This is One Happy Man

What you cannot see are my eyes, red and puffy from a lot of crying while inside St. Peter's. In a few days, I shall post pictures from the inside of this amazing place. But, first, I must tell of just the experience of "being there."

The beauty therein cannot be adequately described nor adequatedly pictured via camera. It just has to be experienced. Here is what I can say, though: St. Peter is there. The Chair of St. Peter is there. Jesus in the Sacrament Most Holy is there. Bernini's rosary-- forever sealed in one of the pillars as he cast it-- is there. The Pieta-- the passion, the mother, and the mercy-- are there. The "vertical" and the "horizontal" dimensions of the faith are physically there, represented in architecture and painting. The doctrine of the Catholic faith-- if ever it was intangible-- is made wholly real. Here, it is impossible to see God as anything but GOD.

It was so beautiful that I swore I understood the faith completely and that I was in heaven. Everything made sense. History was connected. But, unlike the ancient ruins of Rome where I felt just a connectivity to the past, here at St. Peter's I felt, in addition, a connectivity to the future. I am a part of THIS CHURCH. And so that I might partake in the joys of the Church Triumphant (that is, the Church "Future"), I must do my best in the Church Militant (that is, the Church "Now"). This is happiness-- a grace.

Where there is true beauty and true happiness (although sometimes accompanied by tears), there is God-- there is mission.