Mountains and Sands

“Show us the way that leads to your side, over the mountains and sands of the soul.”

This line, from the song, “Change Our Hearts” by Rory Cooney, really spoke to me this week at Mass.  I’ve always liked the song but I caught site of that line and it made me think of the peaks and valleys of my soul.  I never think of my soul as having peaks and valleys.

But that would make sense, wouldn’t it?  There are times when my soul soars but then there are times when my soul is in the doldrums.

We were talking about that very thing in our PRE class this week.  We’ve been talking about prayer and this week we were talking about personal prayer.  I let the 11th graders know that there would be times they really needed to take a break in their prayer life and that would be fine.  But that their relationship to prayer was just like a good friend and it needed to be cultivated to grow.  You’re not going to go a week without talking with your best friend, why would you go a week without praying?

But the thing about this line in the song, mountains are glorious, if you’re on top.  But they are very intimidating at their base.  And if you have to climb that mountain that’s a lot of worry and work.

But then the sand part.  I love sand.  I love the beach.  But walking on sand is so hard to do.  First, it’s hot.  Then, if it’s loose, you early have to go barefoot, sort of like walking in mud.  And if you walk out in the water then the sand slips out from beneath your feet.  It is so easy to lose your footing.  Isn’t that the same in prayer?  There are times that you are not sure footed and some times the bottom falls out and you have to scramble to keep your footing.

I guess the point is that no matter how hard we try there will still be things that force you to climb or that cause you to lose your footing.  I guess we always have to be at the ready for that, and for the bridegroom.

Cynthia Elder