Another Transition Day by Susan Damiano (student minister)
As we begin our journey to Rome today the team is sad to leave Assisi but excited also to be heading to Rome to continue in the footsteps of St. Francis. We ride in our two vans from the serene landscapes of Umbria into the hustle and bustle of Rome .
After settling in we headed off to the subway for a ride to the Colosseum. When we came out of the subway station there stood the massive structure built for the “entertainment of the Roman citizens”. The gladiator fights began with the games of feeding the Christians to the lions. What an awesome feeling for each of the pilgrims to be standing in a place that’s almost two thousand years old. Shawn told us the inspiring story of Telemachus, a monk from Asia, who journeyed west at God’s insistence. Telemachus effectively ended the tradition of gladiator fights by being martyred at the Colosseum while yelling “in the name of Christ, stop!”
This has been a remarkable pilgrimage. The kids have grown in numerous ways: in maturity, spirituality, love and compassion. I will always feel in my heart the love they showed to each other and the leaders of this pilgrimage. Their prayers and reflections every day touched each one of us. While each of our locations offered insights into God’s love for us, everyone on the pilgrimage was touched by God in some way, in some place, in Assisi. Thanks Shawn and Cheryl.