Climbing to Mount Easter

     As Lent begins each year, our monastery librarian displays a table of choices for our Lenten reading—a menu to suit everyone’s taste. Many are short reflections on the day’s liturgical readings; others  are more topical This year by some special inspiration I selected The Ascent of the Mountain of God: Daily Reflections for the Journey of Lent, a 1994 publication by Edward M. Hays. This choice enabled me, too old for a physical climb, to follow in an imaginative and reflective way the rugged terrain from base camp to Mt. Diablo, up and down various biblical and mythical mountains until the summit of Mt. Easter was reached.

     Hays sees Lent as a pilgrimage to a mystic holy mountain—Mount Easter. The directions for the scaling or descending of each terrain flowed from the daily Lenten readings. To me these explanations were challenging, informative, surprising, new and often—to me—difficult and amazing. A short ending reflection summarized and directed my thoughts for the day. One familiar with mountain climbing would appreciate better than I the vocabulary used. I just tried to follow instructions—to make a list of two or three allies which would assist me in the climb. My Lenten practices would be my allies.

     Symbols were frequently used—the color blue warded off evil; holy water to be kept near, a staff close by helped progress and kept off animals. The compass, the Cross of Christ, was necessary to set direction in fog and rain. Many anecdotes, surprising story endings, examples, truths that I had never heard before illustrated the day’s readings. Each selection gave a practical suggestion for application in today’s world.

     As one would expect, the climb to Mt. Easter became much more difficult as the Lenten season progressed. Some of the ideas, suggestions, practices I would never have thought of. Some were not for me but gave me deeper appreciation of ideas prevalent in today’s world, of human problems and how others look at them.

     During this Easter season as I look back to my mountain adventure, I appreciate those 47 days of reflection. Christ spent 40 days of preparation in the desert; my Lent climb included a few days in base camp and Sunday reflection. The Triduum days were hard labor as we neared Mt. Easter from Mt. Calvary but I persevered somewhat and somehow. Perhaps, if God wishes, I may try that mountain climb again next year.

     Sr. Andrea Collopy, OSB