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 During this week of Lent, our gazes turn upward to the mountains, punctuating scripture and those silent witnesses of God’s unfolding story. We’ll explore how these elevated spaces reveal God’s majesty and presence and foreshadow the ultimate mountain: the hill of Calvary. We will trace how these mountain encounters, filled with revelation and transformation, ultimately point us to the highest peak of hope – the resurrection. For in the rising of Jesus, the ultimate mountain of death is conquered, and the landscape of our lives is forever changed. As we reflect on these sacred heights, let us discover how the mountains of Lent prepare us to receive the glorious, life-giving gift of Easter’s dawn. A collective reflection on God’s grace and our chances for renewal Monday, March 17, 2025 |
A light shining in a dark place 2 Peter 1:16-19 I’ve spent a lot of hours in hospital rooms lately. About a month ago, my dad went in for a heart procedure that, if things had gone well, could have been an outpatient experience. Things did not go well, and he was admitted as an inpatient. Hours and days blurred together as teams of doctors and nurses worked to care for him and update us on the many complications that had arisen. In times like that, the nonessentials of life fall away abruptly. A job seems distant and unimportant. Hobbies seem uninteresting. I realized quickly what was necessary for survival day-to-day and what was not. My wife was incredible, caring for our home and three children so I could be with my dad whenever necessary. My older sister was assertive and communicative, generating a schedule so that my dad would rarely be alone. But the most necessary thing for me then was the unshakable faith that I share with my dad and that he has modeled for me throughout his seven decades on earth. In Second Peter 1:16-19, the writer tells us that his faith is not “from cleverly devised stories” but that he was an “eyewitness” of “something completely reliable.” During a time when I couldn’t plan for what tomorrow would bring because my dad’s health was so unpredictable, it has been such a blessing to know that whatever happens with my dad on this earth, the hope of heaven awaits us both. Like Peter, our foundation doesn’t rest on physical health and well-being or the instructions of earthly doctors (though God bless them especially!). Our faith is like “a light shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts!” Prayer for today: God, the story of your love for us is no mere fictional tale. We have it on the authority of people who saw your Son firsthand and have shared their experiences with us. In moments where the troubles of our lives threaten to shake us, give us the strength to plant our feet firmly on the mountain of your love. When we cannot trust the world around us, help us to trust you. By Marc Gibbens |
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