Ordination Exams : You Will Go Out in Joy

You will go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

will clap their hands.

When I was a student at the faculté de Théologie of Paris, we were given those verses (Isaiah 55:12) to translate from Hebrew at our term exams. I remember the growing doubt I had felt as I was working on it. I had not recognized the verses so I was perplex. Hills bursting into songs? Trees clapping their hands? Was I in the middle of a complete misinterpretation, so easy to get lost into in the Hebrew language?

I was reminded of those verses this week – oddly enough, the music of the «Sound of Music» was playing in the background. Isaiah must have inspired those lyrics: "The hills are alive with the sound of music / With songs they have sung for a thousand years…”

Why this overflowing euphoria that made me want to leap and twirl around in meadows like Julie Andrews? You guessed it: that was the relief to have passed my ordination exams. The long expected phone call finally came this week.

The process is not over yet though. I still have to experience Clinical Pastoral Education (internship in a hospital) and finally the ultimate trial: polish my own statement of faith and defend it at the Presbytery. In other words: more exciting upcoming events! To be followed…
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music

My heart wants to sing every song it hears…