Buen Camino!

In his novel, "Therapy" David Lodge refers to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela as "a bit of a dog's breakfast, architecturally, but. . . it works." Dog's breakfast is a British term which means confused mess. I agree with this description, and in honor of the pilgrimage and the Cathedral, this essay is a bit of a dog's breakfast too.

There have been so many special moments for John, Luke, and me on all the legs of our trip. I have recorded some of them in this blog. 

Highlights were meeting John's family in Ireland and learning about his family's history and visiting friends in Scotland who also have children from Haiti. 

John's dad is second from the left.

Going to the World War II sites in the Normandy region of France where John's dad served as an infantry sergeant in the European theater. 

And then we did the Camino to Santiago de Compostela, walking about 200 kilometers in the footsteps of thousands of others through the ages. Many pilgrims from the Middle Ages traveled to Santiago in the hopes of being healed of a physical ailment or receiving special indulgences. We walked the pilgrimage for religious reasons and prayed for many people who are fighting cancer and other problems. We also walked for the adventure, camaraderie and sport of it. We prayed for ourselves to grow closer to God and to more fully align our will with His.

When you take on and complete a pilgrimage like this, there is the hope that you will be transformed in some way or another, or that you will gain some wisdom or experience that will change your life. For me, it has usually been the smaller moments. I love to look up at the sky. What a reflection of God's glory it is! And I love to look down at the ground at the sparkly rocks and shells. I think about all the physical stuff in the universe and how God made it all.

Shells from Utah Beach, Normandy, France

 Some of my favorite times on the Camino were having one-on-one conversations with people as we walked among all the beauty. I would think about all the people on the Camino--even all the people in the world--and how God made us all and loves us and knows each of us intimately.

Yet, I was hoping for some big, revelatory moment when I finished the Camino, but it was more about being tired and sore feet and disappointment with the scaffolding. Sitting on the edge of the bed in the dark one night, thinking about all this, a thought popped into my mind: "Every moment is a big moment." Even this one. Sure, all moments are not grand or pleasant or memorable--we don't have complete control of this--but they all have their gifts. Sometimes--though it definitely isn't a necessity--it takes getting out of our familiar environment and routine to realize this.

After we had finished the Camino, I had the opportunity to spend some more time in the Cathedral, and it grew on me. It's not so traditionally beautiful like the Chartres Cathedral or the Cathedral in Leon.

Cathedral in Leon, Spain

But you know what? There aren't so many Masses offered at those other cathedrals; sometimes they seem to be more like religious museums. At the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Mass is celebrated at least eight times a day. We went to Mass with our pilgrim group the day we arrived, Mass on Sunday, and then on May 11, I went to the English-language Mass that is offered six mornings a week at 10:30.

Chapel of the Holy Spirit

Mass was in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit presided over by the Virgin of Solitude. There were about 25 pilgrims present. Father Juan Carlos, from Venezuela and the main celebrant, told us that we were in one of the oldest parts of the church. He had us introduce ourselves and say something about the Camino. People were from Australia, Ireland, England, Northern Ireland, Canada, Germany, Poland, and Sweden. There was only one other person from the United States. He said, "I walked by myself, but on the Camino, you never walk alone."

The first reading, read beautifully by a woman from Canada, was from Acts 20. In part it said,

You know well that these very hands have served my needs and my companions. In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Jesus at the Basilica in Loyola, Spain

Father James from England gave the homily. He talked about how fortunate we were to have been able to walk the Camino during the Easter season. He said that after Jesus rose from the dead, he was with his apostles, teaching them things. Despite being with Him for three years, the apostles still had more to learn. Jesus taught them that as He had served them, they must serve others. 

Father James said that we now have this time after the Camino to think about what we have learned. What has the Camino taught us? Jesus was a gift to us. How can we be a gift to each other?

At the end of Mass, Father Juan Carlos asked us to read the following prayer together, from our heart.

Santiago Pilgrims' Blessing

Father God we ask your blessing.

We are pilgrims who have come to venerate

the tomb of your Apostle Santiago.

As you kept us safe on our Camino way,

may you keep us safe on our journey home.

And inspired by our experience here,

may we live out the values of the Gospel

as our pilgrimage through life continues.

We ask Saint James to intercede for us as we

ask this in the name of Jesus Christ,

your Son and our Redeemer.

Amen

This prayer reminded me of how Father Michael, our pilgrimage leader, would end each Mass:

"Go and preach the Gospel with your lives!"