Anthony Atwood’s Inauguration Journal – Day 12

TUESDAY 13 – JAN09: Today I had the occasion to return to the Cathedral in the line of duty. I was sent, and thought to cut through Jesuit Georgetown University to get there. How should I know there was construction going on, and I got all turned around in the maze of classrooms, dorms and construction. So I leaned out the window and asked the construction workers: “I’m just passing through. How can I get to Wisconsin (Street) to reach the Cathedral?” I got blank stares from the workers in hardhats, but they looked like people I know. So I changed gears: “Pardon, caballeros. Ayudeme por favor. Yo quero del Eglesia Grande. ?A donde es?”

There are big smiles all around, and they give me spanglish directions that get me out of the Georgetown maze. At the National Cathedral I must wait for a group of others to make some arrangements. I kill time leaning against the wall by the church door. There is a quote chiseled on the wall beside me. It really works under the circumstances, so I wrote it down, and share it with you herewith:

“He must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below, of which we have the honor to be the faithful servants. It is not given to us to peer into the mysteries of the future….”

Winston Churchill–Dec 26, 1941

Those who I wait for finally arrive. We go for a walk through of the underground crypts. This is the place I was drawn to first on arrival. Our meeting ends before the Altar.