My time traveling before and during World Youth Day coincided with a number of important dates in my life.
Chief, perhaps, among them was the tenth anniversary of my first vows, August 6. This also happened to be the day of the Papal Mass, which means it was a day of pandemonium!!!
What do I mean? After the Mass, we were part of a mass of over a million people all trying to leave the same place at the same time, subject to intense heat and sun. If you've been to a World Youth Day, you understand. There is a beautiful Mass, powerful words, a final blessing and then... CHAOS.
We got separated from a few youth struggling with heat-related sickness, but eventually we all found our way back to our buses for a ride which was an extension of our pilgrimage as we traveled 22 hours on bus with somewhat insufficient breaks. It was not the best of times.
Fortunately, I was sitting next to one of the members of the Community of the Beautitudes, a woman I really respect and whose company I thoroughly enjoyed. Once we settled in and braced ourselves for the ride, I told her it was my 10th anniversary of vows. "Congratulations!" she said, then, "This is about the right way to spend the day, isn't it?"
I laughed aloud and heartily agreed. It had been a day of beauty, frustration, helping people and feeling helpless, and it ended with a great deal of uncertainty. A perfect anniversary!
I continued to reflect during the ride on the gift it is to be a sister. It was especially fun during this pilgrimage that Sr. Eliana and I had so much time with sisters from another community and were able to realize just how much we share. We slept on floors next to each other, did laundry together, weathered last-minute schedule changes in multiple languages together, prayed together, and, finally, wordlessly supported one another mostly by the sheer fact of being there.
Returning home to my community, I am delighted to be surrounded by my own sisters again. The home I have here is a privilege and gift, and I know I am only able to give myself "out there" because of the love received in here.
At one point in our pilgrimage, I explained to a few people that I consider myself to be "God's Most Spoiled Child" because great things seem to happen to me without precedent. A member of my small group asked me what was the biggest instance of God spoiling me. I actually surprised myself a little by immediately saying, "Being a sister - this is the biggest miracle and gift in my life."
- Sr. Agnes Therese Davis, T.O.R.
