Warmly Welcomed
(audio version)
Read: Philemon 1-7
Several years ago I had the opportunity to go to Italy at Easter with three other women. It was a trip of a life time! None of us spoke Italian or had been there before but with Rick Steve’s guide book in hand we set out to explore the country. We took a gondola ride in Venice, rubbed the boar's snout in Florence, walked the hillside hiking trails that linked the towns of Cinque Terre. We toured the Galleria degli Uffizi, stood in awe of Michelangelo’s David at the Gallerie dell’Accademia, tossed coins in the Tivoli fountain, and saw the Coliseum ruins in Rome. A whirlwind of people, places and history.
When we returned home and reminisced about our grand adventure, all 4 of us agreed that one place touched us all. That was the town of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, where the Basilica of St. Francis is located. We stayed at a Monastery: St Anthony’s – Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement Guest House. There we were greeted by the Sisters and warmly welcomed into their home. We ate meals with them, talked, laughed and prayed with them. They shared their life stories with us. It was truly the most peaceful place I have ever been. Walking in the olive tree grove there you could feel God’s arms of comfort and love. Sitting on the hillside overlooking the valley you could hear the soft whisper of God’s voice in the gentle breeze. A very different experience from the hustle and bustle of the trip. The hospitality of the Sisters will always remain in my heart. I smile when I think of the day that we left them there, each of us were given a brown paper bag sack lunch for our trip and they said a prayer for safe travels. I still have that brown paper bag tucked away in the guide book. (I can hear Rob say “I’m sure you do. You don’t throw away anything!”) If I know the Ladies that I traveled with they too still have their paper bag. It may be an old empty crumpled brown paper bag but it holds so much more.
Dear God, Father and Holy Spirit, Thank you for the places that we can go and feel your amazing love through the people and nature that only you can create. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Hospitality
Julie Battle (College Grove UMC)
(audio version)
Read: Philemon 1-7
Several years ago I had the opportunity to go to Italy at Easter with three other women. It was a trip of a life time! None of us spoke Italian or had been there before but with Rick Steve’s guide book in hand we set out to explore the country. We took a gondola ride in Venice, rubbed the boar's snout in Florence, walked the hillside hiking trails that linked the towns of Cinque Terre. We toured the Galleria degli Uffizi, stood in awe of Michelangelo’s David at the Gallerie dell’Accademia, tossed coins in the Tivoli fountain, and saw the Coliseum ruins in Rome. A whirlwind of people, places and history.
When we returned home and reminisced about our grand adventure, all 4 of us agreed that one place touched us all. That was the town of Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, where the Basilica of St. Francis is located. We stayed at a Monastery: St Anthony’s – Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement Guest House. There we were greeted by the Sisters and warmly welcomed into their home. We ate meals with them, talked, laughed and prayed with them. They shared their life stories with us. It was truly the most peaceful place I have ever been. Walking in the olive tree grove there you could feel God’s arms of comfort and love. Sitting on the hillside overlooking the valley you could hear the soft whisper of God’s voice in the gentle breeze. A very different experience from the hustle and bustle of the trip. The hospitality of the Sisters will always remain in my heart. I smile when I think of the day that we left them there, each of us were given a brown paper bag sack lunch for our trip and they said a prayer for safe travels. I still have that brown paper bag tucked away in the guide book. (I can hear Rob say “I’m sure you do. You don’t throw away anything!”) If I know the Ladies that I traveled with they too still have their paper bag. It may be an old empty crumpled brown paper bag but it holds so much more.
Dear God, Father and Holy Spirit, Thank you for the places that we can go and feel your amazing love through the people and nature that only you can create. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Hospitality
Julie Battle (College Grove UMC)
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