Some of my best memories in life include waking up at 2:30 or 3:00 AM to go hiking to watch the sunrise.
Waking up early is one of my least favorite activities in the world, but there’s something special about suffering that pain for an adventure. The alarm goes off, and in the quiet hours of the morning, everyone puts on warm clothing and hiking shoes. We make some coffee and grab a banana for the road.
There’s sleepy anticipation in the air.
The hike is dark and cold, but everyone pushes through because there is no time to lose. Trudging along the steep trail for the desire of what awaits us at the top.
When we reach the peak at 6 AM, removing layers and out of breath, there’s no greater feeling. The warmth of the sun hits my entire body. I know the previous few hours of pain was worth it.
There was someone in history all too familiar with this feeling, and his name is Pier Giorgio Frassati. An Italian mountaineer, skier, champion of the poor, and servant of the Lord, he spoke frequently about the significance of climbing mountains.
His mantra was “verso l’alto.”
In English this translates to “toward the heights.”
Sure, this phrase refers to climbing higher than you are comfortable and being out of breath at the top of a mountain. One might even venture to say “heights” is a metaphor for “heaven.”
The higher you go, the closer you are to Christ.
Anyone who is familiar with hiking and the Lord knows this to be true.
Some of the times I’ve felt closest to God are when I’m resting at the top of a mountain; yup, that’s where I feel it in my soul.
Verso l’alto means all these things, but also much more.
Toward the heights doesn’t solely refer to our physical exertion, but the way our soul is postured.
It means to always be pointed to heaven.
To always be searching for what is greater and higher.
Verso l’alto is the setting of beyond ourselves, toward the highest height of what it means to be human.
Are we living lives oriented toward Christ? Or are we living oriented toward the things of this world?
It is easy to slip into a “toward the depths” mentality, but thankfully there is grace.
When we push ourselves to physical boundaries, we impoverish ourselves to spiritual freedom.
Through the race I’ve been continually challenging myself in terms of the flesh (I.e., fasting, showering in cold water, running, waking up early) and the spirit (learning dependence on the Lord, spending intentional time in the Word, and vulnerability with my team and friends).
The Lord tells us in Romans 8: 17-18 how “we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory aw Christ has glory. The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us.”
Because of this, my intimacy with the Lord has grown little by little.
I know Guatemala will probably be the easiest comfort-wise of all the countries we live in, but I am excited for the days in Swazi when I am so removed from things of this world that I can only fill the space with the Lord. I am learning it in small pieces right now, but living in a “toward-heaven” mindset is aiding that growth.
Verso l’alto is the ascent to God himself, and it sounds scary and difficult.
But so does waking up at 2:30 AM to drive two hours and hike two more hours in the dark.
The minority of that experience is fun, comfortable, and enjoyable.
But through all the pain, I can’t help but think about what lies ahead; what awaits me at the top.
Let us push ourselves to live outside of our own will, to live outside the flesh, and to press into the uncomfortable parts of life.
When we do, God shows up in the most wild and beautiful ways.
“We must never exist, but live” – Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati
Peace and joy
-MG
