The Churches of St. Moses, St. Elijah and St. Jesus on the Mountain

The Churches of St. Moses, St. Elijah and St. Jesus on the Mountain
Last Sunday after Epiphany – Transfiguration; Luke 9:28-43
It is upon the mountaintop that light
transfigures features that we thought we knew,
and we are dazzled seeing what’s beyond
as past and future balance on that peak,
and in that moment God and prophets speak.

We vow that vision will remain in sight,
and yet the words to compass it are few.
We hope we might from looming loss abscond;
he leads us down to failure on the plain.
Would buildings draw us to those heights again?

If churches stood, would light return as bright?
Would vision still be shared and counted true?
When pilgrims journeyed there, would they feel conned
if Moses and Elijah were stained glass,
no voice-over from God though clouds still pass?

We need to know we have no copyright
on revelation, or on life made new.
The mountain top can stir us to respond 
if he has challenged us to make the climb,
but building walls can’t hold us in that time.
	Barbara Messner 22/02/2022