Orisson to Burguete - 14 miles

Across the Pyrenees

This morning began with a beautiful sunrise in the mountains and a very appropriate verse from Psalm 86:

“Show me, Lord, your way

so that I may walk in your truth.”

Today, we continued to walk up into the Pyrenees. The morning was pretty much one continuous ascent. But, once again, the views were incredible. 

Along the way we met some four-legged friends, and came to the shrine of “The Virgin of Orisson.”  One guidebook said that she is revered by shepherds and she keeps watch over the area. A wonderful place to stop and rest under Our Mother Mary’s protection. 

Our next stop came in the form of a food truck. Yes, there was a food truck on the Camino in the middle of the mountains!  And it had a bathroom. Well, it had a small alcove in the rocks that they called a bathroom. It worked. Not the most privacy I’ve ever had and not all that clean, but it did the job. And once again….simplicity and humility on full display :)

We then crossed into Spain. No passport needed. No cheers. Not even a sign, really. Just walk across. For a brief moment I was in both France and Spain. I didn’t know where I was!

We finally made it to the top, and with very little fanfare started going downward. We had two options. A steeper but shorter route, or a more meandering but longer route. We decided to “let the Camino choose” so we asked a nice French speaker for advice. He told us - in pretty good English - that the steeper option was best, and then proceeded to walk on the meandering path! The Camino was being very wishy-washy today. At any rate, we chose the shorter path and it really wasn’t too steep. However, it was obvious that we were descending rapidly. It took us two days to get to the top, and just a few hours to get down. 

This dumped us into the village of Roncesvalles (population 30). Most pilgrims actually arrive here in one day (not splitting it up like we did. I’m very glad we took two days.)  But that means the town is swarming with pilgrims. 

We decided to go another 1.5 miles to the town of Burguete where we found a place to stay and a very good dinner of salad and beef stew. 

Walking out of Roncesvalles, we got our marching orders. Tomorrow we walk again. 

Buen camino!

St. Jean to Orisson

 TheCamino begins!

Now my friend Michelle (not who I’m walking with but who did the Camino a few years ago) would tell me that my Camino began when I got on the plane in Dayton. Or I’ve heard others say that the Camino begins when you make the choice to walk it. At any rate we began walking in France today. And oh my! What a walk it was!

We started at St. Jean Pied de Port and began to walk up. And then we walked up a little bit more. And then it got steeper and we walked up. Up. Up. Up. For the most part, always up. The host where we stayed last night told us that the ascent out of town was the worst part. He lied. There were some pretty steep parts throughout. But we shouldn’t have been surprised because we are now in the Pyrenees. And while the walk was difficult at times we were, quite frankly, surrounded with beauty. 

These pictures don’t really do justice to where we are walking, but hopefully they give you a taste of the absolut beauty of the Pyrenees. 

Our final destination today was Orisson. It is really only a restaurant and a place to sleep. Not all pilgrims stop here because it’s only about a 5 mile walk, but we decided to give ourselves an easy first day which was probably a good idea. For perspective we will walk more than twice this distance tomorrow, but a mixture of up and down. 

After lunch we had a few new experiences. The first was a five minute shower because that’s all the special coin that you inserted into the machine would give you. And then we did laundry by hand because that’s the only option you have. Not what we are used to but a good lesson in simplicity and doing with only what you need. And also humility. After all my underwear(and many others) is hanging on the clothesline for all to see. This morning after breakfast our host led us in a reflection and used John Denver’s song “Sweet Surrender.”  Very apt as he sings:

Tomorrow is open, right now it seems to be more than enough. Just be here today, and I don't know what the future is holdin' in store. I don't know where I'm goin' I'm not sure where I've been. There's a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me. My life is worth the livin', I don't need to see the end. Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care. Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air. Sweet, sweet surrender. 

Tonight we will have dinner with the other guests who are staying here and then probably an early off-to-bed to get up tomorrow and continue going up once again. 

Before heading out this morning I spent some time praying in the “cathedral” of God’s mountains.  Today is the Feast of the Visitation when Mary travels to visit Elizabeth. What a beautiful image as we begin this Camino. Walking with Mary who brings Jesus to her cousin. My prayer was that I might see that the Lord is truly in our midst. (I think I did in the beauty of creation.) I also prayed that like John the Baptist we might leap for joy when we are aware of the presence of Jesus and that our souls might proclaim the greatness of the Lord for all God has done for us. With my pack on there wasn’t much leaping, but I do have a heart full of gratitude and a joy-filled spirit as we walk into “the hill country” on this Visitation day. 

Buen Camino,

Bob

Saint Jean Pied de Port

 We’re almost ready to begin. 

