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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 Tuesday, March 18, 2025 |
Moving mountains Matthew 17:20, 21:21 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” “Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.” To be completely honest, faith is a hard concept for me. I’m a naturally anxious person, a hardcore over-thinker, so I struggle with faith. No matter how often I’ve seen God come through for me, my first instinct is to doubt. The disciples doubted, too. When Jesus reminded them to have faith in this passage, they had already been with him for years. They’d seen him work miracles. They’d seen him do the impossible. They had come to love and trust him. And still, they doubted him. Then there’s the little mustard seed Jesus talks about. Have you ever planted seeds? I’m a gardener and every year, I plant these minuscule seeds in the dirt and give them water, light, fertilizer, and a little bit of prayer. One day, I checked on them, and there were a couple of green leaves. Before I knew it, those tiny seeds had grown into vegetable plants that were as tall as me! That mustard seed is hope. Because just like a tiny seed can become a giant plant (or a towering tree!), Jesus can take a little bit of faith and turn it into something powerful that can move mountains! So when things are overwhelming and we’re doubting and scared, if we even just take one step forward in faith, amazing things can happen. What a relief to know that it doesn’t all rest on my shoulders! Prayer for today: Lord, thank you for loving us through our doubts, through all the time we don’t put the trust in you that you deserve. Help us to inch a bit closer to you every day and turn our mustard seed of faith into something that can move mountains. By Kathryn Marr |
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