“We walk as pilgrims of hope towards the Holy Year, because in the rediscovery of our own vocation and by putting into effect the different gifts of the Spirit, we can be bearers and witnesses of Jesus' dream: to form a single family, united in the love of God and held together in bonds of charity, sharing and brotherhood.”
– Pope Francis
There is an inverse correlation between my age and the extent to which I invest in my children’s school projects. So, when Peter first began to describe his upcoming pilgrim project, I was barely paying attention. I took away that he needed to learn about one of his direct descendants that made the trip to America. In addition to writing a little report, each fifth grader needed to dress as their ancestor and bring in a little treat from their homeland for the class to enjoy. I outsourced Peter’s research support to his grandfather who was able to then share some information about his grandfather, Antonio Cellucci.
As the date of the pilgrim party approached, parents were invited to watch their child share their family history with their classmates. As the boys and girls pretended to be their relatives and tell their stories, I was struck by how proud they were to know their family’s story; to know how they were connected to an epic journey. While it wasn’t a journey they made, it was one that made them and that shaped the life they live today.
While Peter may have greeted the class with the few Italian words I taught him, I learned a lot more that day from my son about my great-grandfather. I couldn’t help but reflect on how little I think about the pilgrimage of family and faith that delivered me to my present life. Where do I see myself on that journey? Is it merely a historical event that happened to people I may or may not have met, or is it a pilgrimage still very much underway? Whether in my biological family or my spiritual family, what lineage of faith will be traced to me two generations from now?
After Peter’s presentation, I decided I would be a lot more invested in making sure we all knew who Antonio was and is to us. As we approach this week of gratitude for family and faith and approach the start of a Jubilee Year that calls us to be “pilgrims of hope,” let’s be sure to give thanks for those who brought us here and for the gift to bring others to Him. Happy Thanksgiving!
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