived at the mountain top his figure changed the outward appearance of
the son of Mary, which had been ordinary and like us,
shone
as if he was not like one of us.
Jesus
shone with the glory like that which caused the face of Moses to shine that day
on the mountain of Sinai, when the holy law from heaven was given. Jesus shone with the glory that carried
Elijah up to heaven's height, gone from this world but alive in the next.
He
shone with the glory of his own baptismal day, when his Father's voice from
above was heard to say: "This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well
pleased" and indeed those words first uttered at the river are repeated on
the Mountain of Transfiguration.
And
what is our response to this extraordinary revelation?
What
does this mountain top experience teach or inspire within us in our journey of
faith today?
Jesus
was facing the long journey to another mountain, where he would be lifted
higher – the mount of Golgatha outside the walls of Jerusalem
It
would of course not be a journey he would undertake alone but with the Disciples
close at hand, but unlike on this mountain at the point when Jesus was lifted
high on the cross they had already fled in fear and shame.
Scripture
tells in many places that to be like Jesus is our destiny; that the intention
of God in his calling of us is to make us like him. We are destined for glory,
a glory like his, a glory that will make us shine as he shone.
But
first, as with Jesus, there is cross to bear.
And
therefore each year we climb the mountain of Transfiguration with him. We climb
because there is a rough road ahead of us, we climb to draw inspiration for the
40 days ahead in our personal and collective discipleship and discipline as his
followers.
We
climb to share the vision that Peter and James and John beheld,
and
to be strengthened by it for our return to the lowlands
for
our return into the nitty gritty of living and for the days before we receive
the fullness of the glory that Jesus gives to us through his death and his
resurrection that we celebrate at Easter.
Jesus
looked ahead to the choices of the Passion and God gave him the
vision
and the strength he needed:
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| Golgotha |
Before
us are decisions – something to give up perhaps, something to take on
definitely – daily prayer….. Lent groups…..stations of the cross on Sunday
evenings.
As
we look forward, be it in our daily challenges or our preparation for
Lent, we see Jesus ahead beckoning us to
follow him into the passion and death that is Holy week and Easter. and we draw
the strength needed to follow and resolve in order not to fall away or give up
over the next five weeks
God
wills to give us the vision and the strength we need the vision and the
strength to face the fears and choices of our lives. The vision and the
strength we need to respond to the call of God to live beyond ourselves, to
live lives of sacrifice and courage till
the glory we see in Christ settles on us not just for a day, but forever.
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