Fr. Patrick has supported Biking for Babies for many years and officially joined the team for last summer’s ride from New Orleans to Memphis. He shares his experience as a rider and as our unofficial team chaplain.
Last year was a very wonderful and blessed four-day ride from St. Benedict Abbey, in Covington, LA to St Benedict High School in Memphis, TN. We are riding in support of Pregnancy Resource Centers, who help mothers expecting the birth of a child face the challenges of pregnancy and giving birth. We ride for babies, we ride for life, and in living the Joy of the Gospel, we ride as missionaries for life with Jesus Christ. God looked out for us on our ride. When we faced challenges, Christ was with us. When our bodies gave us signs of giving up, the Holy Spirit renewed our fortitude to continue. We offer ourselves for the gift of life, the gift of Christ, and the sacrifice of our bodies joined with Christ’s Passion as this year we will Bike A+Cross America.
As I began to reflect on last year’s ride, my thoughts have kept taking me to ask what goes through the mind of a woman who discovers she is expecting a child. At first, joy or maybe fear will enter with the news. I cannot write all the questions that have come to my mind. But the news of being pregnant does correlate with receiving the news of being on the Team for this year’s ride. What Joy it was to hear, then the news that the ride will end in St. Louis presents some fears. And with fears comes doubt and hopelessness. But hold on, a voice calls me to back to last year.
The First Trimester
Pregnancy is 9 months; our rides average 9-11 hours and can relate to the tri-semesters of pregnancy. First the news and excitement of coming together as a team from around the states: how will we come together and ride as one with Christ? Then the fears of riding in a group or down the country highway. As we were driving to the starting location, I made the comment that “I hope the drivers would not be driving as I was.” I was excited, eager to meet everyone and wanted to be the first one there. Each morning we woke early, but our bodies were ready for the day’s ride. We started off with so much joy, but the task at hand began to show. I remember, day 2, I looked down and we had already gone 60 miles. My mind screamed, we need to stop, you have not ridden this far without taking a break. Three hours on the saddle and still going, a third of the way there. What happened to the excitement as we began and heard the news?
Then suddenly, God’s plan is different.
We come to a four way stop in the middle of nowhere. As we are approaching, slowing, reaching to replace a water bottle, the tire goes into the rumble strips. Down in front of me, one of our teammates goes down, one rider jumps over her; we avoid hitting her. But God is with us. A county sheriff is behind us; a firetruck pulls up to the intersection from the other direction and still from another direction the ambulance appears a few minutes later. The Holy Spirit was present; God’s Angels were also present. How else could we explain how the other team member in a split second could jump over the other without getting off the bike?? How did all the first responders arrive at the same intersection? God is good.
The Second Trimester
The start of the second trimester, as the baby grows, the mother begins to feel the discomfort of the baby beginning to grow, but her excitement may increase at the baby beginning to move around. As we ride and the time of stopping for lunch begins to approach, our bodies begin to be discomforted, but our energy level increases with the expectation of stopping for lunch.
We stop, we eat lunch, we spray on sunscreen…and more sunscreen. Flashback: remember the 70’s and 80’s? Spraying hair spray until our hair was stiff and would not move? This time it was sun screen; close your mouth and eyes. We are refreshed, water-bottle filled with ice cold water. Bikes are ok, tires good, so let’s complete our day. Off we go, and yet another problem.
The bridge is closed, if we turn around, it will mean an additional 50 miles. The van had to go the long way around. We could cross the bridge and see all of God beauty in the wetlands of the Delta. The van found us. Another struggle, where do we go! If we go left, we end up on the interstate, we go right we end up on the interstate. We picked up our bikes and walked to the highway we needed to be on. We regroup, we turn and head in the right direction.
The hottest part of the day, full sun and we turn to cross the spillway. It’s 100 degrees plus heat index and temperature, and we are riding a block of concrete next to largest body of water. Everything just drained the energy out of me, I started to feel that I was not going to make it, I was fading fast. But then, my team surrounded me, I drifted with them as they pulled me off the spillway. At last we arrived to the location. I almost fell off my bike! All I wanted was the water hose to cool my body off. Our host brought us out ice-cold watermelon. Joy at last.
The Third Trimester
After that long day, the longest ride I had ever ridden, I felt that I could not continue the next day. My body had reached its limits. But the Holy Spirit would not allow this to happen. The next morning as before, I awoke with more energy than the previous day. I was refreshed and ready to jump back on the bike. And off I went. Just like a mother, each day, God gives her the courage to face what the day will bring. The labor pain come and go, but then it time to go to the hospital. We reach our final destination, a mother gives birth and together we thank God for the gift of Life.
The Joy of Life is seen in all.
To read about Fr. Patrick’s vision and support his mission to raise $10,000 for pregnancy resource centers this year, visit his personal page!
