Well I am almost half way done with my time in Antigua already and, after the first week, it has flown. The natural beauty of the country is constantly astounding me and has been a powerful compliment to the beauty of the churches in Rome. In both places these amazing sights stand giving testament and praise to the strength and mind of God in which, through His love, He concieved all these amazing things.
Moreover he placed within us the cpacity to understand these things; that is, we understand that they represent a mystery beyond what we can grasp, perpetually pointing beyond themselves. And yet it is not a mystery that provokes fear becuase of it overwhelming size compared to us, but it envokes joy for the infinite greatness and life that we can enter into.
Recently, I took the oportunity to hike one of the nearby volcanos, and what an expirience. All I could think of during the hike was when I learned about volcanos in elementary school. I remeber thinking how cool they were, but the possiblity of every climbing one never even crossed my mind. Yet there I was drawing near to this monument of creation's mysteries. It seemed only right and just that when we got as high as we were allowed to go, to roast some marshmallows to mark the solemnity of the occasion.
This has really been what my time in seminary has been like. I had long heard of the great things God does and the gifts he gives to those faithful to him. Yet these thing seemed so far off, good things that God gives to others, of which I am just content to read.
But the small descision to enter the seminary, to give God the chance to do with me what He wills, has opened to me so much more that I have every dreamed of. Almost without me even being aware of it he has taken me on a great adventure to show me these great mysteries He works in the world and in the hearts of men.
From the amazing testimony of the Church in the U.S. to the great cityof Rome and the cities of the rest of Europe, and final to the amazing views of Guatemala, I have been climbing a volcano the heights of which I hadn't even imagined. And all along the way and foremost at its peaks is the heat and fire of God's love.
Continuing the hike, I look ahead to the burst of flame of His grace that is the priesthood and the possiblity of so many things I haven't even thought of. The challenge is to remember to pop open the marshmallows every so often and celebrate the grandeur of the msytery.
No comments:
Post a Comment