Mount Tabor

“The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth […] Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your
name.” That’s what Psalm 89 says. Even the mountains are praising God! In addition, Mount Tabor is mentioned in the Old Testament as the place where the commander Barak gathered the Israelite army to prepare for the battle against the Canaanites.

In three New Testament books, we read of a time when Jesus took his three disciples Peter, John, and James up a mountain. This is where the so-called Transfiguration took place, causing the face and clothes of Jesus to shine supernaturally. Finally, a cloud appeared from which a voice said, “This is my son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
The name of the mountain isn’t mentioned anywhere, but already since early Christian times there is a tradition that it was Mount Tabor. Between 1921 and 1924, on top of the foundations of an older church, the Church of the Transfiguration was built there by the renowned Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi who wanted to glorify God with its beauty.

Bible Passage: Luke 9:28-36
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters – one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.) While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. A voice came from the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.’ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Reflection: Do you believe that Jesus is God’s chosen Son? If not, what would help you to believe?