In the beginning.....

The Way of St. James is a very old pilgrimage route. For over 1,000 years, millions of pilgrims have plodded along carrying their meager supplies on their backs as they made their way to Santiago where the bones of St. James the Apostle are said to be laid to rest in the Cathedral. There is no single route--many Europeans start right from their front doors--but the French Way (Camino Frances) is probably the best known and most followed pathway. It traditionally begins at St. Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees and follows a westward path through Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and many, many small towns as one makes his or her way to Santiago.


For those who take pilgrimage seriously, it is a time of physical testing but also spiritual testing. Not only do you have to get up each day, put on your boots, load up your pack and get going no matter what the weather or how you feel about it--but if your mind and heart are open, you will encounter the Risen Lord in events, people and places in unexpected and often life transforming ways. It is a dangerous thing to do if you want everything to remain just the same.


I have been thinking about walking the Way of St. James for over twelve years now. It seemed like a sign when I was called to serve St. James Episcopal Church in 2001. And now it finally is about to happen! I leave for Spain on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009! People keep asking me if I am going with a group. And when I say "no, I am going alone" they are astonished. And yet we never really travel alone do we? We are constantly in the presence of God who loves us more than the person who loves us the most--but we are also in the company of those who have left their footprints in the dirt before us and those who journey along the same path whether we are in conversation with them or not. The number of pilgrims on the Camino has been steadily increasing and the number in 2009 is projected to be around 120,000! There is no way I will be all by myself in that kind of crowd and yet I go expecting to walk in solitude. Someone once wrote: I seek not to follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before; I seek instead the things they sought.


In preparing for this journey, I have discovered that in many ways, my Camino began with writing it down as something I wanted to accomplish. Two years ago I attended CREDO (a week offered to Episcopal priests to get away from the distractions of daily life to focus on four dimensions of health: spiritual, financial, emotional and physical. If one or more of these dimensions are out of balance, then life will feel out of balance. The purpose of the week is to get you to write down specific goals to get you back on track but also to DREAM BIG.) Unfortunately life seems to hurry by so fast that we often fail to recognize what is at the heart of our discontent. During CREDO, you are asked to identify specific goals for yourself--things that you would like to accomplish that challenge you in one or more of these dimensions. Walking the Way of St. James (or better known as El Camino de Santiago) brings all of them together! You must simplify down to basics for a pilgrimage. Probably the biggest thing you have to let go of is control. Nothing can be taken for granted. There is no entitlement. You must go with the flow and attempt to find joy and gratitude in whatever happens. And much like the disciples sent out by Jesus, you can take only a little and must depend on the hospitality and generosity of strangers to assist you along the way. On the Appalachian Trail, this is called "trail magic." Trail angels show up with a cold drink just as you are parched beyond belief; trail angels arrive at a shelter and prepare a feast just when you think you cannot stomach one more bite of dehydrated food; trail angels stop at road crossings and pick you up despite your smell and take you where you need to go. I have experienced the blessings of trail magic and give thanks to God for people who reach out not because they have to but rather because they want to--just because. So I go to the Camino wondering how I am called to be a blessing to others and how God's blessing will be revealed to me in others. And so it begins with one step forward.......