A man of peace

The tomb of St. Francis

Today was a rest day for us here in Assisi. We had some errands to attend to but mostly it was just a day to relax in this very holy town. We all visit many places for one reason or another. For Robin and I our travels tend to be connected to our faith more than anything else. Everybody has a focus and that just happens to be ours. Over the years we have been fortunate to visit several places that are central to our Catholic faith. We have been to Rome, Jerusalem, Santiago de Compostela, Lourdes, Fatima, and several others. What dawned on me today was how important Assisi is to our faith journey. This is the second time we have visited here, but the first time arriving as a pilgrims on foot. Today we attended the 6:00 pm pilgrim mass once again and felt drawn to the spirit of St. Francis all the more. This holy place has a way of calling you even when you don't seem to realize it. As Robin and I offered prayers at the tomb of St. Francis after mass we felt ever more connected to the long lineage of the faithful who have journeyed to this place seeking the peace that St. Francis graciously offered. I must admit that in our human world of words and descriptions I cannot find the the right language that speaks to this experience. Perhaps a gift, a blessing, or even a call or an awakening. It is all hard to pin down. But suffice it to say, we feel we are changed for the better for having been here. In the end that is what is important about being on pilgrimage, and that is what will guide us. God willing, and with our faith strengthened, we will find the path that has been set out for us to follow. The fine point is to accept that revealed path joyfully. Now that might require just a bit more work, but with the our hearts filled with the joyful presence of St. Francis anything seems possible. We love this place.