Solemnity of All Saints
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Written by Steven Joubert
“Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.”
“Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?” Truly, who can? These words have been the source of many musings as of late. Actually… if I’m being truly honest… These words have been more haunting than amusing. Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? My initial response is definitely not me".
Then follows the next thought: Why not me? The central question isn’t too complicated, the correct answer is given. “One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain.” In fact, not only is the answer given, but I also know an even simpler one: Jesus. Jesus is the one who ascends the mountain of the Lord, because He is Lord. It is the saints who ascend the mountain of the Lord as they follow in Christ’s footsteps, lived His example. In a word, they loved.
Yet, as simple and straightforward as this is, I find myself convicted and challenged by this question, and dismayed at its response. It is time and time again I find myself worried and anxious about the reality of God’s Divine Mercy. Deep down, I find that I am constantly excluding and excusing myself from the embrace of God’s mercy. That somehow, I’m not enough, or God isn’t truly going to forgive me for my mistakes. As cliche as that may sound, it’s the truth.
When I read the lives of the saints, I find myself altogther comforted and terrified. I’m comforted by the fact some of them were sinners - the real kind. The kind of sinners who did really dark and evil things, more evil than myself. That is comforting.
The depressing and terrifying part is that they changed. They encountered Jesus, and were converted. Their lives transformed by the grace God offers. And that is where the divergence from my life and the lives of the saints is. I fail to find within myself the places where I have changed. Maybe others can see it, but I struggle to. The word I’m looking for is probably scrupulosity, however, giving it a name and calling it a sin doesn’t quite make the scrupulosity any better, now does it?
“Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in his holy place?” Insofar as this quote from our psalm today is a source of struggle, there is one reality that brings me some solace. All throughout Scripture, mountains are the place where people have direct conversation and experience of God. The true mountain of the Lord today is in the Mass. It is there we as the Bride of Christ ascend the mountain of the Lord and stand in his holy place. Together.
When the mountain of the Lord construed as a measure of my holiness, it’s terrifying. But when the mountain of the Lord is seen as the place where the Church gathers to encounter God, I am hopeful. In the liturgy I am not allowed to disassociate myself from the mercy of God. As we worship God together, as I recite the prayers with my brothers and sisters in Christ, the fears of not being in the fold dissolve.
In the Psalm we sing, “Lord, this is the people that long to see Your face.” We present ourselves to the Lord as one people, people “whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desire not what is vain.” It is through the Church and her sacraments we can make such claims; by the power of God. Not because we are holy, but because He is. It is here that I find myself included again: embraced and enveloped by the grace of God.
Steven Joubert is a high school campus minister in Florida. He is a singer-songwriter and NOVUM RECORDS artist. You can find his music on Spotify, Apple Music, and/or wherever you stream your music. To keep up with Steven, follow him on Instagram.
Pray with today’s psalm.