Going places

I did not really think it would turn out this way. But looking at my schedule over the rest of the summer, I am going to be traveling a few times. Most of the trips are going to be related to my work in Latin America. Later in August, I will be on vacation.

Looking out into the church on Sundays, it seems I am not alone in this reality. Lots of folks plan trips and vacations during the summer. In fact, a common question seems to be among friends, “Are you going to get away this summer?” Often, it seems, the answer is affirmative and, if the travel is not coming in the summer, it is planned soon after.

One member of the parish is planning a trip to a few countries in Europe these days and we were talking about all there is to see in some of those spots. This reminded me of what a bad tourist I am. I don’t like to sight-see. I find museums exhausting. And beautiful as ancient cathedrals and galleries might be, they make my head ache even before my feet. Maybe I have never been a very good tourist, and I know I am not one at this phase of my life.

However, the idea of “getting away”, leaving that which is familiar and routine and changing one’s locus, even for a few days, that is something else. I like that. I like the sounds, the sights, the smells, and the feel of a new place. I notice everything about a new place:  traffic patterns, radio stations, the taste of local water, the billboards and the way everyone talks and interacts. The fact that it is different from where I live and breathe every day is refreshing and enjoyable—most of the time.

I guess I am amazed at the entire human enterprise. When we stay in one place for a long time, we are inclined to forget that there are lots of people in lots of other places, living and dying, just the way we are, yet in their own unique culture, language, voice, climate,  and beat. Somehow, when I immerse myself in these other ways, I appreciate my own point of view in a fresh new way. If I allow it to happen, I can see entirely new and different ways to live and do things, that never occurred to me. My point of view is broadened and my reference point is richer.

Travel and new experiences can really be occasions of grace. We can be amazed by the grandeur and beauty, the starkness and struggle, the simplicity and ingenuity of others living differently than we live. In all of this, if we look deeply, we can see traces of Grace. God is present, loving, encouraging, forgiving, and delighting in the magnificence of all of His creation. So, if for a week or two, you have a chance to join God and see a bit of all this wonder—go for it! Have a wonderful vacation this summer.

Fr. Ronan

jronan@stmarystcatherine.org