On Mourne’s bright height Your glory shone

1  
On Mourne’s bright height Your glory shone,
O Christ, our radiant King;
The clouds of fire, the light of dawn,
Around You circling sing.

2  
The veil was lifted from our sight,
Your face like sun aflame;
Your garments glowed with heaven’s white,
And Moses spoke Your Name.

3  
We hear the voice the saints once heard—
“Belovèd Son,” proclaimed;
Majestic Glory seals the word,
And faith is now enflamed.

4  
The heather stirs, the skylarks rise,
The granite peaks adore;
Creation lifts its ancient cries—
“Christ reigns for evermore.”

5  
Th’Ancient of Days, in fire enthroned,
Now burns within this bread;
The Glory shown on Mourne’s high crest
Here strengthens least and priest.

6  
Transfigured Lord, our hearts renew,
Our path with splendour trace;
That we may bear Your brightness too,
And shine with mercy’s grace.

Glimpsing the Glory on Mourne’s High Crest: A Reflection on Transfiguration

There are times when the world feels incredibly heavy, fractured, and loud. On those days, my mind can feel like a storm of sensory input and overwhelming thoughts. But every so often, I experience a moment where the veil drops, the noise recedes, and everything is suddenly shot through with a quiet, brilliant clarity.

For me, that is the essence of the Transfiguration. It’s the realisation that glory isn’t hidden away in some distant, unreachable heaven. It is vibrating right beneath the surface of our ordinary world, waiting to be seen.

The Thin Places in the Heather

We often think of holy mountains as places far away, but I find my “thin places”—those spaces where earth and heaven seem to touch—right here in the Irish landscape. Walking up into the Mournes, among the granite peaks and the wild heather, my perspective shifts.

• The Witness of Creation: When I look at the mountains, I realise I don’t need to force a spiritual experience. Creation is already doing the praying for me. The skylarks rising into the mist, the wind rustling the heather, the ancient strength of the stone—they are all whispering that Christ is present, reigning over the chaos of my thoughts.
• A Lifted Veil: In the Gospel, the disciples saw Jesus’ face shine like the sun and His clothes turn dazzling white. On the mountain, I am reminded that God doesn’t destroy who we are to make us holy; He transfigures us. He illuminates our true nature. The light doesn’t change the shape of the Mournes; it just reveals their hidden beauty.

From the Mountain Top to the Bread

The true comfort of the Transfiguration, however, is that we don’t have to live on the mountain peak. The dazzling, terrifying fire of the Ancient of Days doesn’t stay trapped in the clouds.

Instead, that cosmic glory chooses to condense itself. It humbles itself into something incredibly small, quiet, and tangible: a piece of bread.

When I receive the Eucharist, that mountain-top glory burns quietly inside me. It bridges the gap between the majestic and the mundane. At the altar, there are no hierarchies; the glory shown on the high crest strengthens the “least and the priest” alike. It meets me exactly as I am, soothing my frayed edges and feeding my soul.

Carrying the Brightness Home

I cannot stay on the summit forever. I have to walk back down into the valley, back into the routine, the demands, and the overwhelming pace of daily life.

But I go down changed.

Having glimpsed that light, my prayer becomes a request for renewal. I ask that my own path be traced with that splendor—not so I can keep it for myself, but so I can bear that brightness into the dark corners of the world, shining with a gentle, transfigured grace.

🏔️ A Mountain Reflection for the Week

The next time you look toward the hills, or even just watch the sun break through the clouds over your local landscape, pause for three breaths:

• Breath One: Let the stability of the earth remind you that you are held.
• Breath Two: Let the shifting light remind you that God’s glory is active right now.
• Breath Three: Carry that quiet fire back into your day.

Hymn information

First line: On Mourne’s bright height Your glory shone,
Text: Michael McFarland Campbell
Metre: CM
Tune: Kilmarnock
Feast Day: 6 August. The Transfiguration of our Lord

© 2026 Michael McFarland Campbell. Permission granted for local church use with attribution. Not for commercial reproduction without permission.