Camino Portugues
The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St James, is a pilgrimage of at least 100 kilometers to the burial place of St. James the Apostle in Santiago, Spain. Pilgrims have been walking the Camino for over 1000 years and there are many routes throughout Europe. Michael and I walked the Camino Portugués from Porto, Portugal to Santiago, Spain in September.
This journey was a bucket-list retirement goal - more of a physical challenge at first. We trained for a year walking every day for many miles and practiced using trekking poles, backpacks, and walking in inclement weather. But what started off being a journey of physical endurance ended being an emotional, relational, and spiritual one as well. It became one of seeking God in all things and searching for a more spiritual life. It became a journey of extreme trust - in God, in each other and our fellow pilgrims, in our guide and in ourselves (not to mention the app Camino Ninja!).
Once our fellow pilgrims arrived, we quickly realized that this would also be a relational experience. Relating emotionally with strangers is not always easy. It usually takes time and vulnerability and an open heart. But because of our extended time together, we quickly came to know our fellow pilgrims - who all had specific intentions and spiritual purposes of their own for the pilgrimage. We walked with them, listened to them, cried with them, shared with them, and often prayed with them. We came to love them, and we were able to see Christ in them and to be Christ for them and hopefully they could see Christ in us. We feel blessed to have made some beautiful friends whose stories had a great impact on us.
We also had many moments of walking alone or just with each other. These reflective kilometers were precious to my inner journey. By the grace of God, prayers were answered, and I had some humbling realizations. I had always held that the only person I could change was myself - and not anyone else. This adage had always worked well for me. My enlightenment was that I had to abandon my ego. I don’t actually change me - God changes me.... through my prayers. My time of solitude, silence, and soul-searching left me peaceful and peace filled. My heart had changed. I had changed. God did this. A blessing for sure.
Before beginning the pilgrimage, our guide taught us to follow the yellow arrows. As we wandered through granite trellised vineyards, exquisite, canopied forests, quaint village streets and what seemed to be at times the local folk’s backyards, we were always met with a wave or a smile or a "Buen Camino”. But we really had to pay attention! If we didn’t, we would lose our way. So, with each step we earnestly and eagerly searched for the yellow arrows and the scallop shell which is the symbol of the Camino.
After many arduous days of intentional steps, including one day through rain and mud with blistered feet, we finally arrived at the Cathedral of St James....and the yellow arrows stopped. Our physical and outer quest had ended, and the arrows ceased - but we realized that our inner spiritual quest continues and rather than the yellow arrows.... if we ask and listen and pray, we learn we have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us - he is the arrow that can pierce our hearts if we let him. The Holy Spirit can lead us to love better and to see with the eyes of our hearts and to find our true self and Our Lord – that which we seek is in us.
Deb Wendt
Parishioner
