Thank God for Mountains

Christ in the Desert by Nicholas Roerich, 1933

A poem inspired by Matthew 17:1-9, the Gospel reading at St Stephen Walbrook on Thursday 27th February:

When our only perspective is face value,

let us consider the contours and textures of our own;

   an image of creation. 

Fear is a faceless world without features;

Stretched so thin it lacks depth. 

Transparency an unintended by-product of extreme tension;

    our face shining because it’s skin tight. 

Glory is the shining face on top of the rugged mountain;

A white light; full of every colour.

Let us all thank God for mountains; 

even those of us not yet invited to the top.

Reflection 

A few months ago we were shortlisted to refurbish a university building. We lost out on winning the competition by just by a few points. Part of the feedback included criticism by the University’s Access Officer of our inclusion of a stepped seating and social learning area, to make the most of a wonderful triple-height space in the centre of the existing building. It’s a feature we have introduced successfully in other university buildings. While there was access at each of the three floor levels, due to the steps, there was not level access throughout.

I was irritated by this feedback - not just because we didn’t win the competition but because of what this view seemed to suggest about my outlook as someone who has spent several years with restricted mobility. While growing up I found it difficult to walk and for many years at secondary school I used a wheelchair. Whilst this was a frustrating and painful experience, I do not ever recall begrudging the abilities of those who were more mobile. At no time do I remember thinking that my life would be improved if the whole earth was featureless and flat. My school was very supportive and when there were obstacles (or steps!) I would be helped to overcome them.

I do not think that creating a level playing field means taking dynamite to every mountain we see - even if those mountains are man made (assuming they are not made with the sole intention of excluding others). Life is full of ups and downs. Not all of us are able to climb every mountain when we want to do so under our own steam. Sometimes we need help from others. That’s not the beginning of a manifesto calling on us to give up on life, but one in which we embrace life fully - on Christ’s terms - alongside Him and each other in a loving relationship. It also means surrendering to God’s time and will and not our own; as we learn at the end of the account of the Transfiguration, we will all come to share in His glory - even those of us not invited to the top of the mountain. 

I felt the feedback we received on our design showed a shallowness of understanding and an individualist perspective. We are a connected world - but that connectivity is seen predominantly as a horizontal phenomenon. Many people and organisations seem to be becoming stretched to a point where they lose their identity, because they are wafer thin and featureless - lots of the horizontal but with little depth. The transparency which we crave in public life and in our institutions is often a by-product of this tension; meaningless statements on social media which serve to polish an issue until it shines, catching us in the wake, skating along the surface, because things are so fragile that if anyone stops for a moment it’ll crack and we’ll fall into the abyss below.  

Perhaps we need to fall so we can get back up again?

If we are tempted to judge only by face value, let us stop and feel our own face! Full of nooks and crannies and lumps and bumps; cold parts, warm parts, soft and hard. Our faces have depth!

Let us all be thankful for those rugged mountains - even those of us not yet invited to the top. 

Bible Reading - Matthew 17:1-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, “This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Get up and do not be afraid.” And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, “Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”