Benedizone Italia

     On March 15, 2022, after exactly two years of pandemic isolation, I boarded a plane – destination Italy. An unimaginable blessing, filled with incredible extra-ordinary and ordinary experience. The fuller blessing coming from being present to the ordinary.
     After landing in Rome, we grabbed our bags, met our warmhearted and accommodating tour guide, Angelica and took to the road with our skillful and chivalrous charter bus driver, Fabricio. Who knew that in just eight days we could become paison. It also didn’t take long for me to be comfortable and in a spiritual way feel like I was coming home.
     First stop Assisi – wandering the cobble stone streets I reflected on how St Francis revealed to the world that the fuller sense of peace comes from encountering Christ and choosing to follow him. After visiting the Church of St Clare, I couldn’t stop thinking about a young beautiful noble woman, who heard his message, was touched by it, desired it, and the purpose of her life altered forever.
     Next stop Florence, still a wealthy city, where trade and finance is evident. But what I wondered the most about is how and why so many great creative geniuses came from here: Michelangelo, Botticelli, Angelico, Donatello, Brunelleschi, Dante, Vespucci, Lorenzo de Medici. And yet sadly for the Church, where Pope Leo X (Giovanni Medici) is from too (devised the sacrilegious idea of selling indulgences to refill the coffers he emptied seeking political gain which caused the Protestant Reformation).
     The time spent viewing the Amalfi Coast and touring the town of Sorrento is a must authentic Italian experience: food, street life, beaches and scenery is too charming and memorable to miss.
     The Island of Capri is one of the most beautiful places in the world … Make it a bucket list destination! Limoncello gelato is a must!!
     Pompeii holds one of the most famous archaeologist sites in the world and one’s imagination can’t help but be captured, but what stood out to me the most is how human beings continue to mirror the best and the worst of antiquity. The ancient ruins reveal incredible wisdom, fortitude, and courage. It also reveals pride, greed, lust, envy, and injustice.
     The day spent in Monte Cassino satisfied a decades old longing. My great uncle was a Benedictine Abbot. He was far and away the holiest man I have ever known. My hope in coming here was to reconnect to him and maybe understand him a bit more than I did in my childhood. I remained in silence as much as I could, and I let my mind and heart be opened to all that Benedictine Spirituality meant to my uncle. What penetrated me was just like in the days of Benedict we too know a world in tremendous crisis of values and is in moral decay. I felt the presence here of something profoundly peaceful and not of the world but can be present to the world. I understand better how one can be in this world, but not be of it. That the truest self comes from centering one’s life much more on Jesus and becoming molded into his likeness. Further clarity on this came after leaving the beautiful monastery and encountering a young lady, who waited on me in a restaurant. Christine had moved from Romania to Monte Cassino looking for answers. After answering her question why, I came to Monte Cassino she opened up and shared the deepest longings of her heart – to really be loved and to really know God. I provided some spiritual direction, she hugged me and thanked me for taking so much time to listen to her and blessing her life this day. She doesn’t know how much she blessed mine.
     They say all roads lead to Rome. The balance of the pilgrimage was spent encountering the ancient past and ever-present relevance found there. One of my hopes was to visit all four major Basilica’s: St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, St. Paul’s, and St. Peter’s; pray, light candles for those I promised, and make a good Confession – realized : ) And still, it was in staying in the ordinary of each day where I was richly blessed. The complete story of my personally meeting Pope Francis and having a short conversation is too long to tell here, but it happened because of my being present to the ordinary in the moment. His looks revealed so much to me about him and it’s an encounter that is uniquely comforting and encouraging to me.
God’s design was for me to also encounter Sr. Iubingu (Flame) and Mother Lilato (Love), Sisters of St. Clare/Poor Clare Nuns from Lusaka, Zambia. I will keep the details of our miraculous encounter to myself, but yes flame and love are most fitting.
     To say this pilgrimage was good for the soul falls short, but that it was. No pilgrimage is meant just for that person, we are meant to share what God gives us. So, for what it is worth –  The real tragedy of life isn’t losing one’s life to disease, illness, age, or accident, but losing sight of never finding the perfect love of God. I’m ever grateful for receiving God’s love, grace, and mercy.