Breaking the Word

Be merciful, just as (also) your Father is merciful.  "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you." (Lk 6,36-38)

The kingdom that Jesus preached and lived was all about an absurd generosity. He says: Think of the best think you can do for the worst of person, and go ahead and do it.

Jesus is not presenting a list of rules and regulations.  He is showing an attitude of heart that his followers should have.

We should be like this because God is like this. God is generous, merciful, forgiving, providing good things to all, etc. In fact this is not a list of things to do for a follower, in stead it presents who God is or what God is.

Jesus showed his God to be different from the other Gods. But over the years we have made Jesus’ God to be like other Gods with rules, liturgies etc.

If all believed in the God of Jesus then there would be no division, no violence, no revenge, no class, no caste, no desire for money and  property and possessions etc.

If God of Jesus was within us then there would only be persons, neighbours, friends,  forgiveness, sharing – a new world.

About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.  And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.  Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.  As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." (Lk 9, 28-33)

Jesus went up the mountain to pray. In King James Version it is said as: he went up into the mountain to pray. Mountain is the place of prayer and it is the place of God experience. And valley is the place of despair and death, the place where the demons shriek and sufferers weep etc. Mountain-top experience is divine experience.

Going into the mountain could also be that he went into himself on top of the mountain to have God experience. He is met by Moses and Elijah. They represent the law and the prophets. They also stand for people of God experience. Moses had God experience on top of the mountain. Prophet Elijah communicated God experience to the people on top of Mount Carmel (1Kg 18). 

Jesus together with them spoke about his journey to Jerusalem. Luke calls this as exodus. Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem is like the great exodus from Egypt and Jesus is going to enact this event in his life. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery. Here Jesus will lead all God’s people out of sin and death.

Peter was unaware of what was happening around. He did not understand the happenings near him. It could mean that Peter wanted to keep the experience permanent and that is why he wanted the three tents.  

So Mountain-top experience is a God experience and people of God experience come together. God experience (which is personal) always motivates one for an exodus and this exodus is for the people (not for the individual alone).