In-Between Sets of Doors

roads, road, journey, end, way
MorgueFIles - road
918 From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Catechism of the Catholic Church
I just returned from a day and a half visit back with my parents in West St. Paul, Minnesota.  I had taken advantage of the opportunity to ride with one of my co-workers’ family members on a quick trip to Minneapolis.

The visit was short and sweet, and to the point, you might say.  Nonetheless, I was able to get in a visit to Minnehaha Falls (one of my favorite spots), wooded hikes with my dad, visits with family and friends, and a long bike ride around my ‘old stomping ground.’

Monday afternoon, my parents had another commitment, and I had a little errand to run.  They offered me the use of one of their bikes, on which my dad checked the air in the tires.  I took off, then for a lovely afternoon.  Biking is a favorite mode of transportation for me since I am unable to drive a car due to my vision.

Not totally unusual for me, I missed my turn and ended up taking the ‘scenic route.’  I made my way back and found my destination without too much trouble.

Remembering

After taking care of business in there, I headed back out and made my way to Charlton, a main street in the area, which would lead me on my way to St. Joseph’s Church, where I wanted to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and sneak in a little time for prayer.

It was like old times, biking up to the church and sneaking it through the doorways.  Rather than hassle with locking the bike up, I had long ago learned to stash a bike in the cloak area.  (I’ve seen others use this space for their bikes as well.)

This biking and parking experience on a gorgeous September afternoon reminded me of another time I had biked to St. Joe’s Church years before.

I was in quite a different place at that time.  Rather than enjoying a bike ride and making a Visit during a brief stay with my family, at that time I was still living at home and had biked up to Church to meet with our pastor.

Called to Religious Life

915  The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience.Catechism of the Catholic Church

I felt called to Religious Life but didn’t know where I should look, what I should do.  The meeting with him was helpful.  (To this day I am most grateful for his guidance.)  At the end, he said: “Where’d you park; I’ll walk you out.”

Somehow, he didn’t realize that I could not drive because of my vision.

At that time, the Church had not yet been remodeled and the best bikers’ parking space was between the two sets of doors off the parking lot shared by the church and school.

I had to answer him by saying “In-between the two sets of doors.”  I don’t think that was the answer he was expecting but when I reflect back, my answer was a perfect metaphor for how I felt as I tried to decide which community God was calling me to and how to find it.

The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God.455 In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come. Catechism of the Catholic Church
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