Lives lived deliberately still impact

     This was my second trip to Rome, the first was so inspiring!  The first time I saw the churches, viewed ancient history, the magnificent art, and the physical proof of all I had seen in books, I was in awe.  This time I felt empowered.  Empowered because I was ready to make my own personal changes.  The stories of the Catholic saints and spiritual leaders of history--viewing their history, reading their own words, seeing pictures of their faces at their resting places and reading about their lives at museums, I found myself challenged, not only because I want to change, but because their lives prove that living deliberately is infectious.

     When I was waiting for Pope Francis to give Mass, I spent time watching the people who were waiting.  It was pouring down rain with the wind blowing.  I must tell you it was so cold, but I was warmed by the smiling faces of so many who wanted nothing more then to hear from God.  Old and young nuns, old and young priests, women, children, grown men all smiling and excited to be there.  I was there with 10 others representing the United States Farmers Union family farms.  My husband had spent four days discussing with powerful spiritual leaders about Faith, Food, and the Environment.  We were there to create a dialogue for family farmers, but in that moment I was there for a far more personal reason.  I had just spent four days doing tourist things and was left with the intense feeling that I was about to embark on the next phase of my life.  It is time I threw away fear and insecurities and just worked through the ideas!  Ideas that keep coming to me at a maddening pace!

 

A Friar from North Dakota.

      I visited the Church of the Bones, a Capuchin crypt, at the Santa della Concezione die Cappuccini, and although I was not allowed to take pictures, I would recommend that everyone research and find pictures of this church.  The 3,700 priests who belonged to this order and whom after they had died and had been buried for five years, had their bones removed and placed in one of several tiny art chapels.  One chapel was made up mostly of leg bones, an other hips, one was made from the skulls of the priest.  The message very clear; life is short live it for God!
     I was once again reminded of the heart of people, their needs, their hopes and desires, and how much we are alike and yet uniquely different.  I am a forgiven sinner no less in need of a savior then they.  I am blessed beyond words for I have so much more then is necessary.  I was reminded of that fact over and over not only from the words of spiritual giants I was reading about, but from people begging from the street, unwanted by the norm.  I leave you with this promise; to write more of the power of my visit to Rome and Pompeii.   I also want to give you two photographic imagines that I took  on this trip that still haunt me.  One of a little girl who was sent by her mother to beg on the train I was traveling on and the second of two gay men, at mass, humbly bowing in prayer!