What's That Smell?

What’s that smell?

26 April 2018

Leon to Mazarrife

I’ve had three days of this imagery and it is so alive in me. I hope to share it in a way you might appreciate it and find benefit in you.

Recall the last time you were before the cooler that housed fresh cut flowers.  Perhaps you’ve been in one lately. Before fellow flower lovers are such a bounty of color and texture.  Set before us are shades of soft pink, deep rose, blood red and shades in between.  Other gorgeous colors are there- tangerine-orange, apricot, and of course, butter-yellows.  The array of color does not compare to the fragrances.  It is such a banquet of bouquets for our sight and especially the smells. Oh yes, what a delight to drink into our nostrils!

I’ve long ago learned to stop and smell the roses, in fact, any fragrant growing thing.  Everything from their delicate little petals, the rich palette of color, to their breath-taking aroma makes them such a gift to behold. True?

Here it is. God provides grace, that is, His gifts to us moment by moment. The graces of each day are like stepping into that floral cooler. Sometimes we stop and drink it in, to be present to them, to drink in the fragrance. Other times we might notice, but pass right by. I’m guilty of this at times.

My Camino has been the journey through this metaphorical floral cooler.  Along these few days our sweet Lord has been presenting me with one bouquet after another. And as fragrant as it is to open the cooler door, I have also recognized another odor- a not-so-pleasant odor that has been bugging me with the question-“What’s that smell?”  More later.

The first bouquet gifted me occurred on my first day in Barcelona.  Fr. Oriel, a fellow intern in our spiritual direction intern class, generously arranged a visit and hosting with his parents who live in Barcelona.  This young 70’s couple treated me with such kindness and generosity. Tours of one of my dream locations, Manressa and Montserrat, places where St. Ignatius received his inspiration for the spiritual exercises that I’ve studied these past years.  This was such a gift, not to be outdone by Maria Delores paella (seafood, meat, and rice medley)- my absolute favorite. Then Joaquin took us for a night tour of the famed, Sagrada Familia. This is one of Europe’s famed, cathedrals.  Spain claims it as its top tourist attraction.  What makes it magnificent is that it is a stone carved structure that has carved images of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.  More amazing, construction started in 1882 and hopes to be completed in 2024. I was most humbled that these Barcelonans treated me as a son.  What a precious sweet smelling grace. Then it came.

Sometime during that day and night a thought whispered, “Willie, remember, you’re 67 years old. You’re doing the Camino again?” Then it was as if a whiff of some foul odor drifted in, confusing me right in the middle of this gift with my new friends and our visit.

I caught myself thinking, “What’s that smell?”  I did my best to dismiss it and moved on.

Another bouquet gifted me while in Leon.  Gratefully the flight was uneventful.  A simple taxi ride got me to my chosen albergue (al berg gay) a hostel run by Benedictine nuns.  Being a history addict, I found another bouquet in history tours of the Cathedral of Leon and its town.  Relics of church treasures dating back 200 years before Columbus were awe-inspiring to me.  When would I ever lay my eyes of such things?! It was such a beautiful thing to behold not to be outdone by the closing of this first night.  The good sisters invite pilgrims to share in their singing of evening prayer. This ancient chapel of beauty and grace was filled with pure love and praise to God by their singing. I recognized the day as another bouquet of spiritual grace. Then it came again.

“Willie, you can be hurt on the Camino-remember the gruesome blisters, tendentious in your knee, stabbing back pain from your pack?” All true. The odor returned with the same question, “What’s that smell?” Again, I worked to dismiss it amongst all the fragrances of so many wonderful gifts.

This brings me to this first day walk on the Camino.  Another more gorgeous bouquet was sent my way. The weather was a spectacular sunny, spring day, mid 60’s, and fields of fresh, verdant wheat plants and canola plants (two foot high small plants with prolific lemon-yellow blossoms). As if this wasn’t enough, snow-capped mountains filled the background. Talk about a bouquet of breath-taking beauty. I loved all 24km of God’s creation!.

Another bouquet fell in my path with the meeting of five fellow pilgrims. On the Camino, pilgrims are eager to meet and get to know each other right away. This is because of the nature of pilgrimage.  We all seek insight into our lives, and the chance visit with a new pilgrim often sheds new light. My bouquets came from two pilgrims. One who shared that she was walking the Camino to accompany her friend whose son was murdered.  What a heartache to carry with a friend. The other came from a delightful lady who opened my eyes to really see the artistic beauty in trees.  She is an artist and specializes in Byzantine art. Her work was fascinating and unique in that her artistic gifts are called upon even in Italy to complete sacred art for Catholic churches. Such is the unique gift of meeting Camino pilgrims-more sweet-smelling fragrances of God’s graces.

Still that odd, offensive smell hung around.  I spent hours soul-searching for the source. By the end of the day, I found the stinking culprit. It was and is simply fear. This dirty little invasion challenged my confidence, it preoccupied my thinking, and tried to steal my joy. What a power fear can hold; what a greater power is love. 

The spiritual bouquet I am most grateful today is recognizing the useless energy spent in fear.  Perhaps you might relate.  What do you most fear in your life? How much space does it occupy in your head? Is it crowding out the other beauties already in your life?

These were the challenges fear made on my early Camino.  God only knows what is ahead. Fear adds nothing, so I choose to live in the present and trust in Him to carry me through whatever lies ahead. His graces will fragrance the journey if I stay open and give Him permission.

That floral cooler is open.  Step inside and feast your senses.  And if you detect an odd stench, ask yourself what fear might be lingering within. Once you find it, give it a toss. That’s what I did, and it’s made the world of difference.

That was God’s gift to me today.  I pray it will gift yours as well.

Fondly, Deacon Willie