Transfiguration on the Road

Fr. Mariusz shares his ongoing reflections from the road, from celebrating Mass in the beauty of the Okanagan Valley to discovering how God transforms us along the journey. Through every kilometre, the riders carry with them the prayers and intentions of those journeying alongside them in spirit.

August 6, 2026 - Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and it could not have been a more fitting day for our pilgrimage.

As every day on this journey, we began with the celebration of the Holy Mass, with Bishop Scott McCaig presiding. Before we started our engines, we first gathered around the altar. It is there that we receive the strength for the miles ahead.

As I rode through the breathtaking landscapes today, a simple thought kept returning to me: every pilgrimage is, in some way, a journey of transformation. We often think of reaching a destination, but perhaps God is more interested in what happens to us along the way.

Being surrounded by the beauty of God's creation invites silence and reflection. The mountains, forests, waterfalls, and endless roads have a way of slowing the heart and making room for God to speak. Little by little, I realized that this pilgrimage is not only about visiting the churches; it is also about allowing the Lord to transform us.

That transformation happens through prayer, through the intentions you have entrusted to us, and through the many people we meet along the road. Every prayer reminds us that we are carrying much more than luggage on our motorcycles. We are carrying your hopes, your worries, your gratitude, and your faith.

At the same time, your intentions are changing us as well. They teach us to be grateful for every new day, every person we encounter, and yes, even every cross we have to carry. Last year I learned that some of those crosses can be quite heavy. This year I am simply grateful still to be riding.

Of course, not every transformation is dramatic. Sometimes it is as simple as learning that after eight hours on a motorcycle, you discover muscles you never knew existed! Yet somehow, every evening we all insist that we are "not tired at all" while moving like men who are about ninety years old. By God's grace, however, the next morning we climb back on our motorcycles, smile at one another, and do it all again.

Perhaps that is one more lesson of the Transfiguration: God rarely changes us all at once. He transforms us one prayer, one conversation, one kilometre, and sometimes one sore back at a time.

Thank you for allowing us to carry your intentions. Please continue to pray for us, as we continue to pray for you. May this pilgrimage become a journey of transformation not only for those of us on the road, but also for everyone who is travelling with us in spirit.

After all, motorcycles eventually stop... but the transformation God begins in our hearts is meant to last forever.

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August 2, 2026 - Today was a special day on our pilgrimage. It is Sunday, the Lord's Day. While we travel thousands of kilometres on motorcycles, the true heart of our pilgrimage is not the road but the Eucharist. Every day finds its meaning in prayer, and every Sunday finds its centre at the altar.

Today we celebrated Holy Mass in one of the most beautiful settings imaginable: a stunning vineyard in the hills of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. Bishop Scott presided at the celebration, and it was difficult to imagine a more fitting place to worship God. Surrounded by vineyards, mountains, and the quiet beauty of creation, we were reminded of Jesus' words: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower." (John 15:1)

During the Mass, we entrusted to the Lord all the prayer intentions you have sent us before and during this pilgrimage. Each intention travels with us, not only in our saddlebags, but more importantly, in our hearts. Thank you for trusting us with your prayers. They remind us that this pilgrimage is about much more than visiting churches or riding beautiful roads. It is a journey of faith, hope, and carrying one another before God.
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As we looked across the vineyards and the beauty of the Okanagan Valley, we were reminded once again that every road, when travelled with Christ, leads us closer to Him. Thank you for walking this pilgrimage with us through your prayers. Please know that we continue to remember you at every Mass, every shrine, and every stop along the way.

​May God bless you abundantly, and may the Lord of every journey keep you safe.

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Written by Fr. Mariusz Sztuk, SDS. Photos courtesy of Fr. Mariusz Sztuk, SDS.