The Long and Short of it

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today compress much material for contemplation into short and familiar episodes in the lives of the characters who are on the journey to live according to the will of God. Friar Jude Winkler points out how the faith of Abraham grows in the accounts we have in the Scriptures to the point, in this passage in the Book of Genesis, where he trusts beyond what common sense and rationalization tells him in the promise that "the Lord will provide" both the sacrifice on the mountain, where he goes accompanied only by his beloved and only son Isaac, and the descendants who will number like the stars. Paul addresses the Romans with the evidence of the total commitment of God to all people by showing the total giving of the Divine Son to the point of death in fulfillment of the Promise to hold nothing back to reconnect in eternal intimacy with humanity. The Gospel of Mark relates the moment of illumination to which Jesus invites Peter, James and John. These mountaintop experiences where clarity and direction overwhelm our confusion and chaos are much richer than our human understanding can grasp in one short period of time. Fr Larry Gillick writes "One of the great joys of human intimacy is that it goes beyond reason" as he comments on the leap of faith of couples who grow in intimacy through marriage. The reflection on the experience is like that of the disciples in the Gospel. They understand confirmation,  by experiencing a Word from God, of the Love of God and the position of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah). The overwhelming sense of being home in this Presence draws them to desire to stay and enter the tents of worship. The Promise to be with them even as the experience ends is carried back to reality where Jesus cautions them to hold this experience close as support for the times ahead when the vision of faith may become less clear and the memory of Presence will sustain them for the long haul.