Journey to the Mountain (Wednesday, Advent 1)

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Introduction

We must have endured the rough path of pains on this earth before we can burst out at the other end of freedom and everlasting joy. I think this is the whole point of Isaiah’s prophecy about the “mountain”. 


Homily Proper

I have been a very inquisitive person, asking questions to the point of annoyance. I could remember asking our catechist before we received first Holy Communion how the Communion tastes. The Catechist seriously but jokingly told us that it will taste like anything we want it to taste like in our mouths. Later on, after our First Holy Communion, I went to him to tell him that I didn’t feel the taste of everything I wanted the communion to taste like. And he replied that why he said so was that he wanted to build up and whet our appetite for the Holy Communion so that we could become more serious with our Catechism lessons. To build up and whet our appetites, Isaiah has been dishing out prophecies about the new kingdom that would be inaugurated by the Messiah.

On the Monday of the First Week of Advent, the prophecy of Isaiah is that the house of the Lord (which was described as a mountain) will rise higher than other mountains and the nations will stream to it; and it is on this mountain that the Messiah will teach all people his ways that they may walk in his paths (cf. Isa. 4:2-6). On the Tuesday of the First Week of Advent, the prophecy goes on to establish that on that same mountain, goats and lions will live in peace; calves and wolves and children will play together (Isa. 11:1-10). Today, the Wednesday of the First Week of Advent, Isaiah’s prophecy goes further to establish that on that same mountain, the Lord will prepare a banquet of great meal and choice wines; and he will destroy death and hardships forever (cf. Isa. 25:6-10). 

Now, the recurring word here is MOUNTAIN. Those of us who really know what a mountain is or how it looks like will testify to the fact that it is not easy to climb a mountain. These days, people can use modern means of transportation to take themselves to the mountain. But during the days of Isaiah, I don’t think it was all that easy to go the mountaintop. One must climb if he really wants to reach the mountaintop. In the course of the climbing, one must have fallen and risen many times; hit his/her feet against stones and tree stumps and so on. Sometimes, the mountain climber may feel exhausted to the point of considering discontinuing with the journey. But with patience, humility and diligence, he must surely reach the mountaintop.

In the gospel (Matt. 15:29-37), Jesus withdraws to a mountain and people followed Him. It was on that mountain that he healed the blind, made the lame to walk and multiplied food for the people to eat. But one thing should not be left out in the whole episode of the miracle of the loaves: he commanded the people to sit down before he could feed them. Humility is a virtue we can’t do without if we really want to enjoy the goodness of God. It is said that it is only on bended knees that a kid goat can suck the breast of the mother.   

Our earthly journey unto heaven is a journey of pains as that of a journey unto the mountaintop. We have stones on the way; brambles and thorns; constant rising and falling; and so on. But he who remains steadfast till the end will enjoy the everlasting goodies that await him. He who develops and sustains the requisite character and humility will surely make it to the end.



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