...ciao Jesus

Sirmione, Lake Garda, Lombardy

we never know what to expect when we venture off on our travels

our only expectation was 'a lake'

and on this Friday in Lent 

hopefully some fresh caught fish for dinner

 

  

little did we know there would be a castle...with a moat

The Scaliger Castle (13th century)

 

    

 

and even less expected was walking across the draw bridge to enter the fortified city

and seeing a chapel built right into the wall

Sant’Anna della Rocca (12th Century)

 

and while everyone around us ate three scoop high gelati

even the silly ducks eat gelato?!?!

I received the most beautiful unexpected gift since our time in Italy

Adoration

we were unaware that the Pope had established Friday, March 13 

as a day of Adoration

how sweet it was to roam into yet another Italian chapel

and to find myself humbled and bowed down before Jesus

I have missed our mornings together...

I walked away from however long I knelt and wept in that ancient little chapel 

surrounded by frescoes from the 14th century

feeling new...

rejuvenated..breathing again

After the success of the initiative in 2014, the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization also proposed for Lent 2015, 24 hours to the Lord , on days 13 to 14 March. God is rich in mercy (Eph 2.4) is the theme that will guide the reflection in 2015. Francis Pope will preside at the penitential liturgy in St. Peter's, thus the sacrament of reconciliation at the center of the path of the new evangelization for the whole Church.

The Pope himself invites all dioceses to participate . It would therefore be important to provide a ' special opening of the churches on days 13 and 14 March, according to the possibilities and needs of individual local churches, offering the possibility of Confessions and Eucharistic Adoration . The day could end with the celebration of Sunday Mass on Saturday afternoon.

and the sweetest moment of those few precious moments set aside and made holy

was when a father and his two little girls finished their visit

they genuflected and blessed themselves repeating carefully after their dad

"nel nome del Padre, del Figlio e dello Spirito Santo...Amen"

...then with a wave they whispered...

"ciao Jesus...."

I smiled and cried a few more tears

we walked through the little town
past shops selling their local wares...lavender...
   
                                       
              

 

a bim baam head duck...

 

and as twilight took it's rightful place at the end of the day

we drove around to the other side of the lake looking for a place for dinner

 

and oh my to find again my new favorite food

'pasta with truffle creme sauce'

and polenta with fresh caught lake fish

 

and coffee before and after

  

  

and of course grappa as you walk out the door