Message: On the Mountaintop / Mark 9:2-9

The Gospel of Mark, the earliest of the four gospels, aims to reveal Jesus' identity. As a matter of fact, the earliest communities of faith didn't need a gospel because the disciples, who were eyewitnesses to Jesus' ministry, could testify to his life and teachings. But as they passed away one by one, the early church felt the need to write down who Jesus was and what his life and teachings were.

This need grew stronger around 70 CE (or AD) when the Roman army completely defeated the Jewish resistance in Jerusalem and destroyed their temple. The experience of strong rebellion against Roman imperial rule led the Roman emperor, who claimed himself as the son of God, to implement even stronger religious policies. Jews and Christians who did not worship him began to be persecuted more harshly. To these people, who were in despair like sheep without a shepherd, Mark's Gospel offered a message of hope with this opening sentence: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

Throughout the book, Mark repeatedly shows that Jesus Christ, not the Roman emperor, is the true son of God. This is highlighted in three parts. Firstly, in the story of Jesus' baptism, Jesus hears a voice from heaven saying, "You are my Son, the Beloved" (1:11). Then, in today’s Gospel reading which is in the middle of the book, Jesus' disciples hear a voice from heaven saying, "This is my Son, the Beloved" (9:7). Finally, in the later part of the book, a Roman officer who watched Jesus die on the cross confesses, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" (15:39). Jesus' identity as the Son of God is extended as it's revealed to Jesus himself, his disciples, and the Roman soldier. For this reason, Mark 9:2-9, today’s scripture reading for Transfiguration Sunday, the climax of the season of Epiphany, is a very important part of Mark's gospel.

Since the start of his ministry in Galilee, Jesus had been very busy. He had travelled from place to place to proclaim the gospel, care for the sick, feed the hungry, and befriend those who were left out. Many people gathered around Jesus because they saw hope in him, and he and his disciples were so busy that they didn't even have time to eat (3:20, 6:31).

When Jesus was tired and worn out from his ministry, he went up a mountain with his three disciples, Peter, James, and John. There, something amazing happened: Jesus started shining brightly, and he talked with Moses and Elijah. Mark doesn't say exactly what they talked about, but we can guess it had something to do with the Bible stories we already know.

According to the Bible, Moses and Elijah are the only ones who spoke with God on Mount Sinai (also known as Horeb). What's interesting is that both of them climbed the mountain when they were very tired. After several confrontations with Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt. But what awaited them was the wilderness. The people blamed Moses for their hunger and thirst. They also had battles with tribes who saw them as a threat. Disputes arose among the people, so Moses appointed judges. Feeling lonely and exhausted, Moses climbed Mount Sinai, where he experienced God's presence, received the Ten Commandments, and his face started shining brightly (Exodus 34:29).

The prophet Elijah prophesied about God's punishment because God was upset with the unfairness of the king and queen's rule. But they did not listen to Elijah, which led to a drought, causing suffering for the people. Elijah also almost starved to death because of the disaster. In the midst of this devastation, Elijah confronted 850 false prophets who were causing injustice and inequality, and had them all executed. Instead of gratitude, he received death threats from the royal family, so he ran away to the wilderness. There, he spoke these shocking words to God, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors" (1 Kings 19:4). Soon after, he went up Mount Sinai (Horeb), where he experienced God's strong presence and realized he wasn't alone. God reassured him, saying that there were seven thousand people who remained faithful and wouldn't obey corrupt leaders.

Both Moses and Elijah climbed the mountain in lonely, exhausting, and difficult circumstances. It was there that they met God and found comfort for their weary bodies and souls. Based on this, we can imagine what Moses and Elijah might have said to Jesus when they met on the mountaintop. They probably gave Jesus comfort and peace, saying something like this: "Welcome to this place. The way to get here must have been long and hard, and you've worked so hard because of your responsibilities and mission. Life is worth living, but it's also very hard. There might have been things that didn't go as planned. There were times when you doubted if this was the right path. You must have been very upset when your family and friends did not trust you. However, you've done well enough, and what you've done is no small thing. Your love and hope for people is making the world better. Now, relax and rest, and know that the God who loves you so much is here with us."

Seeing the transfigured Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah filled the disciples with awe. Because of this, Peter said to Jesus: “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (9:5). Peter was thrilled and overwhelmed with joy. He didn't want to go back to reality; he wanted to stay on the mountain forever, enjoying that incredible experience.

However, Jesus didn't stay on the mountain. He returned to the real world. Like Moses and Elijah, he decided to face reality and pursue God's mission. Jesus knew that waiting for him at the end of his journey was a cross. Still, he didn't avoid the road to Golgotha because he loved people as much as himself.

Out of love, Jesus chose the cross to demonstrate that God's love would never fail. This was possible because Jesus was certain that he was God's beloved child. We can't love our neighbours as ourselves without being sure of God's love for us. For Jesus, the mountain was a place to confirm God's immeasurable love and ultimate hope.

Just as Moses, Elijah, and Jesus encountered God on the mountains, we all need our own mountains to experience God's presence. However, that mountain can vary for each of us. It might be in beautiful nature, such as a dense forest, majestic mountains, or a tranquil lake. Or it might be a quiet room for meditation or prayer, a Crokinole tournament for fun and fellowship, or a place of worship like the one we're in today. Wherever it may be, all of us need to have our own mountain where we can recharge our weary bodies and souls.

The philosopher and revolutionary socialist Karl Marx (1818-1883) once said, "Religion is the opium of the people." We can't ignore what he said completely: when religion confines people to isolation on mountaintops, when religion focuses only on the afterlife, manipulating them away from reality, or when religion ties God's blessings solely to material wealth, making them chase worldly desires and success, religion is nothing more than drugs.

On the other hand, when a church is only concerned with social issues and fails to comfort people's weary souls, they leave the church to find drugs. Recently, some cities and towns in Canada have declared a state of emergency due to addiction. Just last Thursday, 23 people overdosed in two days in Belleville, Ontario. Whenever I hear news like that, my heart breaks. If we, as Christians, created more safe spaces where people could experience God's love and find hope, perhaps fewer individuals would turn to drugs out of fear and anxiety.

This Lent, five Bible study sessions will be held as another way to experience the mountaintop. From February 22 to March 21, we'll study the Gospel texts according to the Lectionary every Thursday at 3:00 pm at St. Andrew's-St. Mark's United Church in Long Sault. Like all other activities in our congregation, this Bible study is a spiritual practice to deepen our love for God and our neighbours, and especially ourselves. May the Lenten season this year, as we study the Bible together and share our experiences and thoughts, be a chance to lift up our tired lives and be transformed by God's light from the inside out.

Thanks be to God. Amen.



Rev. Min Hwang

South Stormont Pastoral Charge

Transfigulation Sunday, February 11, 2024

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