in exodus we can read about how when moses would come down from the mountain, after speaking with God, his face would be glowing and he would wear a veil when talking with the people.
it seems that his times with God on the mountain were pretty intense.
and it makes me wonder....did he really want to come down from the mountain at all? after spending face time with God (which must be at once terrifying and exhilarating), did he really feel walking back down the steep mountain path, putting the veil back on, and dealing with all the mundane stuff his people were dealing with (you know, making golden calves and whatnot)?
of course i don't know the answer to that. but, having spent the last few days literally on top of a mountain, and spending time with God in silence, and then coming down off the mountain to face a hundred emails and way-too-long to-do lists, i can't help but feel that i'd rather be back on top of the mountain.
plus, this veil is annoying.
anyway, it was truly a great retreat. i loved being silent. i loved practicing the divine hours from the benedictine tradition. i loved the rhythm of it. i loved having some time to do some reading and writing and listening and praying. i loved spending some time in the labyrinth. i loved being able to breathe some fresh mountain air. i'm not sure about this glowing face, but i am really glad i went.
thanks for putting up with the silent blog for a couple of days. i'm back now.
grace|peace,
greg.
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