(Please read the Scripture passages first, before the homily.)
Moses went up the mountain. He met God. He brought God’s Law to the twelve tribes of Israel. The mountain and the number twelve are significant.
Abram became the father of many nations and God changed his name to Abraham. God did the same for Abraham’s wife Sarai, changing it to Sarah.
Jesus went up the mountain and called together those he wanted, twelve, whom he also named Apostles. He changed Simon’s name to Peter, which means Rock. He called James and John Sons of Thunder. He apparently changed Levi, son of Alphaeus, to James the son of Alphaeus.
Jesus is in continuity with the history of his people, the Jewish nation. At one time we must have forgotten this because we ostracized the Jewish people, gave them the bad jobs, confined them to ghettoes, and killed them. Now we have come to realize that they have a place of distinction in our history.
Mark is aware of this continuity. He carefully scripted this scene in the Gospel that shows Jesus stepping into his history and bringing us in contact with that history.
How are we aware of our continuities? There is one other major religion that traces its history back to Abraham, the faith of Islam. There are many Christian people who believe in Jesus Christ, but do not accept all the teachings of the Catholic faith. Muslims, Jews and Christians are all part of our continuity and part of our history. When we forget this, we end up fighting our history, demonizing the people who seem different from us and destroying ourselves.
This is also true in our political lives. Both those of my favorite party and your favorite party have common ancestors, a common history. If we forget our history and commonality, we can demonize those of “that other party”. Both Republicans and Democrats are integral parts of our communities. If we do not accept this, we end up destroying ourselves.
When Jesus went up the mountain and called the Twelve, he was not just in continuity with his Jewish roots, but he also put himself in continuity with our history. His continuity includes sinners and saints. Jesus called them and us out of a state of sinfulness. He called them and us into the history of his people. He climbed the mountain with them and us. He came to bring them and us into the fullness of God’s people.
Jesus went up the mountain into continuity with his roots and in continuity with his future. We have come with him and must be in continuity with his history and future.