July 17, 2009
The Christian Journey
Asking God to protect them, guard their steps
BY FATHER JIM SAUER
Thousands of years before the plaque bearing the words of Psalm 66, “Shout joyfully to God, all you peoples; sing of God’s glorious name; give God glorious praise. Say to God: ‘How awesome your deeds! Come and see the works of God’” were fastened to the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, Native Americans of the Southwest stood in awe and wonder at the Great Spirit’s creative powers. No matter the truth of Psalm 66, nor of nature’s power to sculpture such a breathtaking wonder of this world, they are only the tiniest of glimpses into the grandeur of God.
The Book of Wisdom reminds us to come to know God from the good things we see and enjoy. We are not to forget the Artist whose beauty is far more excellent than his creation; nor forget how much more powerful is the Artist who created them — “For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original Author, by analogy, is seen” (Wis 13:1-9). The Grand Canyon refuses to allow us to ignore its Artist!
So began my vacation out West and Northwest on June 26, thanks to my younger sister, Mary Ann, who thought it was time for me to see more than “Old Germany” and who also wanted us to visit her son in Bozeman, Mt. (I couldn’t believe how huge Montana was — with mountains everywhere!) My nephew, Austin, is filled with an indomitable passion for the mountains and mountain climbing to the extent he serves on Montana’s Volunteer Mountain Rescue and Recovery Search Team. (His “bean pole” frame and wiry, agile body help him to scale heights where my mind would never fathom to take me!)
Austin’s volunteerism is obviously high-risk and life threatening. He’s had to sleep hanging over a mountain’s edge in a rescue basket. Ridges with a 45-degree angle (the farthest point protruding behind him) can be challenging! I asked Austin if he had any fears. His response, “Unc, I’m always afraid! I never did like heights.” (Sounds like a wrong profession to be in, doesn’t it?) He said, “Unc, fear is always present which makes me be careful where I climb. We can’t let our fears master us. My fears give me that extra shot of adrenalin to go the extra mile to save someone.” Wise words from a 21-year-old! (Sounds like Peter on water until it splashed his face and he sank out of fear.)
In two weeks, Austin leaves for Alaska to be trained and licensed as a mountain EMT and eventually Rescue Paramedic. Youth are filled with such passion, zeal, idealism and daring. Somewhere along the way we tend to lose ours, don’t we? It would be naive to think that nothing could ever happen to Austin in his high risk occupation, but he has chosen a very “narrow road” few of us dare take. I’m very proud of him for many reasons, but one is for the “love he’s willing to give to save someone, a stranger.”
Pray God nothing will ever happen to Austin, or to the many other people who serve on our volunteer fire departments, or in any form of civil service such as the police force, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, civil defense, National Guard, Red Cross, or the military. Austin reminded me to thank God for those who serve us unnoticed, until we need them. Let us pray for them asking God to guard their steps, protect them, and give their families peace. Let us also thank God that, if anything should ever happen to anyone who serves us in this capacity, God will never forget how generously they laid down their lives for our well-being.