Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Transfiguration and Snow Squalls


In what Canadian community is this guy skiing his way around town? There are certainly enough places today where it is snowing and blowing but this is actually in Israel. It doesn't happen often yet there are occasions when the country is virtually shut down by snowfall. This time around it is more than a dusting. The international airport in Tel Aviv has been blanketed in snow and on Mount Hermon in Galilee there are accumulations of 40 centimetres.

This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday and as always we will read the story of Jesus and three of his disciples going up a mountain where they have a mystical spiritual experience which involves the historical figures of Elijah and Moses.

It's tempting to put certain bible stories into almost fairy tale status as we read them. We forget that Jesus and those who followed him lived in a real historical and geographical setting. When they climbed a hillside they would have breathed hard and perspired -- or dealt with a snow squall. Hard to imagine in sandals and a skirt!

The challenge for us is always to bring our faith in Christ into our everyday worlds even though sometimes we have to work hard to make the connection.

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