The Blessing of the Bicycles & Bicyclists May 12, 2013

Present in a world groaning under the excesses of consumption, we give thanks for the simple beauty of the bicycle. God of Life, hear our prayer.

 

Present in a community with bicyclists of all ages, Keep them smart, safe, and visible on their neighborhood streets. God of Life, hear our prayer.

 

Present in a global workforce of making things, we give thanks for those who build, repair and clean our bicycles, and who rely on bicycles to earn their living. Bless those who choose not to drive to work and those for whom driving isn’t even an option. God of Life, hear our prayer.

 

Present in diverse and beautiful communities, we ask for Your protection and blessing on all who ride. God of Life, hear our prayer.

 

We now observe a moment of silence for all who have perished while riding…

 

We also ask You to provide consolation and foregiveness to motorists who may have unwittingly caused the injury or death of a bicyclist. God of Life, hear our prayer.

 

 

 

The verses above were from the Blessing of the Bicycles & Bicyclists at St. Luke’s Church on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2013.  I led a group of eight riders from Evanston Bicycle Club to St. Lukes for the blessing.  Our group was of mixed religious backgrounds, some Episcopal (as is St. Lukes), some Catholic, some Jewish and some non-affiliated. We were all touched not only by the blessing but the entire service at this beautiful church on a residential street in Evanston.  The clergy and the flock were open, welcoming and inspiring.  We came up to the church on our bikes after the service had started.  We  expected to lock up outside.  Volunteers guided us into the church where our bikes were hung from the seat on racks in an area in the front of the pews.  About 40-bikes of all sizes, vintages and states of repair were there when we arrived.  Shortly before the communion two ghost bikes, one an adult bike and one a children’s bike were brought up to the front where the blessings were given.  I do not know if they represented specific riders or if they were more general symbols of those lost on the road.

 

I will admit I was not entirely looking forward to this ride.  I had scheduled it after an exchange of e-mail with Elizabeth Adamczyk of the Ride of Silence. We had the idea of bringing Evanston and Chicago riders together to ride to the Blessing.  I posted the ride on Evanston Bike Club’s board and Elizabeth soon realized that Mother’s Day was not a good day for her to ride.  She and I had a laugh over this the other day at the ROS event at Heritage General Store. I figured I had already scheduled the ride and would not take it down.  However, I had an open Sunday and was half craving a longer, faster, more challenging ride.  This was essentially a preview of the Evanston ROS and was only 11 miles at a casual pace. I didn’t know if anybody would show up. I had done about 10 miles before getting to the start and figured I could ride wherever I wanted if nobody showed up.

 

I found club members waiting for the start of the ride and my mood brightened. We had a nice easy ride to the church.  Within minutes of our arrival we were all very happy that we had made the commitment to do this ride and felt the spiritual uplift these kinds of things bring regardless of our affiliation or inherent sense of cynicism.

 

I have also found that today’s ride and the blessing have me in a good frame of mind as the Ride of Silence approaches.  I hope all had a good, and safe, ride today.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 14, 2013 at 9:52am

+1

mike w. said:

Thank you for posting this. Wish more congregations would do this sort of thing.

 

i also wish to apologise on behalf of any fellow agnostics who might feel a necessity to make snarky comments. i hope that they will be grown up enough to show more respect and keep such comments to themselves.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 14, 2013 at 10:11am

Thank you and well said, Serge and Lisa.

Why do people feel such a need to fight about the least little thing lately? Why not use that energy to actually accomplish something, or at least be a pain in the butt to fewer people?  Or if people really feel a need to thrash it out, why not have your own fight club thread and get it out of your system there?

Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on May 14, 2013 at 11:25am

Zoetrope seems annoyed that people believe in something, and they believe strongly that it is fact to them.  That is faith... you'll never prove something you cannot see or measure, but you know for a fact that it's there.  If you are annoyed that people believe in something that you don't believe in, you'll continue having a hard time getting along in your world.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on May 14, 2013 at 11:44am

I'm not sure what led you to the assumption that I have an especially hard time getting along in the world or that I have something against people believing in things. But if that delusion helps you sleep at night so be it. These are just words on a screen, coming from a real person behind it with real opinions and beliefs of their own. I don't see you here practicing any more of an understanding or Christian-like attitude than me, and it really appears that you and the more obviously offended here are the ones that are having a hard time coming to grips with viewpoints that differ from your own. 

Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on May 14, 2013 at 11:49am

We haven't even met.  You don't know anything about me.  Relax a bit.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on May 15, 2013 at 8:39am

You don't need an imaginary deity to create a thriving community or a sense of care and compassion within the community.

What is calling out "God of life, hear our prayer" after each blessing, if not a plea for a favor from God? 

David Barish said:

I don't look for anybody's protection including a deity. That being said, all my riders were struck by the genuine sense of caring and spirit in the building this past Sunday. 

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