MOUNTAIN
Besides going to the Temple of Jerusalem and local synagogues, Jesus used to go to the mountains for prayer (Mt 14:23, Mk 6:46, Lk 6:12, Jn 6:15). According to the Bible, a mountain was a holy place where men could meet God. The belief was that God was high up in Heaven and men could go to mountain tops to interact with God just as Moses did on Mount Sinai (Ex 19:1- 34:30). Though Jesus preached in the synagogues and houses, on lakeshores, and from boats, he also preached atop mountains as in the case of the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:1).
Prominent mountains where significant events happened in the Bible are:
(1) Garden of Eden, where a river flowed down as four branches of rivers (Gen 2:10-14).
(2) Mount Ararat, where the Ark of Noah landed after the deluge (Gen 8:4) and where God made a Covenant with Noah.
(3) Mount Moriah (Gerizim), where God had asked Abraham to sacrifice his son (Gen 22:2).
(4) Mount Sinai, where Moses met God and received the Ten Commandments.
(5) Mount Nebo (Pisgah), where Moses saw the Promised Land (Deut 34:1-4).
(6) Mount Carmel, where Prophet Elijah proved God as genuine as against Baal by calling down fire from Heaven to ignite fire on water-soaked sacrifice (1 Kings 18).
(7) Mount Zion (Jerusalem), where Solomon built the Temple.
(8) Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.
(9) Mount Tabor (Hermon), where Jesus was transfigured. Moses and Elijah also appeared there with him, and the voice of God was heard.
(10) Mount of Olives, where Jesus prayed before his arrest; He ascended into Heaven also from this mountain.
(11) Golgotha (Calvary) was a skull-shaped hill in Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. He was buried near here and he rose from the same place.
REFLECTION
Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem” (Jn 4:21). But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth; and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23-24). Let us meet God in the Holy Sacrifice that Jesus offers with us to the Heavenly Father.