Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves.

As I write this I have come back from a funeral – a young man of 21 who had been shot dead a week ago. As I drove back we had to pull aside to allow a police car to pass; it was followed by a hearse. The person who was with me expressed the same depressing thought that was running through my mind: “Another murder victim”.

So much is happening. At this point I feel like I need to go up a high mountain alone by myself…. I need to get away to try to make sense of what is happening, to draw strength to go forward. I do not know what will happen there but I need to go up the mountain. I am not speaking of a physical mountain but a space where heaven and earth seem to meet, a place where I can listen and hear. Perhaps up the mountain I will be able to see things from a wider perspective. Perhaps the garments, the outer covering, the externals that seem dusty from the road will shine with the brilliance of the presence of God and ordinary, everyday temporal realities will for a moment be transfigured in the light of eternity

There on the mountain, Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.

Perhaps Moses and Elijah will again appear talking with Jesus. Perhaps the figure of Moses, the leader of the Hebrews as they journeyed through the desert, will speak to us of the presence of God leading us. Perhaps the memory of the challenges faced by Moses will inspire us and motivate us to face our own challenges today. And what of Elijah, the prophet, who once lay down under a bush and wished he were dead, so tired was he of trying to evade the queen who sought to kill him? Will he be there urging us on to greater zeal for the Lord God of hosts?

I may want to stay on the mountain. I may want to build three tents. Then comes the cloud, the great “cloud of unknowing” and in it comes the Voice: This is my Son the Beloved. Listen to Him. And when we look round we see no one but only Jesus.

Following him we go back down the mountain with Jesus to face what has to be faced.

Let us pray

Thank you, Lord for the times we have been with you to the mountain. Thank you for the times we have drawn strength from you to keep on keeping on, to go back down the mountain, seeing no one but only you in all.

Thank you for times when we have been covered by the cloud, when we could not see our way but we heard the voice saying: “This is my Beloved Son. Listen to him.” And we were able to listen.

Forgive us the times we lost hope. We joined in with the general attitude of negativity, hopelessness and helplessness. We lost sight of the Beloved Son. We forgot to listen to him. We lost faith in His presence in us and in others.

Help us this Lent to discover the high mountain where Jesus wants to take us. Show us the direction you want us to take. Set us on fire with zeal for you and for your reign, no matter what it may cost us. Amen

Gospel Meditations for March are by Sr Christina Araujo OP, Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa. Sr Christina works with the Rosary/St Martin de Porres, Gonzales parish cluster.