Clean Away the Mildew

The noun, rumination, means a deep considered thought about something.

Last week my daughter and I went on a Pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi. It was a wonderful week led by a Franciscan Friar that enhanced our spirituality and brought us closer not only to St. Francis but more importantly to Jesus as well.

When I was in Assisi my allergies really acted up. We were staying in an old medieval type building which served as our place to sleep, eat and we listened to presentations on St. Francis. My nose became congested, and I had periodic sneezes and coughs, which for me means an allergic reaction to something in the environment. As I was trying to identify the source of my reactions I looked out of the window to my bedroom and noticed the roof tiles and outside walls of the building were caked with dark mildew and mold.

I became convinced that I found the source of my problem. My thoughts about this source seemed accurate as I noticed the symptoms would diminish greatly when out of my room or when walking in Assisi. 

All of this made me think about one’s journey in faith.  Should we ask ourselves at times if there is something present in our spiritual environment that needs to be remedied to allow us to grow in faith and better breathe in the Spirit of our loving God. If so, removing such irritants, will help us flourish in our relationship with God.