Genesis 12:1-4 / 2 Timothy 1:8-10 / Matthew 17:1-9
For us who live in high-rise buildings, we know that there is a difference between living on a lower levels, and living on the higher levels.
Besides the difference in price, with the higher floors pegged at a higher price, there is also the difference in the view.
In the lower floors, the view can be quite crowded and cluttered, as we get to see the surroundings at the ground level.
Also, being nearer the ground, we will see more dirt, and if there are inconsiderate people living in the higher floors, then we will also see falling litter and dripping water from clothes and mops.
On the higher floors, what might impress us is the view. We get to see further and see more, and it is windier and the air might be fresher.
It may also be quieter, and with a good view, it may give a sense of tranquillity and serenity.
So if we have a choice, and if we need not consider power failure and lift breakdowns, then it is likely that we would choose to live on the higher floors.
But, the dynamics of life is not about a choice of whether we want to stay at the higher level or having to bear with staying at the lower level.
Life is not about being on a high always or being on a low always. In fact, life is like a cycle of ups and downs, and of highs and lows.
In last week's gospel, we heard that Jesus went into the desert and there He faced the temptations of the devil.
We can imagine that it was not a pleasant image with the harsh conditions of the desert and dry sands. And we can also Imagine how challenging it was for Jesus to resist the devil's temptations in those kinds of conditions.
In today's gospel, we heard that Jesus and three of His disciples went up a high mountain. On that mountain, Jesus was transfigured, and his face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Jesus was in His divine glory, and Moses and Elijah appeared and they talked with Him. It was an amazing scene, and Peter summed it all up when he said: Lord, it is wonderful for us to be here.
Yes, it is wonderful to be on the mountain top, but it is awful to be in the desert. Even the surroundings are contrastingly different.
In the desert, there is only the hot and dry desert sand. On the mountain, there is a sense of might and majesty, as a mountain is often seen to be as solid as a rock.
So, in life, and even in faith, there are times when we feel as secure as a rock, and there are times when we feel that we are walking on hot sand and even sinking into quicksand.
But the majesty of the mountain and the agony of the desert has lessons for us. The rocks of the mountain and the sands of the desert can tell us this story.
Two friends were walking through the desert and got into an argument. One friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: Today my best friend slapped me in the face.
They kept on walking until they found an oasis. Thirsty, they stopped for water. The one who had been slapped, slipped and fell into the pool, and started drowning. His friend saved him. That evening, he wrote on a rock: Today my best friend saved my life.
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now you write on a rock, why?”
He replied: “When someone hurts us, we should write it in sand where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where it will be long remembered.”
So, let us remember the divine majesty that Jesus revealed on that mountain top, and let us listen to His teachings of love and forgiveness.
And when we sink into the agony of the hot desert sands, let us remember what Jesus said to His disciples: Stand up, do not be afraid.
So when we feel that we are standing on hot sands or even in quicksand, let us call out to Jesus, and He will raise us up to the mountain top to see His glory.