hear O Israel… Part 3
Mt. Tabor is probably not the location for the Transfiguration: 1) Jesus and his disciples are in the region of Caesarea Philippi just prior to the Transfiguration. 2) The general location of the mountain is not isolated. Much traffic passed by through the Jezreel Valley below. 3) A military fort was located on top of the mountain and was clearly in use during the Hasmonean period and the time of the Jewish Revolt, and likely would have been in Jesus’ day as well. Lastly, we just don’t know.
For a moment it felt like I was standing on a mental soapbox screaming, Christmas is not Jesus’ birthday… We don’t know when he was born.” instead of embracing the memory of Peters words, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here.”
As I stepped into the church, it seemed to be more simple than I would have thought.
The monk was eyeing Nir and I… I was scared that he might tell us to stop shooting pictures. However, he never said a word.
I noticed a room set off in the back of the church, almost hiding… I’m not sure what the room was for but it’s contents were simple.
a small cross atop a table. What struck me was the simple physical presence of the cross, almost begging me to come and sit at the table.
As I left the room, I found a back pew with a bench for kneeling in prayer. (side note, why don’t we have those in our churches today?) I knelt down and asked for forgiveness and grace.
Christ was 100% man, physical and 100% God. I cannot embrace only half of that message.
I’m still not sure if this is the place we read about in the bible… most likely it is not. However, it is holy ground. “For where two or three come together in my name,” Jesus says, “there I am with them.”
As we went down the mountain, I know Nir wondered my thoughts… He asked several times. It seems like I could never really express them because I was overwhelmed at so many points. I hope the times I spoke were clear enough. I remember a question he asked often, “Is this an important place to you?” His hospitality on a scale of 1-10 was 11+.
As we made our trek into Tiberius we arrived at the sea of Galilee for the night. I was low on laundry and needed to drop them by the cleaners. Nir’s unfailing GPS “girlfriend” got so mad at us she stopped talking and led us into empty back ally ways. she kept telling us to turn right. “Yamina” I’m sure I’ve misspelled it. a few phone calls later, my laundry was in the proper hands.
We had a wonderful dinner and returned to the YMCA hostel for a good nights rest.
The sun came early, the weather was wonderful and a new day was about to begin.
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peace.
johno~
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