Happy St. Joseph's Day!
This morning, Erin, Mary B., and I woke 10 minutes to 5, dressed, and ran down the hill in the dark. By five-ten the lights were on in Leo's and we thought we could stop for coffee since the bus didn't begin its route until 5:30.
Good thing we did not stop, because when we got in front of Leo's we saw the 870 stopped at the light. Without another thought we ran right through the intersection before it could move and made it so St. Peter's by 5:30. The sun was not up and the line already stretched down the road leading to St. Peter's. Miraculously, Corinne, Dylan, and Steve (and Kim, I think) found us with pastries and coffee in line - when we finished, they opened the gates, and we launched ourselves toward the Basilica.
I have never been so squished in a crowd. I was more or less carried through the first barrier, then found Corinne and Steve before going through security, where everyone found each other again and we made a massive pile of coats, bags, and sleeping selves as we waited.
The Mass was intense. The day became sunny and blue, and the choir sounded truly angelic floating above us, true beauty, true majesty. There was a moment when I became overwhelmed. I could not believe I was kneeling on the stones of St. Peter's square with hundreds of others, bearing witness to a new pope, inheriting the role of St. Peter. I'm eighteen. I'm in college. I care about coffee and Facebook photos and scarves. I do not, have not deserved to be so close to the pure majesty of history unveiling before us.
Corinne translated the Homily, which was wonderful- Pope Francis talked about St. Joseph, and while he is an image strength, an image of manly-man, he is also supremely tender. He was father and husband, strong and gentle. Francis said that tenderness is not weakness, but the mark of strength. Charity requires strength, strength of spirit and character. I cried. All of my memories of this semester will involve tears!
After Mass we went to Santa Maria in Trastevere and I found a cafe selling St. Joseph cakes (love these, childhood classic, shared with my dad). Erin and I studied at the cafe. Now I must finish my paper before it kills me.
St. Joseph, pray for us!
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