A lovely day dawns in Madrid. I will be boarding the plane soon for Atlanta. It's been a wonderful pilgrimage, ending on this feast of St. Junipero Serra, the missionary to California. Eighteen years ago today I was ordained a deacon to proclaim the gospel and serve the people. Through the intercession of St. Junipero, may I serve God and his people for many more years.
Heading out this evening by bus to Madrid to begin the journey home.
It has been good to pray here. I brought the many intentions from my journal with me to the tomb of St. James. I joined the multilingual Pilgrim Mass for the last two nights. I also joined the English Mass each morning in the chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows.
What a joy to add incense to the botafumiero both nights and pray as it soars to the heavens, racing along its course to praise God and bless us pilgrims!
"May my prayer rise up to you, o Lord, like incense....." psalm 141:2
It is a very simple action....to walk through an open door. Yet it is quite something when the Holy Door stands open and inviting me in.
The Jubilee Door of Mercy here in Santiago comes in two parts. The outer gate has 24 panels carved with saints from the Old and New Testament. The inner door is in bronze with scenes from the life of Christ.
Pilgrim traffic is routed so you enter the Cathedral through the Holy Door. It is the way in this year. The other doors still are used as exits, but all are invited in through mercy.
Walked 24km today into A Rua, a little village before Arca. Most of the day was spent under shade trees. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Only 20 more kilometers to walk. I will be in Santiago tomorrow.
I walked nice and slowly today. I don't want it to end. Many pilgrims went past me today, they can't wait to get there. Understandable.....but I want to savor, to marinate a little more, to take as much in as I can. Tomorrow will be here soon enough. Today....the here and now, the quiet....allows the light to shine.
Made a 23km walk today to a little village before Arzua called Castaneda. Only two more days of walking left.
Lots of miles walked....and the tired but prayerful Santiago spoke to me this morning on the way out of Palas de Rei.
The Novena Prayer to St. James
My Lord Jesus Christ, here I am close to You, bringing with me in prayer the joys and sorrows of my brothers and sisters as well as the continual happiness and difficulties of my daily journey.
Sometimes I lose my way on the path of life, and I don't know what to do.
Frequently I am distracted by material things and am in need of enlightenment.
Lord, create in me a longing for you and a firm resolution to never offend you again. Give me your grace to contemplate the path of your earthly life and to be attracted further by the example of St. James the Apostle.
May I wholeheartedly follow you in the path of this life and find in you peace and joy without end. Amen.
As I made my way today into Palas de Rei, the Camino goes over Rosary Hill. So I thought I would share a thought on Our Lady.
Devotion to Mary runs deep in Spain and along the Camino. Every church has an altar for Mary... and in some cases several! Two of the churches where I prayed were named for Our Lady of Sorrows. Here is the mother who is always there for her child. Here is the mom who keeps her eyes on God, pleading and interceding. Here is the mom looking at us in all our troubles with compassion and mercy.
Mary, Mother of God and our mother, pray for us!
The news cycle is filled with Britain voting to leave the EU. The church celebrates the great feast of the Birth of St. John the Baptist. I am celebrating my anniversary of baptism.
After seeing a couple of ugly blisters on my left foot last night I went to the doctor. She cleaned them up, but encouraged me to rest. So I took the day off today.
Today's jaunt was 22km from Sarria to Portomarin. It started out in the fog, but by midmorning cleared into another lovely day. The countryside is gorgeous and dotted by lots of little villages for rest or food.
As pilgrims get into town for the day it is time to rest and clean up. Each albergue provides a sink in the courtyard for washing clothes. Generally we wash them by hand in cold water.
The other day as I was hanging my laundry on the clothesline to dry, I overheard an English man describe the process to his wife as 'shifting the dirt around'. I got a large charge out of that.
The clothes don't quite come clean. Over the days and weeks, a perfume marks us pilgrims. No wonder they use incense when we arrive in Santiago!
Since I brought a bottle of Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap with me, my take on laundry is 'minty fresh'. ;)
I walked the 19km from Triacastela to Sarria today under clear skies and a warm sun. It was for days like today that I came as a pilgrim. It was for days like today that I have walked many miles and spent days in prayer. The quiet of the forest and fields proclaim the presence of God. The beauty of the Way just lets me soak it in.
