Abraham's call to leave his home and strike out into the unknown must have been frightening. Ancient people spent their entire lives from birth to death in the city in which they were born and could not even imagine dying in a distant land. But Abraham trusted God and believed God's promise. Our own faith is more than reciting and believing the correct creed - it is living our entire life in the mystery of God and trusting in God's mercy and kindness absolutely. Our salvation is not something we earn ourselves - it is a gift. The life and immortality that we are promised is ours when we say yes to God with our whole heart, mind, and soul - and remain so.

In the Transfiguration scene Jesus was surrounded by light and was talking to Moses and Elijah, the great teacher and the great prophet of Israel. Jesus stood in a long and continuous tradition. Peter did what so many try to do - he wanted to hang on to the experience by building religious shrines. But the Transfiguration was not about another place to worship - it was concerned with mission and service. Jesus immediately began talking about suffering and death, but the disciples did not understand that he was including them. Our faith must not become privatized and self-absorbed. It must always be concerned with love and service. Without these crucial elements religion is nothing but empty ritual. The path to the glory of God passes through the valley of struggle and suffering - but we will also experience joy while we are travelling that path.