From Bilbao, we took a bus to Pamplona (no, I didn’t get to run with the bulls) and then another bus to the village of Saint Jean Pied de Port in France. This is the traditional beginning of the Camino Frances. Nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains, it is a quaint little town in a beautiful setting. As a main  starting point it is also a conglomeration of peoples, languages and cultures. Sitting at a cafe in the afternoon we met a nice couple from Austin, TX and Martin from the Netherlands who has biked here from home and is on his way to Santiago. We also heard a lot of French, English, Spanish and German, among others, being spoken. 

Tomorrow we officially hit the trail. Until then enjoy these pictures. 

Buen Camino!

Bob

We visited the main church in town dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. I lit a candle asking for Mary’s intercession for us and all pilgrims, and for all of you. 

At the St. James gate where we will begin tomorrow. 

The “CaminoFour” -Andrea, Catherine, Bob and Michelle. 

For dinner tonight I had a lovely trout. And the waiter made me get dessert. 

Bilbao

So the adventure begins.

In case you haven’t heard, I will be on pilgrimage this summer for about six weeks, walking the Camino de Santiago which is an ancient pilgrimage route in Spain. All in all the hope is that I will walk about 500 miles across Spain starting in a small town called Saint Jean Pied de Port in France and ending in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. There are several routes that end in Santiago, but we will be following the Camino Frances or the French Way. It was featured in the Martin Sheen movie “The Way.” 

I will be traveling with three other pilgrims who are friends of mine. To get us started we have all gathered in Bilbao which is in northern Spain. We have spent a couple days getting acclimated to European time before we head out on the Camino. So we were able to explore the town of Bilbao and begin taking in the sights, the sounds, and of course the tastes that Spain has to offer. Here are just a few snippets from the pre- adventure. Buen Camino!

Michelle and I traveling Dayton to Atlanta to Paris to Bilbao

Scenes from Bilbao including a concert in the plaza and some refreshment on a warm day.

On Sunday we attended mass at the Cathedral de Santiago, that is the Cathedral  of Saint James. That was appropriate since the Camino is really a pilgrimage to the church Where the relics of Saint James are reportedly kept. They were also celebrating First  Communions. 

After mass we walked around the city seeing the “Puppy” in front of the Guggenheim Museum and stumbling across Our  Lady of the Pillar in the church of Saint Joseph. Now it’s time to pack and get ready to travel to France tomorrow.

Buen camino!

Bob

Holy Thursday: An Example to Follow

 In today’s liturgy, we hear the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper (Jn 13: 1-15), and we hear him say, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

When Jesus rises from supper and begins to wash his disciples’ feet, he’s doing more than commenting that their feet stink!  He is giving us an example to follow.  He is showing us what our lives are meant to become – that just as he bent down to serve his apostles, we are called to bend down and humbly and lovingly serve our brothers and sisters in imitation and in memory of him.

Simply put, he gives us a new commandment of love.  Love for our brothers and sisters of every age, race and tongue; love for all through acts of humble service; love modeled on Jesus’ very life; love that will be shown to us tomorrow on the cross and later in the empty tomb. 

Now, oftentimes, folks will find it strange that on this evening, when we recall the Last Supper, that we get a Gospel reading about washing feet. 

But really this new commandment of love flows directly from the Eucharist.  At the Last Supper, Jesus says, “This is my body given for you.  This is my blood poured out for you.”  Out of great love, Jesus gives himself and pours out himself to each one of us.  Here, Jesus gives us another example of loving service, and he gives his life so that we might have life ourselves.  In bread and wine, in body and blood he shows us a self-sacrificing love, and he invites us to do the same.  He invites us to be Eucharist for our brothers and sisters.  He invites us to give of our own bodies, to pour out our own selves in humble and loving service, all so that others might know life…just as he has done for us.

In the washing of feet; in the giving of bread and wine, body and blood…here we see Eucharist on full display and we are reminded of what our lives are to be about: bending down to serve others; lives broken open for others; love poured out for others; new life offered to others.

In the past year, we have already witnessed many individuals who have done this:

·       Healthcare workers/scientists/vaccine administers who have taken care of all of us

·       Grocery and retail workers/delivery drivers who have kept life moving for us

·       School personnel who daily look out for their students in new and creative ways

·       Countless individuals who have looked in on elderly neighbors or called those who are lonely

·       Those who have donated food and other necessities for those out of work

·       Friends who have simply texted “How are you doing today?” or dropped off chicken soup and Gatorade when we weren’t feeling well

And each and every one of us is invited to do the same.  To follow the example of Jesus; to give our bodies and blood; to wash others feet.  All, of course, in our own way, humbly serving our sisters and brothers in acts of love both great and small.  All in imitation of Jesus and in memory of him. 

As we once again reflect on Jesus washing the feet of his disciples’ may each of us hear the words of Jesus and vow to live them fully:

“I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

 

If you want to give yourself a 4 minute mini retreat, reflect with the song “As I Have Done for You” by Dan Schutte (2001, Published by OCP)