This Sunday’s Gospel, Mark 9:2-10, takes us to Mount Tabor, the mountain of the Transfiguration.
In our Lectionaries the Gospel begins with the following sentence.
“Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.”
But if we read the same verse directly from the Bible, we realise there is something the reading in the liturgy leaves out. Have a look.
“After six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.
The biblical author introduces the account of the Transfiguration with the phrase: ‘After six days’. What is he referring to? What happened six days prior to the Transfiguration? This is crucial because six days earlier Jesus told his disciples about his coming passion, death and resurrection. In that context, he proposed something to them.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
For context, read Mark 8:31-38.
In other words, whoever wants to become an authentic Christian must embrace the Cross. Embracing the Cross also means embracing that which the Cross brings with it. For there will be suffering, persecution, obedience, servitude, humility. But there will also be joy and peace. All for the love of God.
Jesus no doubt disappointed and disturbed the disciples. They were probably thinking to themselves: Is this not the Messiah we have been waiting for? We were expecting a political Messiah. Where is the Messiah that the prophets of old promised? Today he would definitely help us overthrow this oppressive Roman regime. This is not what we signed up for. His plan has no glory, no success, no victory. Only defeat!
He is telling us that he will suffer, be rejected and killed, and after three days rise again. Worse still, he has the audacity to tell us to embrace such a life.
‘Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’
Never!
This is what transpired six days before the Transfiguration.
So, with the words “After six days,” the biblical writer connects the Transfiguration with the announcement of Christ’s passion. He wanted to show that Christ’s passion and death would be followed by a resurrection as glorious as the Transfiguration. That after seeming defeat, there would be glory and triumph.
Remember that when Jesus told them about his suffering and death six days ago, his disciples did not understand.
“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said: ‘Get behind me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns’” (Mk. 8:32-33).
So, to help his disciples understand that his death will not be the end, Jesus takes them up Mount Tabor. Here they can somehow stomach what he had announced six days ago. Here they will have a glimpse of the glory and triumph of his resurrection.
Italian biblical scholar, Gianfranco Ravasi, notes in his book I Monti di Dio that the mountain symbolises a sacred place.
The mountain is a place in which one enters, as it were, God’s thoughts. Up here one becomes intimate with God. From this perspective things are viewed from God’s point of view. Here on the mountain, we follow the Lord’s logic, not the world’s.
Therefore, today’s Gospel calls us to make a choice. It says, choose either to live according to the Lord’s logic by going up the mountain and experiencing God. Or according to this world’s logic by remaining at the foot of the mountain.
How can we go up the mountain to be in tune with the Lord’s thoughts? Then we may be able to understand his proposal and have the courage and strength to embrace it.
“Whoever wants to be my disciple, must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
This biblical mountain could be what we know and do already. Holy Mass, a moment of prayer, a retreat. It could be adoration before the Blessed Sacrament or an encounter with your spiritual director.
First of all, let us detach ourselves from following the logic of this world. This logic encourages selfishness, indifference, intolerance, vanity, and so on. Detach and be inspired and seduced by God’s logic. It motivates us to love, be merciful, kind and compassionate.
Secondly, we need to make time to be alone with Christ. To be intimate with him. This becomes clear when we look at another significant detail in the Gospel:
“After six days, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves.”
“Apart by themselves.” This is an experience that every disciple, every Christian must go through. It is not possible to experience intimacy with the Lord if we do not remain alone with him. If we are too distracted by worldly concerns and external voices, we are doomed. It paralyses our ability to make time for the Lord.
On the mountain we had a glimpse of what the Lord wants from us. Now we need to come down that biblical mountain. For we have to carry out our Christian mandate. We spent these intimate moments with the Lord. We need to leave that oasis of intimacy and walk with him. He will guide us.
This encounter will inspire us to put our faith into practice. in words and deeds, and without fear or favour. Go out there to face the world.
Let us pray that the Lord may slowly open our eyes and minds to the reality that he is the true Messiah, and that we are serving the living God. Today, let this be our prayer:
“Seduce me, Lord, and I will let myself be seduced by you” (Jeremiah 20:7).