The Lord is gracious and merciful. — Psalm 145:8

Mass readings: Isaiah 49:8-15 / John 5:17-30 

Mountain Climbing 

Our now-adult children remember sledding down a nearby street when they were kids. That’s a rare occurrence in the nearly-snowless Seattle area. A few years after that the hill was re-graded during a road-construction project, making it far less steep.  

They talk about “way back when,” but I — out on a daily walk — appreciate the change. 

Today’s first reading speaks of the Lord cutting a road through mountains and making His highways level. I think part of that means that when we’re facing what seems like an insurmountable obstacle (like a loved one’s serious illness), God walks with us and, we discover, the path is less steep, and not as overwhelmingly frightening as it first seemed. 

Prayer: Dear Lord, be with those who hear bad new today.