March 15, 2010
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“The mountain opens its secrets only to those who have the courage to challenge it. It demands sacrifice and training. It requires you to leave the security of the valleys but offers spectacular views from the summit of those who have the courage to climb.”
- Pope John Paul II, 1993
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During the three-hour trek I could have used a few more rest stops. I also considered paying for a camel ride, which would have made the hike so much easier, but somehow taking the easy path was not in my program.
An hour or so before sunrise, we reached the final 700 Steps of Repentance. Immediately upon reaching the summit at 7,455 feet, our tired bodies could feel the chill with nothing to block the wind.
This holy peak attracts hundreds, so a quiet space was rare this morning. But surrounded by the mountains, where God spoke to Moses, we know words are not necessary here. God hears our hearts, knows our intentions. The immensity of the world stands before us, and it is God who makes it all possible. He not only leads us through the desert, he helps us find he beauty in its midst.
After sunrise, we make our way back down the mountain, and get a better view of the trail we first walked in the dark.
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