On the mountain of the LORD
Read: Lectionary readings for Nov. 1: All Saints Day
Monday is typically a work day for me, but my wife and I skipped and went early in the morning with some friends to hike Old Rag, which has to be the best hike in the commonwealth. Imagine my delight when I saw that two of the Lectionary readings for this week deal with mountains! One thing I hadn’t really tried on this blog yet was photography interacting with the scripture. So come with me as I retrace our steps up Old Rag while also taking a stroll through Psalm 24 and Isaiah 25:6-9.
Ps. 24:1-3 The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it; for he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
Near the summit of Old Rag, there is a section of trail that takes you beneath huge boulders that form a small cave. I was standing in this cave-like passage when I took this picture. The lighting and texture on the rock struck me at the time, and now that I look at the picture, there is a mountain-like shape the rocks make.
Ps. 24:7-10 24:7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.
This stick jutting out of the top of a dead tree grabbed our attention for obvious symbolic reasons…
Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
My wife and our friend grab a snack before continuing toward the summit. This picture turned out way, way better than I anticipated. Here’s the full-resolution version, if you’d like to see a bigger version.
Isaiah 25:8-9 Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Indeed, we were glad. And rejoicing to be perched atop something so awesome in the midst of God’s creation.
Brian Gumm is an EMS intern at The Table for the 2009-2010 academic year