Written by Father Michael
The first of June is a marvelous day for a bike ride, my first along the lakefront since last year. All the beaches were packed with families and friends enjoying the warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze off the lake, a perfect combination. The sights were all familiar, but very fresh and vibrant. 31st street beach where I started my ride bustled with children and parents and grandparents. The squeals could be heard on the bike path of the brave adventurous children dipping their toes in the frigid Lake Michigan spring water. Grills were fired up emitting mouth-watering emissions and picnic fare spread out on the lawn under the shade of the trees. Couples walked hand-in-hand.
The ride continued past the Chicago fireman memorial just south of Soldier Field. Fire engine red peonies were ablaze around the memorial. White sails bob on the blue water. Blue Bonnets danced in the wind on Northerly Island. A few-in- the-know people enjoyed the seclusion of the small beach just South of Adler Planetarium. The bike traffic, foot traffic, roller bladers and bus like quad-cycles increase as we pass Grant Park and head towards Navy Pier. At Navy Pier just north and west is another gem of a park, Powell. It juts out into the lake and overlooks a party harbor of boats that cruised the area like I did in the 60’s down Indianapolis Bvld. pass Fat Boy’s and Kelly’s. There is also a magnificent view of Northwestern and The Hancock.
Continuing north you actually view the south Beach at Oak Street. The traffic is fast paralleling Lake Shore Drive. The leisure gives way to the rush. Then you come upon the chess players with their timers engrossed in their games just feet away from the volley ball courts of North Avenue Beach that stretch almost up to Belmont Harbor.
I needed to rest. As I sat there I think of all the graces I have received on this short ride. Andre Dubus writes in his Meditations from a Moveable Chair although the Catholic Church has seven sacraments that is only the tip of the iceberg. God gives seven time seven time seven sacraments, if we only take time and effort to receive them. If we just step out of our house, our car and just receive what is right here at our doorstep. Dubus writes from a moveable chair because he stopped on an expressway to help a disabled vehicle and hit by another car. He lost one leg in that accident and the other leg became immoveable. He was a writer and a runner. He never ran again and it took him years to get back to writing. He lived with constant physical pain.
Andre writes of the pain of loss of his legs, the pain of loss of his ability to get around. But he also writes about the grace of God in his life, his joy of the Eucharist. How we bipeds do not take advantage of it and how difficult it is for him with no legs to go to the Eucharist and how many of us choose not to partake. He has learned to live the Sacrament. In each grace he received, in each action he did he felt the presence of God. He was not the holiest of men, yet he was the holiest of men. He could still drink and cuss with the best of them, but he always lived in the presence of God. He prayed with others and they prayed with him. He loved as God loves and others received that grace from him. He moved out of his pain and moved into the presence of God.