This is quite overdued, but I appreciate you taking the time (& patience) to... well, read how the Bike For Life Pilgrimage went a few weeks ago. Our last day was actually on the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi. Just some of my personal highlights of the pilgrimage:
Got invited to the Holy See Embassy and had some sodas with the Papal Nuncio
Met & spoke with Fr. Benedict Groschel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Reunited with some friends that I haven't seen in a while
Finally meeting friends, Fr. John Larson, MIC & Vicki J (Missionaries of the Eucharist), in person. Haha.
Catching up with CFRs who just came back to the US from Honduras
However, the major highlight of the pilgrimage was the work of God, not exteriorly, but interiorly. This is only me speaking for myself here, mind you ... but this pilgrimage must have been one of the most challenging times I had to endure. Sanctifying, purifying, humbling. And in turn, it must been one of the most spiritually rewarding times as well!
A lot of exterior challenges were met during the pilgrimage itself (i.e. schedule changes, location changes, route changes, weather changes, geographic changes, maintenance work on bikes, rude drivers, physical exhaustion, I got sick one day & an accident another day, etc.). It was like the further we got through the week, the harder it got! And I will say in all honesty, I absolutely loathed biking up hills! Let me say it again:
I absolutely loathed biking up hills!
There was one time I remember clearly that I battled up this one hill to only realize that once I got to the top that there were 2 more hills ahead of me. There was another time that the hill was so steep, I finally had to admit to myself half-way up that I (or rather my pride & depending on my own strength) couldn't do it and had to dismount off the bike and humbly walk the rest up. God knows how many hills were endured!
Once we finally arrived to Washington D.C. on the 9th & final day of the pilgrimage, there was this one long hill ascending up to the National Basilica. Already in my mind I am entertaining doubts & frustration; however, as we're biking up, I hear the Sisters of Life and the children shouting with joy that we were finally reaching our destination. I finished off the tail-end of this stream of bikes, and my body at this point is in physical pain from the accident I had taken a few hours before and my muscles are thoroughly burning.
Finally I arrive to the top, and stop at the intersection in front of the Basilica only to be taken back by the amazing scene that was taking place before me. I'm staring at this absolutely beautiful church where Jesus is awaiting inside present in the Most Holy Eucharist... the place where Heaven meets earth... the place where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary... and outside of it is this round beautiful garden which has a round driveway surrounding it. And on this driveway, the children and the religious sisters in their beautiful habits are biking several times around the garden proclaiming praises to God that we had finally made it! The scene made me think of angels flying around the Throne of God.
We just finished a crucial 9-days of biking which consisted of many physical, mental, emotional & spiritual challenges. There were times of tears and times of laughter. There were times when we failed and there were times when we succeeded. There were times of doubt, anger or confusion... and times of happiness, joy and peace. There were times when we divided and times when we were together. But above all, we persevered in this race to our destination with a firm purpose to offer it up for the sanctity of life and for God to be glorified above all. That's when it dawned on me that symbolically what was taking place... was Heaven!
Therefore, I leave you with this:
"...Persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith..." - Hebrews 12:1-3
The pilgrimage ended with a beautiful Mass celebrated by some of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, and joining us in the congregation were other pro-life groups: Missionaries of the Eucharist & Crossroads. Thank you for all of your prayers for the fruits of this pilgrimage. Only in Heaven will you know what benefits they reaped...
... but this pilgrimage must have been one of the most challenging times I had to endure. Sanctifying, purifying, humbling. And in turn, it must been one of the most spiritually rewarding times as well! 
Comments (1)
this is wonderful!