Chronicle of Wednesday 22 July

Good evening, families,

Today began, as is now tradition, at six […] the newest members of the pilgrimage were flying across the sky towards Paris, we university students began the day with a meditation by Fr Joan, who introduced us to a central theme of St Thérèse of Lisieux: how to reach God by becoming little, letting ourselves be carried in his arms like children.

And he didn’t stop there. Fr Joan linked the spiritual with what awaited us this morning: climbing to the very top of the Eiffel Tower. Because drawing close to God, he told us, is like climbing the tower and contemplating all of Paris: from above, the events of our lives are seen in perspective, with a clarity that is impossible to have from the ground.

No sooner said than done. After a good wait in the queue, we climbed the Eiffel Tower... by the stairs. Yes, step by step, on our own two legs. They say the tower has more than 1,600 steps; we counted them all, and some even twice. Mind you: if St Thérèse spoke about becoming little to climb up to God, we started by making our legs feel very small. The views, though, were tremendous: all of Paris at our feet (feet which, it must be said, have taken quite a beating).

At the top we were reunited with those who had just arrived by plane, who, it must be said, allowed themselves the luxury of turning up at the Eiffel Tower by taxi. Everyone makes their pilgrimage at their own pace. We all had lunch together near the tower and then our paths parted again: the younger ones went off to visit Notre-Dame and Napoleon’s tomb, which, by the way, they didn’t think much of... they say he was too small a man for such a big sarcophagus. Meanwhile, we older ones went back home for adoration and to finish getting everything in order.

At half past six, when we arrived with the younger ones, we celebrated the Eucharist on the feast of St Mary Magdalene, who, as our priest told us, went from sinner to apostle because she encountered Christ. And that is what he invited us, and the younger ones, to do too: to encounter Jesus in these days; to encounter Jesus, who gives himself to us in the sacraments and also in our brothers and sisters, as St Thérèse’s parents reminded us this morning in the meditation.

Then we had dinner very early, at a quarter to eight, and at half past nine we are praying Compline before going to rest.

Tomorrow is the big day: the pilgrimage really begins. Today’s stairs were just the warm-up.

See you tomorrow! The most wide-awake will remember to pray for you at 3:00 in the morning. We’ll tell you all about our new adventure.