On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: “Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. (Isaiah 25:6-10)

Those who did not grow up in mountain country will never know how to behave before them. Men of the plains are noisy and inclined to boast. Men of the mountains are quiet, more reflexive. There is nothing that feels more like being in the presence of God that standing before a big mountain, hearing the wind and the sound of distant thunder. When you experience that as a child, it marks your soul forever. Mother mountain fills you with the kind of awe that prepares you for that last moment when you will meet your maker and present your puny deeds before the One that made everything. A man learns humility standing before mountains or under the infinite stars.

Nations are now blinded by something obscure that pretends to be light. In spite of all the efforts of the Age of the Gospel, the great majority wanders around, building strange cathedrals of steel and glass where gods of mud climb to a strange heaven that no light can penetrate.

The real mountain is there but they can’t see it. That mountain is the Kingdom of God, approaching Earth at great speed, ready to crush the cathedrals of darkness and reduce them to fine powder.

Psalm 23

I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

The mountain is also a table for many living beings. There the eagle makes its nest, high up in a place watching the valley below. The mighty rivers look like silver ribbons from up high. Under the sheltering blue sky the eagle feeds its young. They fear no evil as they follow the paths of the wind and learn to converse with the storms as they pass by.

We are invited to climb up there where the banquet of Heaven waits for us. Those who were purified by the ascension will be received. Outside are the cowards, and those who can only creep on the dust below.

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”‘ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.

The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests.” (Matthew 22:1-10)