God’s Power Still at Work

Pilgrim or Tourist?

A pilgrimage is not a vacation. A pilgrim seeks experiences, not entertainment. A pilgrim is grateful and aware, not preoccupied and inattentive. A pilgrim expects hardships rather than brochure perfection. A pilgrim recognizes, befriends, and encourages fellow pilgrims.

Inspired by my late mother, my wife Jean and I had spoken about taking a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City for a number of years. After coming across a five-day trip hosted by Chris Stefanick, a dynamic speaker and evangelist we admire, we were finally led to book it.

Welcome to Mexico City

We arrived at the airport and met our first obstacle, with the expected greeter and shuttle nowhere in sight. Not well-versed in international roaming, our phones were unable to make calls. After searching and asking in vain for 10 minutes, we navigated the multiple taxi stands, accepting the most reasonable rate to our hotel across town. The traffic was terrible, a recurring theme throughout the week.

One of the Greatest Miracles in Human History

“We are here to participate in one of the greatest miracles in human history,” Chris shared in his welcome talk. “God’s power is still at work here, continuing the miracle that started with Our Lady in 1531.”

We arrived on the Feast of Our Lady the Rosary, and our chaplain Fr. Richard Sunwoo gave a beautiful word picture in his homily. He compared praying the Rosary with browsing Mary’s photo album of her life with Jesus. “This pilgrimage is not an escape from life, but a shared journey. Expect great things to happen!”

We took a photo with Chris during dinner at the hotel and anticipated our visit to the Basilica the next morning.