As we pulled up to the traffic light of the main road in our hometown after a 16-day whirlwind road trip of visits TN-PA-NY-NJ-PA-TN, I hadn’t been paying close attention to how close we were to home. Nothing compares to knowing you are close to home, that familiar bed, not having to live out of a suitcase, and having all the comforts that come with home. I could literally feel relief spread over me—almost home…
I visited a friend a few days before, and we talked about how hard it is to recall day-to-day, this world is not the end; we were created for another place, an endless place, eternity. What we think of as home on earth is a glimmer of our true home. This life…it’s the road trip, sometimes enjoyable and smooth sailing with beautiful vistas and sunny skies and other times traffic jams and broken air conditioning in stormy weather, maybe even a flat tire with no spare in your trunk.
The road map of life is Scripture—how to get to our eternal destination. The fuel is the sacraments, filling ourselves up with grace to get us to our destination. The longer the journey and the bigger the loads, the more fuel we need—in cars and in life!
For long road trips, a lot of baggage is typically involved. For a select few pros, you might find a single backpack or duffel—these are those people who have truly turned everything over to Jesus—total trust. But for most families, many bags are packed in a variety of ways. Just like in life, where some people let their emotional baggage hang out there for all to see; others have theirs neatly packed away in a hardcase roller bag which they don’t want anyone to touch; and still others have several different types of bags packed in a variety of ways that make sense to them.
We make stops because we need them, because we want them, or because we have no choice but to stop. In life, we pause on our path for any number of reasons—sometimes we feel lost, sometimes we need redirection, other times we simply want to slow down, desiring quality time with those we love, and still other times we have to face a season where illness, death, job loss or a number of other challenges have us veering off from the planned route. We know where we are going; the stop or detour is part of the journey. This is where Mama Mary is key.
On our way to PA, I drove; my husband went to see his sister perform. When he drives, I am available to tend to the kids and their variety of needs—being too hot, too cold, needing snacks, chargers, etc. But in the driver’s seat, I couldn’t do much unless we had stopped for gas or to eat. On the way home, my husband drove, and I was in my usual passenger seat role. There were moments where I was telling him, the kids are hungry; pull off here. Or on this particular trip, my son needed football pants for conditioning early the next day and we had to find a sporting goods store along the way. I wasn’t yanking the steering wheel and making my husband exit, but he knew what I wanted to happen and when I wanted it to happen. It made me think of how Mary is for us with Jesus on our road trip to heaven.
She is listening to our requests, looking ahead to see our needs and making sure we make the stops, get the things and what she can’t do herself, she is telling Jesus—hey, this girl needs some refueling do you think we could clear that weekend for a retreat. You get the idea… Mary is our mom, making sure we get what we need or withholding what we don’t. (I assure you I took screens from my kids multiple times during our drive home and they weren’t pleased.)
When I think about this life as a road trip, I wonder what I am packing these days…can I lighten the load? Do I have what I need? What’s still missing? Am I praying to Mary? Can I see when she is doing something for my own good even when I might not like it? Do I trust she is talking to Jesus, but that Jesus can hear my requests too? Am I enjoying the ride knowing the best destination is on the horizon? Home. There will be nothing like it.
Praying for all of you on this road trip with me—may your tank be full and your skies be sunny, but if things don’t go as planned, be comforted by love and memories that are funny! (…and knowing what awaits.)
“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” John 14:3
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