This past summer I took a group of friends to Washington and Idaho states for an adventure motorcycle ride. Adventure rides are essentially using as little pavement covered roads as possible to get into the back country. Where the real challenge, adventure and beauty await. Here in the Eastern part of the United States there are some mountains, but they rise to heights typically in the 3,000 feet range. Some, such as Mount Washington in the state of New Hampshire climb upwards to around 6,500 feet. Breathtaking for sure.
Then there are the mountain ranges in the west. Particularly the Rockies of Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and Montana. And the Cascades of Washington and Oregon. Our group spent the better part of two weeks riding up one narrow mountain pass after another. The highlights of the trip were absolutely the views from on top of the various ridges stretching out as far as you can see. Landscapes dotted with snow covered mountain peaks reaching well over 12,000 feet in altitude.
Inevitably the climb up one side would level off then descend to the lower elevations and more flat terrain. Now, mind you, these flat areas were gorgeous. Flowing streams, pine forests, deserts with unique flora and fauna. But once you have climbed the mountain, the valleys can be seen as somewhat of a let down. Maybe even a disappointment. What would have been seen as awe inspiring a few weeks earlier, are now mundane compared to the majesty we experience at the higher elevations.
My daughter, Rebekah, had a similar experience when she did an exchange trip with Rotary International Organization to Australia for a year during her senior year in high school. She had many, many inspiring experiences with a new culture, many different personalities and customs. She adapted so much she came home sounding a bit like Crocodile Dundee. Before she left for the land down under, Rotary held a weekend conference to prepare students, and parents, for the experience. One thing they stressed is what they termed “Reverse Culture Shock”. After a year living abroad, the return to their homes would be difficult. In a way, a let down. Returning from the high of being on your own and conquering their fears, they now have to deal with the complacency that would greet them in less than exciting surroundings. It took Rebekah several months to regain her enthusiasm.
Many coin these instances as “Mountain Top Experiences”. Where we become overwhelmed by either physical or emotional experiences unlike anything ever encountered. And this phenomenon can extend to spiritual encounters as well. Many of us have been on mission trips or retreat weekends when younger and were convinced that our lives would never be the same as we expected the experiences to continue in the same way when returning home. Inevitably, we come crashing down as the world seems to not seem to recognize our conversion and the reality of routine returns.
The Apostles in today’s Gospel appear to have had the same experience as they accompanied Jesus up the mountain to the site of the Transfiguration. Peter, James and John were overwhelmed by the miraculous transformation of Jesus into…OK…I always envision Mr. Clean from the old cleaning product commercial. Whiter than White!! But you get the picture. Rays of light emanating in all directions.
Peter is so mesmerized that he tells Jesus that they should make three booths. One for Jesus, one for Elijah and one for Moses. As an aside here, this part always confused me. Why would Peter make such an arbitrary comment. Apparently, Jewish prophecy had it that the “Day of the Lord” would arrive during the Jewish Festival of the Booths (the harvest festival of Sukkoth). So Peter was thinking, “This is IT”. The world will change right now. We will be overcoming the Romans and return to power as in the days of King David”.
But that didn’t happen. In fact, it was not long after that Jesus would experience His Passion. When the world would come crashing down on the Apostles and the miracle of the Transfiguration would just be a distant memory. Until after the Resurrection and Ascension. Then the reality of spreading the Gospel to the far reaches of the earth. And all the victories and then disappointments that went with it.
The point is that Mountaintop Experiences usually are followed by a descent into a valley. Retreats turn into routines. Missions turn into a mere modicum of the original experience. Mountain views fill our senses, almost like an addiction. Or like first falling in love. We want more and more of the sensory fulfillment. But it doesn’t last. It can never last. It is as if God is giving us a small glimpse into what eternity will be like. But without the reality of the world we live in, we can never appreciate the wonder of what is to come.
So we take the mountain top experiences. File them away in our memories. We take pictures. We write in diaries. So we can hold onto a bit of the high and then recall the moments God has given us to help us navigate the valleys. Hopefully to realize that the pine forests, the streams and the deserts are beautiful in their own right. Part of the temporary home God has given us. And every once in a while we tilt our heads skyward and see the mountains from the valleys. Looking at the majesty of the mountains from a new perspective. Journeying steadfastly through the ravines and canyons, with occasional trips to the mountains. Where we can see what God has in store for those who run the race to the finish.
