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February 23, 2024
During Lent, the Lord calls to the mountain. In today’s readings there are two mountains to be explored. The first reading speaks of a mountain of testing. In this reading, the faith of Abraham was tested. God knew there would be no harm to the child, but this was part of the test. God said, “Take the child, the one you love, and sacrifice him the indicated place.” There needs to be some background story to this event. Abraham was an old man and he had yet to conceive a son, and after so much waiting (and it was a lot of waiting) he was promised a son. Now the same God who had given him a son was trying to take him away. There is much emphasis on the reading on the son because it says, “Your only son,” but Abraham had already another son it was Ishmael. The author seems to forget this fact, but perhaps it was intended to be mentioned this way for literary impact, just to show how much pain Abraham would suffer through this action. This was a mountain of test.
There is a difference between a test and a temptation. A test is given by God to develop virtue, a temptation is given by the devil to make a person fall into sin. God does not tempt, but does test for the betterment of the person. However, people can fail the test, and so no virtue, no advancement will happen in the life of the person. God leads his faithful to the mountain of test with the hope they will pass the test and blessing will follow. God leads to the mountain of test to try the faith of the people, to purify their intentions, to make them grow in holiness, to ensure they are faithful until the end. God leads to the mountain of test to see if the faithful will trust even amid persecution when people bring charges against God’s chosen ones. God leads to the mountain of test to refine the people in their faith so they could be like St. Peter mentions, “Gold tested in fire.”
The other mountain is the mountain of consolation. God also takes his people, a select few, to have a mystical experience in this mountain. They will be comforted by the rays of light radiating from the presence of the Lord. This mountain is a prefigure of the Eucharist. Here in this mountain the Lord comforts and gives strength for the mission. Some people are no longer coming to this mountain for sustenance. Those who do come may want to stay there for a while, like Peter was trying to do when he suggested making three tents. Many would want to “capture” this experience and cling to it as much as possible. But these moments of consolation are brief and intense so that there can be enough strength to go down the mountain and resume the mission. These are moments of closeness with God, but for a purpose. God gives a brief reassurance of who God is, comforts, and then sends right away to resume the pastoral work.
During Lent, God will take us to both mountains. Our faith will be tested. Our faith will be consoled. The good thing is to follow the voice of the Lord and go to these mountains for spiritual growth.
