Part 9 — A Friend on the Mountain

there comes a time in our life expeditions
when we must stand up for sheer goodness
in courage and fortitude—to leap easy flows
of shaded trails—stitched beside calm waters
and ascend the final tear of a rocky summit
a sacred climb—where soft moonlight licks
granite fortresses clutching endless rewards
this massif is technical and demands a rope
with pitches piercing its rocky blades of sky
survival suffers upon long-threatening ledges
hanging over vulgar crowds—howling taunts
reviling and persecuting your faith and works
spewing lies and word filth against your face
for daring to scale the merciful steps of Jesus
so—rejoice and be joyful for your admission
into the lonely league of persecuted prophets
ignore the uproars and endure on—to the end
for you are beloved and belayed by a Friend
a Savior who knows your rugged precipices
a soft hand guiding you onto safe handholds
to summit the Mountain of the Lord’s House
where a panoramic temple of God’s creations
awaits you on a tall steeple of gracious tears
with all your ancestors—cheering you upward
to a home—we call—the Kingdom of Heaven

 (Matthew 5:10-12)