Images from a Pilgrimage

Images from a Pilgrimage

(from group members, composed by Bonita & Leitha, pictures from Dan)

   The sound of a holy hush descends on the bus for morning prayer.  Outside the bus window, olive trees dot green fields scattered with red poppies swaying in the sun.

   The poppies follow us even inside ancient ruins.  At Ephesus we pass under stone arches where Paul walked to the marketplace to preach.

   A few miles away we celebrate communion and do it again a second time in Corinth.  We feel the presence of all those who have gone before-- celebrating this same ritual in these same places. 

   Something special happens.  Dan has brought his flock across the world to see the site of his Paul conversion experience:  a huge fallen marble beam that dedicated the temple to “The World Conquer Caesar, the Son of God, the God Augustus.”   Dan’s tears make ours flow.   

   Tears flow . . .  sometimes in joy:

   Ginny sweetly struts down the aisle of the bus as she models her 50^th wedding anniversary present, a new leather coat.  Applause, whistles, cat calls! 

   In such near memory our treasured child, Kelly, now grown to youthful bloom, keeps us in tune with her ukulele and pure voice.

   Tears flow . . . sometimes in awe:

   We marvel-- a Catholic High Mass wedding upstairs, a Russian Orthodox worship service downstairs, simultaneously taking place in the same church.

   Our rich, full acappella Alleluia fills the domed chapel in the ancient catacombs.  Once again we feel the presence of those who’ve gone before, singing this same sacred word in this same room.

   Surely the Presence of the Lord is in this Place, we sing, as we exit each country.

   Day after day we’ve experienced over and over what St. Paul was up against:  emperor worship, oracles, idol worship, a world pre-occupied with pagan rituals.  Yet Paul with his rag-tag groupings of people changed the course of history.  His voice rings out:  Gentile and Jew, servant or free, woman or man, no more.  Peace through Justice.  The Body of Christ, he calls the Church.  It’s not something you attend.  It’s something in which you participate, he says.

  

   We end our pilgrimage with this song.  St. Paul, we learned to love you, as we traveled on this journey.