She spoke six languages - which helped as she navigated us through five countries!
We had plenty of time for conversation with Gabriel during long hours of walking and transit.
We came to know some of her personal worldview and caught glimpses of it intermingled with her tour guide commentaries.
For example, she explained that she was "not very religious." This came up at the first cathedral we visited in Frankfurt, St. Bartholomew's. We had been walking and chatting with her for several hours through the downtown, along the Main river and at a nearby cafe. As we were about to enter St. Bartholomew's sanctuary, Gabriel hung back and said she would be waiting in the courtyard when we were done.
She held up a cigarette to signal it would be a smoking break. Our initial disappointment was that we would miss her terrific historical insights, and that we had genuinely enjoyed her company. But we were soon engrossed in the lovely cathedral and its art.
When we rejoined her outside, it was with a new list of historical questions - who was buried there, who created the sculptures, what had been rebuilt after the war, etc. Gabriel patiently shrugged and said she didn't know, she was not very religious after all.
Angela and I shared a curious, bemused look, but it was only the first day and we still had lots to see.
On the one hand, Gabriel could easily recite dates, generals, battles, monarchs, novelists, plazas, breweries, rivers, mountains, etc. But whenever we arrived in a new city and inquired about the most historic cathedrals, we got a casual shrug and sometimes her own bemused look when she repeated, "As I said...I am not as religious as you are."
But there was so much more to our cathedral visits than spiritual interest. We stumbled onto fabulous art by the likes of Van Dyck, Veronese, Bellini, Caravaggio, etc. 500 year old works in 1,000 year old architecture. Whether you cared to walk through a particular cathedral or not, surely you might be inclined to point out where there were masterworks to be seen, as she did later --- when it was the secular setting of the Louvre.
We learned to do our own google research as we "steeple chased", which worked just fine, and all was well in the end.
The other worldview glimpse came with Gabriel's passion for the European Union. She took time in each country to explain their role in the EU and would point out the 2 flags..a country flag and an EU flag. She had the tour bus circle around the grounds of the EU parliament in Strasbourg and Gabriel explained the work they conduct there on behalf of EU citizens.
Gabriel took that opportunity to explain, "Because I am also a citizen of the EU, I know that even if something happens to me while I am in a different country than my own, they will take care of me there, they have to."
And that helped me better understand how Gabriel might see "religion." While she seemed suspicious of - or indifferent - to Christian cathedrals and what they represented, she was almost reverent in her regard for the EU and how it would support her, wherever she might go.
We didn't have the time or opportunity to dig deeper into the topic. I would have loved to explain the gospel to Gabriel in terms she associated with the EU. God loves her with more than a union of economic and social welfare. He is there wherever she goes, to be called upon for support, guidance, protection, insight and wisdom. Forgiveness and mercy. Eternal life.
God's love provides so much more than can be accomplished by the principles of the EU, or any other government for that matter. And that message of Grace is so close to Gabriel in the sacred buildings she has chosen to leave off her list of "places to see while visiting Europe." Maybe on another trip, another cathedral...
What do you believe?
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