Lately, learning everything about climbing Mt. Everest fascinates me. I think it is a way to escape the current reality we are living in. Join me in taking a Lenten journey as we “climb” Mt. Everest.
A decision to climb Everest is not made lightly. Age, physical condition, expense, time allotment, experience, etc., are all important factors. Deprived of the simple amenities of home, camping in tents on rocky hillsides while breathing thin air, traversing over gaping ice crevices, climbing through the “Death Zone,” and ultimately making the final push to the summit, pushes one’s body and mind to the limit.
With the arrival of Lent, I realize that we have almost completed a year living with the coronavirus pandemic. How did that happen?
It has been a weird year for me spiritually. We were unable to attend Palm Sunday and Easter Masses. We experienced outdoor Mass in summer. When the weather turned, we had indoor Mass with limited capacity, tightly controlled, at least in terms of reserving a spot and seating arrangements. No holy water, no communal singing, no Eucharistic cup and no fellowship after Mass. I was thankful for the attempt at keeping everyone safe while trying to maintain some sense of normalcy but after a year, it begins to change a person’s perspective on things.
I have done my share of “watching” televised Mass as we are still allowed the dispensation from attending but I try to go as often as possible. It was so hard at the beginning but over time the acceptance level rises. How long does it take for a new habit to form? I think it is six weeks. Dare I say that it is beginning to feel “normal?” Is it going to be a new way of living? There are many questions that need answering. Time will tell.
Since we are living through a perpetual Lent by pandemic standards and now that we have arrived at the actual season of Lent, I thought I would like to equate climbing Mt. Everest with the 40 days of Lent. I suppose there are some similarities. Both take planning and both lead one on a journey to arrive at a destination, while enduring some hardships along the way.
Over the next several weeks, join me in “climbing” the tallest mountain in the world through a Catholic lens as we make our way through Lent.
