The other mountain.

February 28, 2010

The Transfiguration

Rivaled only by the Wedding at Canaan, this is the Bible story I have thought about, talked about and even occasionally written more about than any other. At the Teen ACTS Retreat I once gave the "Coming Down the Mountain" talk. I love it, I'm thrilled that it's now a mystery of the rosary.

But I'd never thought about it the way that the priest's homily broke it down today. He started talking about retreats, appropriately enough, and one of the points he made about only doing devotions if you feel yourself growing closer to God through them was a great challenge to hear during the early days of Lent. But what I had never thought about before was the Transfiguration as a preparation for climbing, as he put it, the Other Mountain. Calgary.

I don't remember him going quite that far, but perhaps that's why it's so hard with Teen ACTS right now. We're good at the mountain, seeing Moses and Elijah and Jesus's true form, building tents. Coming down is different, but it's all about getting back up. Getting on team. Getting back to the moment of wonder and awe. Probably what started the fight about how would be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven in the first place. It's real, so the politics start. Something beautiful we want again, something that's real and we can own now. A very human response but a very telling one that makes it almost encouraging, in a way, that they got the point.

But that wasn't what the moment was about. It was a promise to sustain us through Calgary. The Son of Man was not born to live atop the mountain or even to ramp up and back down. The real place that the Earth, that man touched divinity and found a way to touch, was the mountain at Calgary.

Perhaps these moments of glory and fellowship and revelation are always because a Calgary is coming in one form or another. It might be ours or someone else's, but we will be called to carry that cross. The final stage of this will be more glorious still - heartbreaking and unbelievable. Unimaginable. The taste herer was a promise to get us through Calgary.

You can't live on the mountain, because that's not where the meaningful work gets done. It doesn't really matter if you were enlivened on retreat, not really, if you can't bring that into your long journey to Calgary. It doesn't mean you never falter - goodness knows Peter did. Perhaps it's about knowing that there is something beautiful in the world to hold to when everything's breaking. When everything is hurting. When the world is cold and hard and doesn't care. When you have to sacrifice pieces of yourself for those who do not care and thank you.

You've touched Grace. The Transfiguration could have been present with the disciples on the hill of Calgary. Perhaps it was for John, who was given the Mother of Christ to look after. It doesn't necessarily change what you would do - but you do it knowing what is to come. What awaits you on the other side. You can remember the other mountain and take comfort.

You can remember the other mountain and take strength.