From Sinai to Zion - a journey of faith

WORD 2day: Thursday, 4th week in Ordinary time

February 06, 2025 - Hebrews 12: 18-19, 21-24; Mark 6: 7-13

The Word today reminds us of a crucial journey of faith that we are called to make each of us and as a community of faith. The journey is not so much about from an old place to a new one, or one extreme to the other, as it is about a deepening; it is a journey within. First let us understand the journey and then define why it is a journey within. 

The journey is from Mount Sinai to Mount Zion - Sinai and Zion are two holy mounts that are referred to often in the history of our faith experience. What does Sinai stand for - for the awe that we have about God - of God's mighty presence, of God's fearsome feats, of God's omnipotence and omniscience. That is what we see in the Old Testament, on Mount Sinai - God met Moses, God spoke to God's people, God gave them the Ten Commandments and so on...but right enough, the people were frightened. They feared the awe-inspiring presence of God and contented themselves to listen to God's word from Moses! 

The letter to the Hebrews insists that this has to change, because we are not anymore in that stage of mere fear or awe. We have moved closer, and that is what Zion stands for - it is the place where we live with God, we share the abode with God, we delight in the presence of God and God delights in our presence. It is all about relationship here - a deep and profound relationship that we have built and continue to build with God. 

That is the reason, this journey is entering within... getting deeper within us, where we can find God waiting to encounter us and take our relationship to an all new plane. That is Zion - the union, the communion, the loving relationship with God. Faith journey has to lead us there, from Sinai to Zion!