Rise up, go preach - life is back down the mountain!

We end the season of Epiphany as we began: with considering who Jesus is and is for us in the light of God’s revelation of himself. We could marvel at the wondrous things the shepherds and the Magi said and did; coming from far and near to see this thing that had happened and to witness to God’s active presence in this world. Perhaps now we need to pay attention to how Matthew’s Gospel sets up this particular mountainside encounter.  The Gospel writer notes that six days after the pivotal events in and around Caesarea Philippi when Peter had made his great confession of Jesus as the Christ, (Mt. 16.16) Peter along with James and John accompany Jesus on a side trip up a “high mountain”. The disciples knew that something was up because they knew through Scripture that important people in the faith met God on mountains – their curiosity and excitement was palpable as they quietly trudged along.

As they hiked up the trail of this mountain, they noticed that Jesus began to changed, not all at once mind you but discernibly nonetheless. His face was glowing brighter and brighter as they moved along. Jesus’ clothes became so white that the garments gleamed like a lightning strike. High up the mountain, the quartet came to a small flat place where they found Moses and Elijah waiting for them. The appearances of these other men was similar to Jesus own appearance. The three sojourners looked at one another in fear and wonder but whispered nothing. Luke’s Gospel tells au about the discussion between these men: that they were considering the choices Jesus has made and about the coming departure, which included Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension (Lk. 9.31).

Then we have what I like to think of as a classic “Peter” moment when peter decides to act and opens his mouth, interrupting the discussion, “ Lord is it good for us to be here. If you wish I can do something useful like building tents…” And as Peter is speaking they’re all suddenly aware of the cloud that has enveloped them and there is a booming voice that shakes the mountainside, “This is my Son, whom I love; with whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.” In one fell swoop the Father has silenced Peter and the disciples fall to the ground now in abject fear and trembling. And as fast as it had all happened, the cloud, the voice and the holy men were gone and the disciples were there alone with Jesus with his appearance returned to normal.

We should also notice some remarkable things are noted at the end of lesson.  First Jesus went over and touched these three mice, saying to them, “rise up, don’t be afraid.” In Matthew, the touch of Jesus is for healing and restoration. The path has been made clear and the argument about what is going to happen is over – even if the disciples aren’t clear as to why just yet. Second, The frightened men looked and realized that the moment was over and they were being called to live again, having been raised up by the Master. The way in which the Gospel writer puts it, these three have been raised from death and have been forever changed by this encounter. They will not see things the ways in which they used to see them or Jesus because of this mountain top moment.  

  

So what might this have to do with us? We too need too need to be raised up. We too need to stop being afraid because we have been in the presence of the Almighty. We too need to pick ourselves up and move back down the mountain with Jesus. Life goes on back down the mountain. People need to hear that God is amongst us, that God is reaching out to touch us. People need to know that we have not been abandoned and that God’s plan and grace are at work in us. And if we need any affirmation of just that from the world around us, consider the Monty Python video I include with this week’s blog.

Pax Dominum! Rise up and don’t be afraid! Rise up and go preach the message!