DEAD-END OR LIFE-BEND?

Saturday in the 6th Week of the Ordinary Time
Mk 9:2-13

It depends on how we look at them, mountains can be dead-ends or life-bends. As dead-ends, mountains are block our sight and hinder us from moving on. As life-bends, mountains mean better view and pushing further.

Jesus never considered mountains as dead-ends. They are always life-bends for Him. He did not stop at the foot of any mountain, curse it, and say, “If only this mountain is not here I would be able to move on.” Instead, Jesus climbed every mountain, often praying on top of it and then continuing in His journey towards His destiny to die and rise for the life of the world. Today He conquered another mountain: Mount Tabor.

With His closest among the Twelve, Jesus went on top of Mount Tabor. While absorbed in prayer, He was transfigured before their very eyes. His clothes shone dazzlingly white, whiter than any bleacher could make them. Then suddenly appeared, one at His left and the other at His right, Moses and Elijah, conversing with Him. Simon Peter, the most outspoken not only of the three who were with Jesus but among all the Twelve, could no contain his excitement and blurted out, “Rabbi, it is good to be here; so let us make three tents, one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” Thereupon, overshadowed them and a voice was heard from the cloud, “This is My Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.” Then, as sudden as it came upon them so did the experience was over.

It all happened on top of a mountain, on top of what the three disciples could have considered a roadblock, a dead-end, and a hindrance to moving on. Did any of them raise an opposition to the idea of climbing that mountain and instead suggested that they rather go around it? We do not know. The Gospel is silent about it. But, certainly, they would go where Jesus goes. To the top of Mount Tabor, Jesus went; thus, to the top of Mount Tabor, they went with Jesus. And on top of Mount Tabor, they experienced the divinity of Jesus in a way the others did not. Seeing His glory, they were left with jaws hanging low for they were so amazed.

The mountain, however, was not meant to be their permanent address with Jesus. It was an important part of their journey, but, still, just a part. They had to move on, but they did not have to move on anymore with uncertainty about the real identity of the One who led the way. With the boost in their morale, they had to face with Jesus the road that leads to Calvary.

That mountain was not a dead-end after all. It was an important bend along the way. But what about the mountains in our own lives? Well, it depends on how you look at a mountain. You may want to try looking at it with the eyes of Jesus.