aeternus

I thought I would post a couple of photos from our 4th of July Adventure and tell our little story…

We enjoyed a humble bar-b-que with a family who are some old neighbors and fellow parishoners. They are very anti-cultural in America in that they use their car quite sparingly. Biking is the favored mode of transportation. (For those who do not live in the U.S. you don’t know how shocking this is!) In any case, we brought along our bikes (they lent me one of their extras since I don’t have one). After our big meal of hamburgers we convoyed downtown through the mayhem of Festivalers toward the Riverfront. Before starting out I earnestly begged our Guardian Angels to stick to us like glue and keep trouble from us. (I especially asked for protection for my daughter for this was going to be her biggest and most challenging biking effort to date!)

Of course the children insisted on getting as close to the Gateway Arch as possible so we really had to crawl our way through the crowds. I really don’t enjoy crowds so this was a difficult experience, however, I try very hard not to be the one who ruins the fun. So onward and Eastward we navigated until we were near the Arch grounds. It was our little group along with nearly a 100,000 or so others who were vying for the best fireworks viewing position. I did not want to panic, but there were just TOO many other bodies in too little space. In a moment of clear and prayerful thinking (and because I wanted to get a good photo) I suggested we move South a bit and go over toward the Old Cathedral of St. Louis. Everyone agreed to this and we crossed a few more little streets and VOILA - Sanctuary! I don’t know why, but we ended up being the only ones there! There was nobody around (well, maybe there were 12 others or so) and it was safe and very peaceful just 100 yards away from the roaring crowds! As usual, I just need to TRUST more for Our most merciful Lord always shows me the path!

The fireworks were fun and the children just had a wonderful time together. I’m sure they will always remember this year biking down through the crowds and finding repose outside God’s house. For my daughter this was a big ride and she kept up with everyone just fine. As we peddled home we were getting a bit tired going uphill when we drove past a dark area and looked down a pathway. There shining brightly was a shrine to Our Lady at St. Raymond’s Marionite Cathedral. We peddled down the path and said a few Ave’s to our Mother and admired the lovely mosaic to St. Charbel a Lebanese hermit. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1977 and said: “a new eminent member of monastic sanctity is enriching, by his example and his intercession, the entire Christian people. May he make us understand, in a world largely fascinated by wealth and comfort, the paramount value of poverty, penance and asceticism, to liberate the soul in its ascent to God…”

(In the mosaic pictured here below there are two other saints, but I admit to not knowing exactly who they are.)
Anyway, what a blessing this night turned out to be. What is an ordinary life event becomes a special one filled with little graces and blessings. He is everywhere if we look for Him. God is good indeed!

As a p.s. to the story… We met another nice young family last evening and they invited us to a day of Gaelic festivities this afternoon. I have never watched Hurling before, but I gotta admit that if I was 20 years younger I’d be out running around with my stick wacking that ball. It is the perfect mix of Field Hockey, Baseball and Soccer which were my three favorite sports back in my young and athletic days. What an exciting game! Miss Veritas (if you are reading) do ya’ want ta play?!