The gloves in the photo should tell any experienced motorcyclist that it's been very WET today.
Today started out glorious. Big huge blue sky, rolling countryside of Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, crisp air, etc... Made it to Our Lady of the Shenandoah Catholic Church for Mass at 8:30am. There was a visiting priest there who said he was from Guatemala. He spoke well and preached on the readings of the day. Immediately after Mass, as he prepared to expose the Blessed Sacrament (bonus!!!!), a man came forward and blew out the candles!!! I slowly got up, walked to the side table, relit the candles and cleared the altar for the priest. We sang together in Latin and then slowly, the whole congregation emptied. He was a kind, older priest who right away asked if I could understand him. I responded, "Si, mi Padre." English is something he will ahve to work on... just as I need to work on my Spanish!!!
As I rode North on two-laners towards I-81, I began to think about the gospel today. I thank God for Thomas and his doubt. We should all breathe a little easier knowing that one of the twelve still doubted Jesus even after the REZ, and his appearing in the upper room! All that time with him during his ministry. All those miracles, all those teachings in Truth. And still, Thomas doubted Jesus.
While I profess belief in the risen Lord Jesus, I often forget Him. It's not that I don't believe in Him, but that I crowd my mind and my heart with other things that distract me from the direct presence I experienced this morning at Mass and during exposition. "Yes Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief." (Mark 9:24). This is sadly often my motto. "Blessed are those that see and yet believe," are the words that struck me this morning. I thought about my ability to see Jesus each day.
Especially since my ordination and before then, I get to see Jesus moving in and around people all the time. The structure of my morning and evening prayer, and assisting various priests in the Mass help me to "see" Jesus liturgically and sacramentally. But I also see Him in others too, and all of the time! How is it that I can see Him around constantly, and forget him all the same? This is my goal of this ride: To clear my mind and heart to focus in on Christ. To seek his face in all things, even where to stop for gas, when to switch lanes, how fast to go, and what to order in a restaurant, and when I need to be taught to pray.
So, I did better today. There was a ton of rain in all of PA and in most of NY so far. I got hailed on twice which hurts if you must know... Each time I changed my gloves and got set again looking to Northern clear skies, it would just open up on me again and again. I kept thinking of my three days in BC in 07-- Sun and Moon, Bless the Lord, Sun and rain, Bless the Lord, dew, etc... I remember seeing the irony of that Psalm one morning. Whew!
A few people that I thought a lot about today are, The Feist family, my daughter Sophie who is heading off to Ireland with her Grandmother (think auntie mame), my Son Patrick and my wife Ellie. I prayed for Jason D., and for Steve M., and for my friend Maggie B. who is going through a rough stretch, for the teachers and staff at KCHS, for my Parish of St. Albert the Great and our building completion, for the people struggling in the Chancery, for Bishop Stika, and for all those people that can't seem to stay out of the left lane (God Bless them).
Tomorrow will bring a border crossing (may it be short), and my first entry into Eastern Canada on two wheels. Until tomorrow then, Amen...
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