A Different Kind of Mountaintop

Week of February 28-March 6 I have been traveling back and forth from California for what feels like the entire month of February. I am most grateful to my recent hosts Jerry Hayes, SJ and the krewe at Loyola High School Los Angeles and Annie Selak and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy.   Both of their campuses are beautiful, but today’s Gospel sheds light on my experience at Flintridge.   For those of you who have not been there, this high school campus is set above the valleys of Los Angeles in what seems close to a mountaintop. The road that leads to the school is windy and somewhat dangerous, and the view is impeccable even in the haziness of the morning.   The campus used to be the old Biltmore Hotel, and the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose purchased the land at the turn of the 20th century. The students now reap the rewards of years of great education in the Dominican Tradition.   The campus was so beautiful and inspiring that all I wanted to do is remain there. Just like Peter, I wanted to ask: Can I stay here? After all, LA’s got nice neighborhoods, paved streets, great weather, and this campus is gorgeous!   But, I had to go down the mountain and return to New Orleans to host some visitors from the Jesuit School of Theology. I had to leave; I could not stay.   It’s important to return back to the valleys and trenches of real-life. I trust God, and God has led me to be with people in New Orleans. As a follower of Christ, I am called to live life amidst the hardships of the daily grind of recovery since Hurricane Katrina.   What is the mountaintop that keeps you away from the reality of living your life? How must you live trusting in God’s ways? What important lessons are there for you in the valleys?   Take a moment to consider where God is calling you to witness God’s glory through the powerful Good News that Christ brings to the world.