In the fall of 2006, we received an invitation to participate in the Future Depends on Love Tour, a 9-day Pro-life solidarity novena from August 3-11, 2007. We had recently been inspired to embark on a Bike for Life Pilgrimage, so when the invitation arrived it was clear that Providence was at work bringing these causes and many other into solidarity for Life. Many participated in the Future Depends on Love Tour by walking, praying, biking and works of mercy.
During the nine days, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the Seminarians for Life walked from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. Other pedestrian prayer warriors joined the tour at the tail end of their three-month summer treks, including: The Missionaries of the Eucharist who walked from Maine to D.C. teaching on the Theology of the Body and the Crossroads Walkers, who walked four routes all summer from the West Coast to D.C., including one through Canada, spreading a quiet prayerful message simply stated on their tattered T-shirts "PRO-LIFE".
The Bike for Life Pilgrimage led cyclists for nine days from Raleigh, NC to Washington, D.C., proclaiming the Gospel of Life through their silent cycling, prayers of reparation and Eucharistic vigils. The Bike for Life was graced by the participation of young adults, families with children ages 5 – 16, a priest and 7 Sisters of Life who rode in their habits and who, by the sustenance of God's Grace, withstood the heat.
On August 4th, the feast of St John Vianney, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the Seminarians for Life began their Future Depends on Love Tour heading toward Washington, D.C. At the same time the Bike for Life Pilgrimage was sent off with a blessing of holy water by Bishop Burbidge following a Mass commemorating his first year as Bishop of Raleigh.
With drinking water and holy water at our side, we pilgrims road away from the world and entered a life of wind, heat, exhaustion, and prayer where we could be reminded each day of our dependence on our Creator. It was a time to focus our sufferings for the benefit of tiny lives that have no voice, the elderly who are not heard, and many more who through language barriers are not understood. We all offered our interior and exterior struggles to the Lord through the Immaculate Heart of our Mother Mary.
"Like any disciple of the Lord, the saints experienced suffering, conflicts, hardships and even persecution. They inspire us not because of their suffering but because of their trust in God's abiding love, especially in the time of hardship. Jesus was their rock, their fortress and their might." ~Bishop Burbidge from his homily on the occasion of All Saints Day 2006
"Pilgrimages have always been a significant part of the life of the faithful, assuming different cultural forms in different ages. A pilgrimage evokes the believer's personal journey in the footsteps of the Redeemer: it is an exercise of practical asceticism, of repentance for human weaknesses, of constant vigilance over one's own frailty, of interior preparation for a change of heart. Through vigils, fasting and prayer, the pilgrim progresses along the path of Christian perfection, striving to attain, with the support of God's grace, "the state of the perfect man, to the measure of the full maturity of Christ (Eph 4:13)." Pope John Paul II Incarnationis Mysterium
As our journey brought us closer to Our Lady's Immaculate Heart and nearer to her Shrine we were so aware of the power of prayer of 11 parishes in this Diocese of Raleigh who held holy hours and talks on the Gospel of Life. Many people prayerfully joined the Future Depends on Love Tour including religious communities and individuals stretching from Rome to England and throughout the United States were united in solidarity in this novena for life. We felt wrapped in Our Lady's mantle, deeply comforted by the prayers of the Church as our hearts cried out, "Jesus I trust in You."
In Alexandria, VA we met those who had sojourned from Philadelphia and Maine and as we biked through Old Town Alexandria we passed their procession which bore a Crucifix, an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a Vatican Flag. There was a tremendous feeling of hope experienced for the Culture of Life as witness was given throughout the city. In the afternoon we lunched by the Potomac River and remembered how far we had come. During Colonial times Catholics were not allowed to vote, to own land, or to run for office and here we were with our Vatican Flag proudly shown in our nation which was built on religious freedom. That evening we were graced by the presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist and then enjoyed the talk Fr. Benedict Groschel, CFR, in historic St. Mary's Catholic Church.
On the last day we were greeted at the Holy See Embassy by Archbishop Sambi, the Papal Nuncio. To our delight, all were invited to visit with him and experience the reality of our communion with our Holy Mother Church in Rome in a very profound way. This stop refueled or spirits as we made the final ascent of our journey. We cyclists chanted our responsorial, "Bike … for Life" as the blue dome of the Basilica came into view. Before the final dismount from our bikes we rode 7 laps around the circle at the foot of the Basilica! We soon found ourselves before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, in the company of all the other pilgrim groups, offering prayers of thanksgiving leading us to the final Mass celebrated by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, in the belly of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Through the beauty of the Church we are led on a personal pilgrimage each day toward the final destination to live in the presence of our Lord forever. Sometimes, to get away from the noise of the world, we need to step onto another path where we are temporarily totally abandoned to the Lord. It is our prayer that we will all live out our vocational call in the light of the "Gospel of Life" and do acts of love in our marriages, families, parishes, communities, and in all situations dealing with the dignity and sanctity of life. Let us be "Pencils of God" as Blessed Mother Teresa reminds us and to "do small things with great love."
Website of Future Depends on Love Tour: futuredependsonlove.com .
Bike for Life Pilgrimages: www.bikeforlifepilgrimage.com or write to bikeforlifepilgrimage@yahoo.com.
To see the beautiful photo gallery please go to www.paultomas.com/photography/bikeforlife.
