In scripture, the mountain is the meeting place with God. On Mount Sinai, God met Moses. He gave Moses the Ten Commandments. On Mount Gerizim the Israelites proclaimed the blessings before entering the Promised Land. On Mount Nebo, Moses saw the Promised Land. On Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal.

On Mount Tabor Jesus was transfigured before his disciples. On the Mount of the Beatitudes, Jesus delivers the mandate of our blessedness. On the Mount of Olives, Jesus prayed to His Father before His Passion.

These are all snapshot examples of mountains as the meeting place of God. What does your mountain look like? My spiritual mountain is in the northwest: Mount Angel.

Today Mount Angel Abbey celebrates its foundation. Father Joel Rippinger, OSB, recently wrote a book entitled Struggle and Ascent: The History of Mount Angel Abbey. He is now Abbot Joel Rippinger, OSB, and belongs to Marmion Abbey in Aurora, Illinois. He recounts the challenges and joys of the hilltop’s history. In recalling its beginning in Oregon, he spoke of Fathers Adelhelm and Nicholas and their small community. He said,

“They traveled by rail to San Francisco, where they were met by Archbishop Alemany …. and then by steamer to Portland on October 28. While there, on October 30, they were met by a delegation of priests and officials from the local area. That latter date is recorded in the Swiss-American Congregation as the official foundation of the priory, and it is still observed today by the Mount Angel community as Founders’ Day” (page 18).

I remember ascending the hilltop for the first time. It was more than fifteen years ago. It was a chapter of my life filled with wonder and excitement in doing God’s will. Since then, I have gone up and down it many times and most recently with my family.

Seeing my sons and and wife on the hilltop seemed to have brought my vocation journey full circle. My heart overflowed with gratitude for it is the place where God has met me. The sentiments of my heart find fitting expression in Abbot Jeremy’s small book, A Monk’s Alphabet. Here, he speaks of his Mount Angel ascent.

“My monastery is on a hill. This makes quite a difference. All of us who live on the hill have come up and down it many times; but every ascent of the hill recalls, on a sliding scale between subconscious and conscious, the first time this upward climb was ever made. That first time was filled with a dizzying range of emotions, for a person comes to live on this hill in order to seek God and is inevitably and all at once excited by the adventure, ready for dedication, and afraid that his strength may not match the hope.

I love the place more and more because progressively its features and details are gathered in my story. This love stirs in me with every ascent or descent of the hill.”

Happy Feast Day to the monks, the oblates, and the entire hilltop community of Mount Angel. Together we journey to everlasting life!