6 May 2013

Tardajos, east of Hornillos

Fortitude

Buen Camino,

Yesterday I awoke to a full blown sinus infection. There was no way I could have taken on the steep climbs and descents. I joined other pilgrims who took the bus into Burgos, a large industrial city. The centerpiece to the city was the gothic cathedral. It was my first rest day, and I enjoyed taking the tour of all of the altars dedicated to the saints. Some of them had been created in 1496, just after Columbus sailed. They were magnificently detailed works of art.

Many of past pilgrims I thought I lost days ago arrived to my surprise. It was a great reunion.

The next day I had just enough recovery to be able to breathe and tame some of the coughing up junk. I met with the good bishop and Joyce by mid day to do this simple 10k walk.

Along the way, Bishop Pike, aka Eric, and I discussed the legend of a city we visited many days ago- Santa Domingo de la Calzada. There is a beautiful legend credited to this place.

Sometime around 1100, a German family was on pilgrimage to Santiago. They had their young teen son on the journey. They decided to stop at an inn along the way when the owner's daughter took a strong liking to the son. She wanted a romantic relation with the son. He was dedicated to his pilgrimage and discouraged her. This angered the girl who chose to smuggle a silver cup into his belongings as a revenge. She reported him and, as was the law, any pilgrim caught stealing was to be hanged. The parents' pleas were useless. The boy was hanged.

The parents, though saddened, continued the pilgrimage all the way to Santiago. There, they had a vision that convinced them that their son was still alive. Some versions of the legend are that Santiago was kneeling beneath the boy holding his feet up to prevent the strangulation.

The parents walked back to the inn to discover, in fact, that the son was alive. They ran to the local mayor and pleaded that they be permitted to cut their son down from the gallows. The mayor was having dinner with his family. His reply, "Your son is as dead as these two cooked chickens." At that, the chickens grew feathers and wings and beak and flew off.

To this day, statues of Santo Domingo are with chickens. The church of his name has s small coup to the rear of the church and the roosters crow like crazy within the church. (That's all true, saw it myself.)

I realize there might well be some who dismiss this as yet another fun legend. What became the discussion and reflection I enjoyed today is much deeper.

For one, God still calls us on journeys of faith, just like this family. Along our journeys, there are those who will tempt us to be unfaithful. To abandon the journey. In fact, the temptations are great and so pleasurable. Even being faithful and resisting temptation does not guarantee a reward of a trouble-free life.

Nonetheless, God does still intervene in our life with loving messengers of care and protection. Miraculous things still do happen.

What I took out of the story is the importance of fortitude for the journey. That is, to be strong while following what God has called for me to do. Right now, it is to be strong for this last half of the camino. Pilgrims are dropping out and some too injured and pained to continue. Some have no more endurance for the inconveniences and long roads ahead.

So it is with us too. I have counseled and been spiritual director for many who often say, " I'm not sure this is what God wants me to do. or I'm not enjoying 'this' and I know God wants me to be happy, so He must be calling me to something else. Some lose strength and talk as if he/she deserves a diversion./an indulgence into some shady pleasure because they've worked SO hard, SO long that they deserve ' a little sinful pleasure once in a while.'

Diversion, yes, sinful indulgence- wow!

We need fortitude to continue the course we're on. After all, many believe that it was God who started them on it. When the journey is difficult and sacrificial, it is us who are trying to rewrite the journey's trail. Probably not God at all.

And not only the activities on the trail, but more importantly who they're journeying with. Some, no all too many, have raised the banner of their self happiness to include dumping their covenant relationships. The wake of agony of this causes me such deep grief. My love for me sweetheart is so precious I could never be the source of such torment. Besides, she would hunt me down like Sacajewa with a GPS.

Friends, the call for fortitude was strong for me today.
Stay the course.

Romans 5:1-10?ish articulates it well.

Upcoming:
Good walk toward Hornillas.

Carinosamente,

Deacon Willie