There Peter, James, and John are at the mountain top - top of Mt Tabor – and it is quite the experience – Jesus is transfigured before them – the glory of Christ shines forth – and hearing from the Cloud – “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
And, of course, Peter has to say something - “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” – There he is, with a great mountain top experience – and Peter wants to stay right where he is – make some tents and move in. And can we blame him? It is an incredible experience – something, unlike anything anyone has seen. Do we not do the same thing when we have a fantastic experience?
Think of those incredible experiences in our lives – we want them to last – to hold on to them. We do not want to leave – There is always something sad on the last day of vacation – we want it to continue. Newlyweds do not rush home from their honeymoon – but want to hold onto the honeymoon. When one hikes up a mountain and is there at the summit – one wants to stay – yet – it is necessary to descend – to leave the mountain top. No one can stay on the mountaintop forever.
The same is true for retreats, days of recollection – We have a great time of prayer – we hear God speak – we are full of zeal for the faith – and we want to stay just where we are – Yet we must return to day-to-day life. All of these experiences must come to an end – No matter how great they are – These are not the destination – they are not heaven – they come to an end. – The journey must continue. The honeymoon cannot last forever.
And so Peter, James, and John must come down the mountain. – And a journey begins to another hill – For Jesus begins his journey to Calvary – From the spiritual highs of the transfiguration to the low of Good Friday – seeing the one they have followed nailed to the cross. - Legend holds that the crucifixion was just 40 days after the transfiguration. How things change.
We have our highs, those great moments – those great moments we long to hold onto – … - and we have our low moments – we do not know how we got there – or how we might get out. Image Peter, James, and John on Good Friday – thinking back to the transfiguration – how great things seem - Jesus, Elijah, Moses talking – Christ’s glory shining forth – and now he is on a cross.
The disciples are lost at the crucifixion; they do understand what is to come – but Peter, James, and John can look back to the transfiguration – the glory of Christ – and find consultation, even in the midst of desolation. As hard as it is – For the crucifixion does not have the last say – the Resurrection does. The transfiguration – that mountain top experience helps prepare the disciples for the coming desolation – Calvary – Good Friday – which is not far away.
The Christian life is often lived between these two hills – Mt Tabor – and Calvary. There are spiritual highs and lows. In times of consolation, we are drawn and feel so close to God – and in times of desolation, where God feels so far away. Yet both are needed, for Calvary is necessary for the Resurrection. But we can look to times of consolation when in desolation. And when in consolation? – we can remember there will be times of desolation.
Thinking of the newlywed couple – they may long to hold onto the honeymoon, yet it must pass – but asking a couple that has been married for 50 years – There is something more significant and more profound than the passion of the honeymoon – but one must leave the high of the honeymoon– and there are struggles on the way. But through those struggles – they can always look back and remember that honeymoon – things were not always this rough – and will not be. And when times are good? They can remember that times will be turbulent, prepare for them, and give thanks for the times that are good.
And so it is for the spiritual life – there are times of consolation – feelings of passion for the faith – prayer seems easy - God seems so close – and there are times of desolation – prayer is a drag – God seems far away – sometimes we are Mt Tabor and the transfiguration – others we are at Calvary.
In those times of consolation – up on the mountain top, remember those times of desolation – remember Calvary give thanks for the consolidation, and prepare for when times are hard, for we are not yet in heaven, and our salvation is through Calvary.
And when we face desolation – see the realities of tragedy and suffering? Remember those times of consolation – that time on the mountaintop – for Calvary is not the end – the Resurrection does follow. Ultimately – we are on a pilgrimage through life – and we desire to behold God – there are highs and lows on the journey – there is the transfiguration – there is Calvary – but our hope is found in the Resurrection – and our destination is heaven.