The first time I went to France in 2001, I discovered the beauty of the countryside, and fell in love with the majestic mountains, quaint villages, the verdant vineyards, the grand châteaux, and especially the medieval churches peppered here and there. What’s not to love about Bourgogne, Provence, Bordeaux?! I absolutely love the Beaujolais wines made from Gamay grapes, God’s prototype in the Garden of Eden.
Quite by accident, our 2001 tour took us to Paris on the day the Tour de France made its triumphal ride along the Champs-Elysées. Only then did I learn what all the excitement was about! And I haven’t missed one (on TV) since. Every July as I watch the cyclists tour the countryside, mountains, and villages we’ve visited, I imagine myself on the side of the road cheering the riders in their quest for the symbolic jerseys.
The Tour de France is one of the most complex, athletic, and challenging sports. The cyclists must be disciplined, smart and strong; they strategize their breakaways, sprints, climbs, and chases. They work in teams and position themselves in the peloton. They earn points for GC (general classification - the overall winner), stage winner, young rider, sprint leader, and King of the Mountain. In all, every movement is carefully planned by the cyclist.
Of course, as I watch this year's Tour de France, I view it through the lens of a Spiritual Director, my principle line of work for the last 30 years. Many of the characteristics are similar. Spiritual seekers must be disciplined, smart and strong, strategizing their growth through time-tested spiritual practices, positioning themselves “poised toward God” as some would say.
Probably one of the most significant similarities between a spiritual seeker and a Tour de France cyclist is focus – focus on the goal and disciplined strategies to reach that goal. The dedicated spiritual life can be complex, athletic in terms of doing spiritual exercises and challenging. But what’s not to love about meeting The King of the Mountain, on the Lord’s Mountain: “In the last days, the Mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.” (Is 2:2)
--by Jan
