Rejoicing on the mountain

After Hebrews 12:22-29

The mountain is there,

the sacred place, the city

joyful, the church

joyful, the church

of the firstborn

joyful, the assembly

rejoicing, one hears

the voices singing,

full-throated joy pouring

from hearts made righteous

made perfect by the word

that hovers over the hearts

formed and filled

by the word speaking,

the voice shaking

the created things so that

only the unshaken remains.

Photograph by Mike Wilson via Unsplash. Used with permission.

Obstacles

To consider obstacles

as mountains to climb

is to miss the point.

Obstacles are always

valleys, inversions

of mountains. We

rise from them.

Photograph by Lynn Greyling via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.

A trail, upward

A trail, upward

rocky without green

trail of stone and slate

leading through outcroppings

of stone and slate and

the overhang of trees higher up

winding a way past clouds

into the horizon of bright blue

at the top, partially, clouds

eventually part to reveal

what’s behind: the vision

of a trail leading downward

toward the beginning.

Photograph by Linnaea Mallette via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.