Life was good for the disciples. Their teacher was popular. Huge crowds had come to hear Him speak. Many had been touched by His miracles. As Jesus and His disciples gathered together at Caesarea Philippi, Peter, on their behalf, made a great confession: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16b) for which he had been commended. Thinking that Jesus' Kingdom was of this world, each of them aspired to be the one seated at His right hand or His left. Life was good.
But Jesus knew differently. He told them so. There was a journey to be made. It would start in six days. It would begin on a high mountain not far from Nazareth, the place where He had grown up. It would end on a little hill near Jerusalem called Mount Calvary. It would make all the difference in the world!
It was difficult for the disciples to imagine life much better than it was. Jesus knew that life would be so much better when His journey was complete, when the weight of their sins was finally lifted from their lives, when the evil one would lie crushed at His feet, when the sting of death was torn away. That could only happen when they journeyed to Jerusalem, when He died and rose again.
We will join Jesus and His disciples on this journey from the Mount of Transfiguration to Mount Calvary. To the disciples, life will seem to have gone mad. It may also seem that way to us. It will certainly be difficult for Jesus.
But in the end, for the disciples, and for us, life will be good-so very good. It is good because of our Lord's journey from the Mount of Transfiguration to Mount Calvary. You are invited to join us.
THE PRAYER: Bless our Lenten journey, Lord, as we move forward with You from the Mount of Transfiguration to Mount Calvary. Amen.
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