Happy Seventeenth Sunday!
It was good to be back in the saddle this past week after a refreshing vacation with family. My initial impressions of Hocking Hills are two, mainly.
First, the geology and the views from the hiking trails inside the state park were definitely worth seeing, and the whole area in general is pretty picturesque—lots of rolling hills and windy road vibes. Hocking Hills is a giant sandstone shelf whose layers alternate between hard and soft, so wind and water erosion over time have created some unique gorges, cliffs, and waterfall features. On one of our hikes, we were sequestered under an enormous rock overhang for about half an hour waiting out a heavy rain, which gave us a special look at the impromptu cascades that form along cliff edges. Nature is awesome.
The other takeaway was that southern Ohio is hot and muggy in July. If I were to go again, I’d wait until early autumn. On the plus side, there were no mosquitoes and hardly any airborne pests to speak of. I’m not sure if that’s a time-of-the-year thing or just the general ecology of the area.
Nearby, we were also able to visit a local handblown glass studio called Jack Pine. They make various decorative glassworks but are most known for their glass pumpkins. The studio is connected right to the shop, so we watched them create a few pieces in real time. It was very cool, and I was impressed. Kinda made me want to impulse-buy a few pieces right then and there—but I stayed strong. At least now I know where to go if I ever need fancy fall or Halloween deco!
On our drive down to Hocking Hills, most of my family was able to caravan and stop for a picnic lunch and a visit to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, OH. A beautiful church! In an unexpected twist of our Blessed Mother’s love, while there, we walked past a small group of six Filipino ladies who were visiting the shrine that day. They were sitting at a picnic table finishing their own packed lunch but stopped to insist that we eat the meal they had prepared for themselves.
We were, of course, surprised—you know, this random group of twelve strangers—and unsuccessfully attempted to gracefully decline. One of the women just cheerfully said, “No offense, but our food is better.”
Apparently, that particular Saturday was some kind of official pilgrimage day on the shrine’s calendar for Filipino Catholics. So, we set aside our turkey wraps and PBJs and instead feasted on some delicious seasoned rice, pork, and chicken. They were right—their food was definitely better!
I was so touched by their hospitality to perfect strangers. They just shrugged and said, “We are brothers and sisters—this is how Christ teaches us to treat each other.” I was also in awe that the six of them packed more than enough food for eighteen. But this is evidently the Filipino way, since they shared that when preparing a meal for the road, you “pack house”—bring everything along, just in case.
Imagine how it felt the very next morning when we celebrated Sunday Mass and heard Jesus in the Gospel answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?”
Lesson learned in a wonderfully personal way, that’s for sure.
Fr. Brian
