APRIL 4

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord.”
(Isaiah 2:3)

It is incredibly beneficial for our souls to rise above this present evil world and seek something nobler and better. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches tend to choke the goodness within us, leading to feelings of fretfulness, despondency, and perhaps pride or carnality. It is vital for us to cut down these thorns and briars, as heavenly seeds sown among them are unlikely to yield a fruitful harvest.

Where can we find a better tool to cut them down than through communion with God and the things of His kingdom? There are regions where the lowlands nurture sickness. Doctors often recommend that their patients venture into the mountains, where they can breathe in the clear, fresh air. Following this advice, valley dwellers escape their homes in the marshes and fevered mists to inhale the invigorating elements found upon the hills.

It is to such an exploit of climbing that I invite you this evening. May the Spirit of God assist us in leaving behind the mists of fear, the fevers of anxiety, and all the troubles that abound in this earthly valley, enabling us to ascend the mountains of anticipated joy and blessedness. May God, the Holy Spirit, cut the cords that bind us here and empower us to climb!

Too often, we resemble chained eagles tethered to a perch, and even worse, unlike the eagle, we may come to love our chains and might hesitate to see them broken when necessary.

May God grant us grace, so that even if we cannot free ourselves from the chains of our flesh, we can still liberate our spirits. Let us leave our bodies, like servants, at the foot of the hill, allowing our souls, like Abraham, to reach the mountain’s summit to enjoy communion with the Most High.