Weekend in Monterey, CA

Yesterday (7/5) I rode from Santa Rosa to Monterey, CA. I decided to spend the weekend in Monterey and prepare for the trek up Route 66 from Santa Monica to Chicago, IL. It was a beautiful ride to Monterey with plenty of California beach scapes and the Golden Gate Bridge in all its glory and ominous cloud cover. It’s a bit chilly here in Monterey, with the high of just 62° and the low of 53°.

Today I worshipped at St. Mary’s by the Sea in Pacific Grove. What a delightful place with a beautiful worship space. I was greeted warmly by members and made to feel at home. They extended true hospitality and invited me to participate in the ground breaking for the new labyrinth garden and cookout afterward. 




The service was a Rite III (Enriching Our Worship), but was very well done. The sermon was excellent. The Rev. Kristine Johnson is a fine preacher and it was great to hear a sermon that dealt with current events in the Gospel light.

The location of the church is literally “by the sea.” Before the service, I enjoyed watching the dolphins just off shore.




It was interesting that the gospel lesson today was about Jesus sending of the 70 and telling them to travel light and depend upon others for hospitality. When I recalled this reading earlier in the week, I leaned on my preparation for the journey… about having the gear I needed that kept me comfortable. However, today, I reflect on this passage in a different light - Hospitality. Over the past month, I have experienced extreme, genuine, generous hospitality from those whom I have known for years and from those who I just met. It is heart warming to be offered a place to stay and/or a meal. I can only imagine those whom Jesus sent out and how they were greeted (or not), and if they were offered the level of hospitality that I have been on my journey.

Challenge to St. James & Self: Think about how we offer hospitality, knowing that it goes beyond a cup of coffee, a meal, and possibly a bed. How do we offer our true selves in a selfless manner to others? In the rule of St. Benedict it says to welcome others as if they were the Christ. Is that how we welcome others?

Santa Rosa, CA to Monterey, CA
Ride: 175 miles
Total Miles: 7,258

Reading: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer





Location: Monterey, CA, USA

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This Week!

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