Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
A few years back I traveled to Seattle for my little cousin's wedding. Taking full advantage of the opportunity to be in the Pacific Northwest, I budgeted plenty of time to explore the scenic landscape for which Washington is known. Before I ever left Ohio, I had my itinerary planned and my routes mapped. Item No. 1 on the agenda was to climb Granite Mountain, a challenging, yet very achievable goal. For my long hike up the mountain, I came prepared, bringing plenty of water, protein bars, and my Bible, stopping from time to time to gain physical and spiritual refreshment. It was awesome! The sights, the sounds, and the solitude made for one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. The only detour (literally) came when I inadvertently deviated from the actual trail. I didn't know where I had gone wrong or how exactly to get back on the right path. Every sight was so beautiful that at one point I thought that I had even approached the summit. I thought, "How could any view be more beautiful than this?" But then I saw the lookout above me. I just didn't know how to get there. I was so close, yet so far! Eventually, I found my way back on the right course and made it to the lookout. Blessed with a rare clear day in Washington, the impressive view from the actual summit exceeded all of my expectations!
Climbing a mountain is one of the most often used and appropriate metaphors for our Christian life. In today's first reading from Isaiah, we read that Zion, the mountain of the Lord's house, "shall be established as the highest of the mountains" and that "all the nations shall stream to it." Referring to Jerusalem, which is a biblical type of both the Church and the Kingdom of heaven itself, Isaiah provides us with tremendous insight into our own spiritual journeys. As we read this passage, we can sense the excitement for the destination, but we also recognize the difficulty of the pilgrimage. It's not easy to climb the highest mountain. Therefore, we must be prepared and resolve to set our sights firmly on Christ Himself as our destination. Interestingly, Isaiah cites one of the reasons for desiring to reach the "house of the God of Jacob," the summit of the mountain of the Lord, is to be able to "walk in his paths." We may think that after reaching the summit, the journey is over. Why would we want to walk any further? Where else is there to go once we've reached the very presence of God? How could any view be more beautiful than this?
Jesus sheds some light on these questions in today's Gospel reading from Matthew. Conversely, at the beginning of Matthew Chapter 8 from which we read today, Jesus had just come down from the mountain to begin His ministry in Galilee after proclaiming the Sermon on the Mount. So, where else is there to go? As disciples, we follow Jesus down the mountain- to serve as He served and to bring God's presence of healing, love, and unfailing mercy to all those in need. At the end of today's Gospel, Jesus refers to the summit of another mountain- the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven, which, as disciples, we hope to inherit in accordance with the Beatitudes. Yes, we are called to share in the royal office of Christ, but we must remember, as one of my favorite lines in the Catechism reads: "To reign is to serve Him." (CCC 786). By serving as Jesus served we are able to reach a summit that exceeds our expectations.
Our life is a series of ascending and descending mountains- in the ups and downs of life, the periods of consolation and desolation that we experience with God, as well as the time we spend in prayer before the presence of God and the time we serve others as the presence of God. After reaching the summit at Mass on Sunday, our next Mass begins, for we have been sent! In this way, we also become "church at home and home at church" by bringing the "house of the God of Jacob" (Isaiah 2:3) into the lives of our families. Today, the first Monday of Advent, we begin a new pilgrimage in preparation for the birth of our Savior. May we walk in His paths. Saint Francis Xavier, example of service whose Memorial we celebrate today, pray for us. Amen.
Ryan J. Mahle