Life is often seen as a journey where the road is not always smooth and straight. There are rough and bending paths, marked with detours and even U-turns. We sail seas and swim rivers, enter tunnels and explore forests. But there is nothing more overwhelming than the mountains in our life.
No one can ignore a mountain. By its very nature, a mountain is imposing. We can cross or go aroundit. We can conquer it or it can conquer us. Conquering a mountain means climbing it. Cursing it means being conquered by it.
Jesus climbs a mountain today. He does not take the longer but easier way by going around it; He makes the difficult choice of scaling it. Jesus does not allow His mountain to conquer Him; He conquers it instead. Mountains are not only peaks along our way; they can also be crossroads. Every crossroad is a moment of crisis. Depending on how we respond to it, a crisis may mean grace or disgrace, blessing or chastisement, a bend or a block, a beginning or an end. The same is true with our mountains in life.
Today, on top of a mountain, we hear a voice from a cloud, saying, “This is My Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.” We hear the voice and the voice wants us to listen. Let us give in to it. Let us listen to Jesus, the Word of that voice.
By climbing His mountain, Jesus tells us that we should climb ours. After climbing His mountain, Jesus goes down from it. Mountains are not meant to be anyone’s permanent address. The breathtaking view from the top of a mountain can be tempting for anyone to pitch his tent there and forget that he is just passing by as he makes his journey called “life.” Jesus shows us that reaching the top of our mountains is not yet conquering them. Going down from them is. For a mountain is worth climbing only if it is possible to go down from it.
Today, we make a stopover on top of a mountain. We listen. Then, we go down to move on. Fr. Bobby Titco
Reflection Question:
What do I do with my “mountains”?
Climb with me, O Jesus, the mountains in my life. Let me hear over and over again the voice of the Father, affirming me that I, too, am His child. Embrace me with Your holy radiance that I may be strengthened to move on in my journey of discipleship. And when my life is done, take my hand and bring me to Your holy mountain. Amen.
St. Odran, pray for us.
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