Today makes the sacrifices and suffering worth it. Just lovely. Thanks be to God!
Today's walk was 20km down the hills from O'Cebreiro to Triacastela. Gorgeous blue skies that started in the cool but warmed up nicely. The scenery here is breathtaking. The quiet within is a grand gift.
St. Mary's church here in O'Cebreiro is the oldest church still open and active on the Camino. It dates to the 9th century. St. Francis of Assisi visited here. Two priests of all the pastors over the centuries stand out.
In the year 1300, the priest was upset when one of the local peasants came through a heavy snowstorm for Mass. The priest couldn't believe the bread was so important. But the peasant pleaded for the Eucharist, and as the consecration occurred...the bread miraculously became flesh and blood....startling the priest and converting his hard heart. The Eucharistic miracle was approved by Rome. The chalice and paten from that Mass as well as the precious Eucharist are kept in a reliquery above the tabernacle.
The other priest is Fr. Elias Valina Sampedro. He was pastor until 1989. It was his dream and work to restore the Camino as a spiritual exercise. It was his idea to dot the countryside with yellow arrows to point the way. He is buried in the church under the side altar dedicated to Santiago.
This beautiful day brought a grand climb up O'Cebreiro. On reaching the top, the view was glorious! The top of the mountain is also the boundary between Bierzo and Galicia. This is the Celtic land where Santiago resides. In another week... Compostela!
They have set up new mile markers here in Galicia. They are lovely and bright. They not only tell the number of kilometers to the Cathedral of Santiago....they measure it to three decimal places! What a hoot!
A long uphill climb for 20km to O'Cebreiro yesterday. More on the town and the region in the next post.
I appreciate all the comments and prayers from the blog posts. When I am sore and tired in the afternoon, they lift me up and keep me going.
I was asked about animals along the Way. The Camino goes through a lot of farm country so we see cows and sheep. We pass the markers from the horses more than we see them, but folks are making the pilgrimage on horseback.
In the villages there are cats and dogs. Birds abound, singing and serenading us. On a country road I will hear the bell being worn by a cow or sheep, though they stay out of sight. Many times along the road they will warn of deer, but I haven't seen any yet.
Finally I am sorry to report to Helen such sad news....no squirrels here.
A long grand walk under sunny, warm skies today for 24 km to the little village of Trabadelo. Much of the morning was spent walking through the hills and vineyards of the Bierzo region. After lunch in Villafranca del Bierzo, I began the long steady climb up O'Cebreiro. The Camino follows between the highway and the Valcarce river. Thankfully with it being Sunday, there was not much traffic.
There is a lot of beauty to behold. The Father has done himself proud in these fertile hills and rich valleys. Listening to the rolling river gently cascade as it gurgles along was sweetly consoling and delightfully encouraging. To praise the Father and thank him for such blessings is not so difficult. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad!
Happy Father's Day!
Another gorgeous day for walking...traveling 23 km from Riego to the tiny town Camponaraya. This included going through the charming town of Molinaseca and the medieval city of Ponferrada.
It is quite the varied landscape that we pilgrims walk as we head to Santiago. Today I went down a mountain side to Molinaseca. Through town. Down country roads with gardens and farms. Through a city. Past suburban houses, apartments and soccer fields. And for all of them there are arrows and scallop shells pointing the way forward.
When I arrived in Camponaraya, the albergue where I wanted to stop was closed for renovation. So just a little further on, there was room in the next one. Always going forward.
A very blessed day of walking 20 km from Rabanal to the tiny mountain village Riego de Ambros. With temperatures in the 40s, a fair wind blowing, and rain coming down most of the day, the weather is a far cry from summer in Georgia. Today's walk included the blessed landmark of Cruz de Ferro. After walking in the clouds...to look up and see the simple majesty of the cross....it's breath taking. As a pilgrim I brought a rock from home and laid it at the foot of the cross. Then it is up to the top of the pass on Monte Irago before a steep descent into Riego for the evening.
Pilgrim Prayer at Cruz de Ferro.
Lord, may this stone, a symbol of my efforts on the pilgrimage that I lay at the foot of the cross, weigh the balance in favor of my good deeds some day when the deeds of my life are judged. Let it be so.
