Dan Allen ’07, ’11 M.Div.
Spirituality Program Director, Notre Dame Alumni Association

Mountains and valleys entered into our pilgrimage today. The variety of the terrain in the Holy Land is notable, and the topography and geography play important roles in understanding the scriptures better. We spent time at three important sites today, and they all have something to teach us about our Lenten pilgrimage. 

Our first stop was Mount Tabor, believed to be the site of the Transfiguration. From the bottom of the mountain, you can look all the way up to the top and see the church there, surrounded by the green trees that cover the hillside. The road up is too narrow for a bus, so we rode the switchbacks in vans together, saying some prayers both ways and wondering who the patron saint of brakes is.

Once at the top, we again celebrated Mass and had some time to consider the meaning of the Transfiguration. In some ways, it seemed to be a heavenly glimpse of the future glorified Jesus, meant to encourage Peter, James, and John during the very trying days to come. Having the benefit of hindsight, we can understand it better than those first disciples could. But the question remains, what can the Transfiguration teach us now?

I think that part of the lesson is that we hope for our lives to be transfigured, to change from the mess that we sometimes make of them into something that is holy and radiant. This will lead us to our desired final transfiguration as we come into heavenly light. These changes are not easy, though, and we sometimes find ourselves vacillating between who we aspire to be and who we still are.

Our second stop reminded us, however, that we are not alone in this struggle. We had the opportunity to visit the Jordan River and the specific site where it is believed John baptized Jesus. We then went through a very moving prayer service where we renewed our baptismal vows. Doing so in view of such a holy site meant our answers certainly had a bit more vigor. Our chaplain, Fr. Matt Hovde, CSC, then sprinkled us with water from the Jordan.

Baptism washes us clean from sin, and then our task is to bring our garment unstained upon our return to God. Of course, we fall woefully short of this goal, and we must repeatedly seek reconciliation with God and be reminded of the promises we have made. To be sure, going to the Jordan River provides a great reminder!

Our final excursion of the day was up to the Mount of Temptation. The journey there entertained most of us and frightened the rest because we rode up in an apparatus dubbed the Jericho Cable Car. For those who do not know what this is, picture something twice as high as a ski lift that ferries passengers high up the mountain in a gondola attached to a cable. Reaching the top, someone breathlessly exited the car and asked, “How did Jesus get up here?!” Our guide Rami deadpanned, “Well, he walked.”

Then began the physical part of our ascent as most of us elected to climb the many steps that lead up to the monastery where the sites of Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and temptation by Satan are traditionally held to be. It was especially poignant to be there given that we just heard this Gospel last Sunday and that we had just renewed our baptismal promises where we rejected Satan, his works, and his empty promises. For even after we are baptized, we are often engaged in a struggle against our sinful nature and even the temptation of the devil. Thankfully, we have a model for victory in this battle in our Lord Jesus.

In closing, we must keep Jesus close to our hearts this Lent. He is always our guide, the one who resisted temptation, gave us an example by entering the waters of baptism, and showed us a vision of what our heavenly, transfigured state will be. While we will soon follow him to the cross, we have faith that it will not end in death but in new life. That hope can never be taken from us, and it is in experiences such as today that we renew our belief. May we stay near the Lord now and on the day of salvation!