Mountains, Real and Metaphorical, in Spirituality

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On the way to Germany, when we flew over the Alps, a Sister with me had tears running down her face as she gazed at the beauty spread out below us. Mountains are awe-inspiring. No wonder people imagined their gods living on a mountain. For example, the Greeks and Romans believed their gods dwelt on Mount Olympus. Mountains play a role frequently in the Bible. Noah's ark settles on Mount Ararat, God orders Abraham to take Isaac up a mountain and sacrifice him as a test of faith, Moses receives the Commandments on Mount Sinai and dies on Mount Nebo, God speaks to the prophet Elijah on a mountain, and the Temple is built on a mount. Today that Temple Mount is holy to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. The psalmist, because of a mountain's solid endurance, calls God a mountain. God says in Isaiah, "Though the mountains may fall, my steadfast love will never leave you" (Isaiah 54:10).  Hikers are drawn to climb mountains like Mt. Everest. Scaling a mountain is a daunting challenge. My sister and I accepted the challenge when we undertook the strenuous walk up Diamond Head mountain in Hawaii. Part way up was a rest stop where several hikers gave up and turned back. But Nancy and I doggedly continued on until, shaky and out of breath, we reached the summit. There the stunning view made the grueling trip worthwhile. In life we are confronted with invisible mountains that test our stamina and faith:  Click to continue

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