Mountain Climbing

~~~ Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord ~~~

~~~ Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 ~~~ Psalm 97 ~~~ 

~~~2 Peter 1:16-19 ~~~ Mark 9:2-10 ~~~

Jesus took Peter, James, and John on a mountain climbing excursion.

These three did not have a clue the surprise they were in for.

It was the belief then that going to a high place,

such as a mountain top, you would be closer to God.

God resided high in the mountains.

The mountain top was holy, apart from daily life.

The mountain top is where you go to commune with God.

Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John,

and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.

As they climbed this mountain together;

I wonder what questions they might have held inside.

Where were they going?

Why were they going into the mountains?

Why only the three of them and not the others?

They were soon to see a sight that they could have never imagined.

They knew of the encounters Moses' had had with 

God on the mountain top.

They even knew of the clouds that hugged the mountain top.

When Jesus transformed into his glory right before their eyes;

it was no wonder that they fell to the ground in fear.

They were witnessing the brightness of Jesus' glory

as well as the vision of Moses and Elijah.

They were seeing dead people while seeing the 

body of Jesus radiate a dazzling light.

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; 

from the cloud came a voice, 

“This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”

In the midst of this miraculous vision

 the voice of God speaks from a cloud.

It was not unusual for God to be in the clouds.

But it was unusual for God to speak of his son, Jesus,

with such tender affectionate words.

As has been written here in the past entries...

Jesus is called God's Beloved only one other time in the Bible,

after his baptism in the river water.

The Transfiguration filled every fiber of the mind, 

body, and soul of Peter, James, and John that day.

We to often long for a mountain top experience.

When we do get a taste we do not want it to end.

We look for ways to hold on to the experience...through writing, 

poetry, music, or expressions of art.

Peter chose to give us in writing his first hand account of his experience.

He did not just stumble onto this mountain top,

Jesus led him and the others.

They were led by Jesus...

just as today Jesus leads us too.

The mountain journey is rocky and steep,

but the reward of finding God there is immense.

Take the time to make the journey

Blessings wait there for you to arrive.

God calls you his Beloved too. 

~~~ Peace~~~