A Reflection from Florence

While we were in Rome, pilgrims in our group prepared reflections to share. Each day, as we were in a different location with different daily readings, we heard thoughts from the women and men with whom we journeyed.

Here is a reflection that was shared by Dr. Eileen Quinn Knight on our first full day in Florence while we were at the Duomo. You may want to take a glance at the day's readings, found here.

As we start the second day of our pilgrimage we ask you, Lord to place ourselves in your presence in a deeper way then we’ve accomplished before. We are yours and yours we wish to remain always.

First of all, in recognizing you we recognize the specialty of this sacred place. This place where many of us have never been before. In the book, “The Lure of the Lord, a sense of place in a multicentered society.”, Lucy Lippard directs us to the sacredness of place. Today we celebrate with you the sacred place at the Basilica of St. Maria de Fiore her in Florence where we put our prayerful mark on this side of the planet. Lippard states, “This land is important to me but even more important is the idea that it becomes a sacred place because someone has lived there, been there and loved someone in this place. We are here Lord with you in a special way.

In the Scriptures for today, Jesus tells His disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. 

It seems to be a curious pair – the Gospel reading from Luke and the reading from the 3rd letter of John - The Gospel seems to encourage personal advocacy in prayer. We are to be as determined as the widow in thw story who comes again and again before the unjust judge demanding a just decision against the judge’s adversity. John, however, urges us to be faithful in all you do for the brothers and sisters especially for strangers. Assuming that all you do includes prayer, it is to be done for others and in a particular way for strangers. One seems to focus inward in regard to prayer and the other seems to focus outward. 

Luke presents a picture of a woman who will not relent. If we are unrelenting and unwavering in bringing the needs of the stranger before God, if we are unrelenting and unwavering in working with and for the stranger, we can be sure of one thing – the strangers will cease to be the alien in our midst, becoming the one who is known and near, in our hearts and in all we do. 

Today, I beg of you my Lord, for all of us, to remove anything which separates me from You and You from me.