I slept well Monday night and awoke early and made time for my daily prayer and meditation before getting back on the road. The Gospel for the day was from Mt 12:46-50 in which Jesus tells us, “Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” He’s telling us that if we would just live God’s commandments, we will be adopted into His family for all eternity. That doesn’t sound too difficult. Just keep it between the ditches and we’ll be fine. I wish it was that easy.

I forgot to mention that last week we purchased a new car, a new Subaru Outback, and we’re driving it on this trip. The technology on these vehicles is getting more advanced every year. One feature that I kind of like is the lane departure warning. When you approach either the center line or the right edge of the lane, the car gives an audible warble and a visible yellow flashing light at the base of the windshield above the steering wheel indicating that you veered too close to the edge of the lane. It also tells you that you have made a “lane departure” if you cross the center line without first turning on your turn signal indicator.

At first, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of the car telling me how to drive. But, then, it dawned on me that all it wants me to do is keep it between the ditches, so to speak, to follow the commandments of good driving. I thought how nice it would be if life came with such technology that could keep us from sinning. But, then I realized that we already have that technology within us. It’s called our conscience. It’s OEM equipment which God installed in us at the factory. It lets us know when we are getting close to doing something wrong, and when we’ve crossed over the line either intentionally or unintentionally. The best part is that when we wreck the car because we have failed to heed the warnings, and we bring it back to the manufacturer, sorrowful and with intentions to steer straight and true from then on, He forgives us and strengthens within us the virtue of prudence to drive properly and safely.

Leaving Madison, we headed for Minneapolis-St. Paul to meet up with Melinda’s two nieces and one of them’s husband and son. We enjoyed two hours of catching up, good conversation, a delicious lunch of homemade soup and sandwiches, and entertaining the little one.

After saying our goodbyes, we got on I-94 and headed northeast toward Fargo, North Dakota, our stopping point for the night. An hour or so into the drive we passed an exit for St. John’s University near Collegeville, Minnesota. What’s special about St. John’s, you ask? It is the Alma Mater of my friend and co-founder of this blog, Rich Brewers. St. John’s University and St. John’s Abbey sits on the shore of Lake Sagatagan, as does the Stella Maris Chapel, the brick chapel you have seen in the header photo of this page over the years. I’ve always loved the image of that chapel sitting there in silence and solitude as if it, itself, were praying to God, with it’s reflection in the lake urging us to do the same.

Our new car also came with a three-month free trial of satellite radio. I found a station that plays old-time country music from folks like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Ernest Tubb. An old song came on, Bobby Bare’s version of Loretta Lynn’s and Conway Twitty’s 1976 release of God Bless America, Again. As I listened to the lyrics I thought, “Yes, Lord, please bless America, again!”

That last line grabbed me. If things were out of whack in 1976, how much more so are they today? I don’t understand, either. But, I’m here living it now, doing my best. I didn’t choose the way things are, I don’t necessarily like the way things are, and there’s not too much I can do to change the way things are other than to vote, pray and be the best person and disciple that God intended for me to be so that I can be an example to others.

After a second day of 504 miles, we made it safely to our hotel in time for a short walk before it was Rosary time.

(Note: Folks, I know I’m a couple days behind. Bear with me, I’ll post as I can. Thank you.)

“Good and Gracious God, thank You for another day of seeing this beautiful land, for family to visit, and for the inspirations You provide that come from the ordinary things in our lives. Give me the grace to follow Your commandments so that I will never exclude myself from Your family. And, give me the grace, I pray, to be the kind of disciple, husband, father, son, brother and friend that You created me to be. Amen.”

(Road Trip Reflections: New Cars and Old Songs was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2020 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.