What
Are You Here For?
May 3, 2018
Vega de Valcarce to O’Cebreiro
Today’s walking stage is one of the final punishing and
strenuous climbs for the tail end of the Camino. It includes a 700 meter
vertical ascent over a 12km distance.
However, it was not for this pilgrim.
After yesterday’s long walk through chilly rain and constant sprinkles,
I recognized my first pronounced blister on the ball of my left foot. That with several days of stiff, mountain
climbs, my quads were like warm jello.
For my safety, I choose to take a ride on the backpack transport van to get
to this most special place. O’Cebreiro (pronounced O thay bray air o) has
existed since the 9th century as a place to assist pilgrims on their
journey to Santiago. The village is niched into a mountain peak at 1300 meters.
I write this at the albergue perched before a glass wall that permits such a
steal-your-breath-away view of mountain ranges strung like pearls around this
medieval oasis for pilgrims.
Something I’ve recognized on this Camino is the
number of Korean and Japanese young adults.
They stand out for their (noisy) vitality and in contrast to another
prominent demographic, the 60’s-70’s crowd.
Nonetheless, it is pure gift for pilgrims to meet and share experiences,
well as far as language will allow or Google Translator will cooperate. In almost every new encounter there is: who
you are, where you are from, where you started your Camino. Invariably, this
question edges its way into every new pilgrim conversation: What are you here for?
I’ve discovered from the younger group that they are
here because they want a long walk and the Camino is relatively inexpensive.
For some, it’s a school encouraged challenge and adult sponsors accompany the
youth. Adults on the other end of the birthday scale, are here for the
challenge, the beauty, and because they claim to love hiking. Sometime during these brief introductions, I
will ask, “Are you here for any spiritual reason?” To my surprise, it is so very rare to find
anyone who has a claim for a personal relationship with God as a motivation to walk
the Camino.
This pains me.
The Camino de Santiago originated in pilgrimage- the journey to a holy
place. God’s magnificent scenic creation
is humbling and His goodness bores into the soul with each walking step. I
don’t get the rejection of a faith pilgrimage with so many. Maybe the claims
that we are living in a modern pagan era are true. If so, Lord, help us.
My Camino today invited me into a contemplation of
the question: “What are you here for?” So what’s the answer? What would be your
answer? And does my life demonstrate the answer I’ve chosen? We Christians know
the textbook answer to this. That is, to bring God pleasure. We are here on
earth for His pleasure to be loved by Him and for us to love Him in
return. Yes, we are here for love. It is out of love that we want to know, love,
and serve Him. Outside of this we are “looking
for love in all the wrong places.”
In the 12th century, a treasured
historical event occurred in O’Cebreiro that poignantly illustrates this sticky
question for our soul search. There is a small church, Santa Maria la Real,
tucked right along the Camino trail which is reachable only by foot on the
trail that roller coasters steeply up and down through hill and valley until
reaching the village church. A pilgrim of that time chose to brave a snowstorm
along that trail. He arrived at the
church only to be met by the parish priest who chided him sternly for risking
his life in such dangerous weather. After all, he could have slid out of sight
and died along the way. Besides, no one else was there but him.
Local history records that the pilgrim responded in
reverence and humility.By some accounts he was reported as responding, “I am
here for Jesus.” With that the priest
vested and celebrated the mass for his one congregant. When the priest elevated the host, a miracle
occurred. The host transformed into
human skin, relaxed, and folded over his knuckles. He placed it upon the paten,
a silver, plate-like vessel used during the mass. Completely stunned, the priest elevated the
chalice, also made of silver, only to find that the wine was transformed into
human blood. It was reported that when this miracle occurred, the statue alongside
the altar was witnessed to have turned its head toward this heavenly sign.
In this little, ancient church is a side chapel with
the silver chalice and paten displayed in a glass case set upon a striking red,
velvet behind it. To think, these two vessels held the Holy Grail! Today, I
knelt before these holy vessels giving me spiritual goosebumps. A far greater gift came to me as well. I was
permitted to assist as deacon for the pilgrim mass.
It was day of grace that led me to again ask myself
the question, “What are you here for?” I choose the answer of our ancient
pilgrim brother, “I am here for Jesus.”
It’s so easy to live life on auto pilot, isn’t it?
It’s a hustle of going and doing life in its routine. I am guilty of this at times. And you? We
might all do well at putting this question into our day to serve as speed bumps
to a frantic life of “doing.” We are made for much more than that. We are here for a purpose-His pleasure in
loving us and our loving Him in return.
That alone is what we are here for.
Fondly, Deacon Willie
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