“… Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’
Luke 9:33
Dear friends,
Our family traditionally vacations on Cape Cod in August. I have wonderful memories of many long, slow, hot summer days there. When the kids were young, we always created a salt water aquarium while we were there. We set up an old fish tank and filter, filled it with sand and salt water from the beach. Then we spent the rest of our days hunting down hermit crabs, snails, krill, small fish, shell fish until we had created this perfect little world. It was safe and serene, no big waves, no danger from storms, quiet and lovely.
At the end of our vacation, we had to break down the aquarium, of course. Living creatures were carefully returned to the sea, with plenty of thank you’s for coming to visit. And we, too, packed up to return to the real world. Coming home from vacation is very much like breaking down that aquarium. For a time, we’ve been pulled out of the main stream of our lives—cell phones and laptops turned off, no work responsibilities for a time, no school or homework, no alarm clock to get us going each morning, unhooked from the relentless news cycle. I hope that each one of us has time for that sort of vacation this summer!
The scripture above is from Luke’s Transfiguration story. Jesus and his friends have gone up the mountain to pray. There they experience something amazing. Jesus shines with white light and converses with Moses and Elijah. Peter wants to stay in this moment, this time away so safe and sacred.
I can relate to Peter: it’s tempting to want to hold on to that special time when we get away…by a beach or up on a mountain…far from the crowd where it’s safe, serene, and away from responsibilities. But Jesus led his disciples back down from the mountain top to the real world. We, too, must return from that special time away to reengage with the world.
Like Jesus and his disciples on the mountain, like the sea creatures in our aquarium, like my family and yours, that time away is precious. May you be spiritually renewed during sacred time away wherever you vacation this summer, and may we all return with renewed commitment for God call to us this fall!
Save travels,
Karen Nell