We have looked forward to this day, Palm Sunday, as a highlight in our journey. Before leaving home I requested tickets to attend Palm Sunday Mass with Pope Francis presiding. The letter from the Vatican, acknowledging the request and telling us where to pick- up our tickets reminded us how privileged we are to be a pilgrim during Holy Week.
Mass is at 9:30. We must be up early, checked-out of our hotel and in line for Mass. St. Peter's square holds 80,000 people. While we have tickets we don't have assigned seats. We arrive in-line an hour and a half before the service. A large crowd is already waiting . We are squished between people of all languages, colors, ages, lay and clergy. Some are holding olive branches, flags and banners. All are excited to be here. Small groups at a time are slowly let through to security scanners by the armed guards.
Once through, we are excited to find seats near the front. There are large screens on the sides so that everyone can view the service. Palms flank the great Basilica doors. The service begins with a great procession of Palms, followed by throngs of clergy and finally the Pope. An orchestra plays in the background. I look around. Huge numbers of people are in the square. I have never been in the midst of so many Christians. The service is in Italian and Latin. While I don't know what is being said, I know where we are at in the service.
The difficulty with not speaking the language is that I feel more like a spectator than a participant. Worship means the work of the people. I know I will want to spend some time reflecting more on this later.
The Pope preaches. People listen in silence. At the end of the service the Pope takes off his robes, comes forward and gets into the Pope Mobile. He invites a half dozen children to ride with him. The crowd cheers. People yell out, "We love papa." We are in the midst of a celebrity. You can tell he eagerly wants to be with his people. The car moves through the isles. He smiles and waves. I find myself standing on my chair smiling and waving. I too am caught up in the moment.
After the service we take a high speed train to Venice. After finding our bed and breakfast we hook-up to Wi-fi and quickly find his sermon. The link is below. We wish we had understood the words in the moment. He breaks from his apparent prepared words to welcoming the refuge.
These words speak to us:
"We are called to choose His way: the way of service, of giving, of forgetfulness of ourselves." Jesus, he concluded, "invites us to walk on his path. Let us turn our faces to Him, let us ask for the grace to understand something of the mystery of His obliteration for our sake; and then, in silence, let us contemplate the mystery of this Week."
Lessons Learned: "choose His way: the way of service, of giving, of forgetfulness of ourselves."
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