Camino for the Soul

To walk the Camino is supposed to be good for the soul. It is also hard on the feet.  Today we traveled 20.6 km from Burgos to Hornillos del Camino, from city into empty country, through some little villages and finally to a small village dominated by a church with it’s population likely doubled by pilgrims.

We began our day standing in the street outside our hotel, holding hands and sharing a prayer. The prayer was in French, led by our guide.  Here is that prayer:

God, You called your servant Abraham from Ur in Chaldea, watching over him in all his wanderings, and guided the Hebrew people as they crossed the desert.  Guard these your children who, for the lover of your Name, make a pilgrimage to Compostela.  Be their companion on the way, their guide at the crossroads, their strength in weariness, their defense in dangers, their shelter on the path, their shade in the heat, their light in the darkness, their comfort in discouragement, and the firmness of their intentions; that through your guidance, they may arrive safely at the end of their journey and, enriched with grace and virtue, may return to their homes filled with salutary and lasting joy. 
    -Codex Calixtinus- 12^th Century
Sharing those words together as we set out on our journeys, each with their own goals, hopes, dreams for the trip, was a special moment.  It was a moment that drew us together again as a group, but also as children of a God who loves and cares for us.

Much of today's walk was through "big" country

We ended the day in the church in Hornilos del Camino, a church that could likely hold the entire population of the own a number of times over.  We had asked for a place to have a Eucharist Service for our group and were offered the church. Our service was attended by only twelve people, our group and two other pilgrims, but it was very meaningful as we shared the bread and the wine together, each one of us coming from a different religious tradition, yet bound together by this sacrament. I have never sung in such a space before. It was wonderful.

I Pray

I pray, 0 God, to know you, to love you, that I may rejoice in you.

And if I cannot attain to full joy in this life may I at least advance from day to day, until that joy shall come to the full.

Let the knowledge of you advance in me here, and there be made full. Let the love of you increase, and there let it be full, that here my joy may be great in hope, and there full in truth.

Lord, through your Son you do command, nay, you do counsel us to ask; and you do promise that we shall receive, that our joy may be full.

I ask, O Lord, as you do counsel through our wonderful Counsellor.

I will receive what you do promise by virtue of your truth, that my joy may be full. Faithful God, I ask.

I will receive, that my joy may be full.

Meanwhile, let my mind meditate upon it; let my tongue speak of it.

Let my heart love it; let my mouth talk of it.

Let my soul hunger for it; let my flesh thirst for it; let my whole being desire it, until I enter into your joy, O Lord, who are the Three and the One God, blessed for ever and ever.

Amen.

Anselm Proslogion (1077-1078)

Prayer

Come to my assistance my Lord and my God, that I may do for You all that you ask.  Strengthen me in adversity and do not let me succumb to my feelings of worthlessness.  Help me to feel in my heart all that You speak to me, and help me to understand.   May I be to others what they need: a body to work when others cannot; a heart to love those who are forgotten; a shoulder to console those who’s soul is in need; a smile to brighten the most somber of Your children; a mouth to proclaim Your love.  Let me be to You, as a brush is to a painter, worthless without You, but capable of transforming the human heart by the power of Your mercy.

Send me, my Lord if You need me, to touch others as You would touch them, to hold them as You would, to love them as only You can.  Make my heart like Yours, that I may forgive everything and love beyond my own human frailty.  Come live within me, that I may die to myself so You may fill my very being.  Let me serve others as You would serve them, that in doing so I may serve You.  Do not let me fail, oh Lord, or lead Your people astray.  Allow me to live in Your presence today, that tomorrow I may die in Your hands, and may You raise me one day that I may touch Your face and live in Your glory.

Amen.

Deacon Lazaro J. Ulloa

First Winter Storm

I live in a place that is prone to winter storms.  Right now, we are in the second day of the first one.  This morning we woke up to closed roads, closed schools, high winds, and white out conditions.  J could not get into work and had to cancel her client appointments. 

Except for a doctor’s appointment, I had intended to spend most of the day in my office.  I did make it to the doctor, but for part of the trip, I was glad that some of the pavement was not covered, because all I could see was that black road for about 20 feet ahead of me.

I actually like these sorts of days.  They give me an opportunity to catch up.  I can’t get out so no one expects to see me.  I get a chance to wade through paperwork and eventually even clean up my desk and office (that does need to get done before the Googler comes home for Christmas)  To many in a row can get boring.

Tomorrow sounds like more of the same.  I look forward to enjoying it in my warm house next to the wood stove.

Prayer on Contemplating Nature

You, O God, Majestic Creator, are the origin of all life.

Nothing can exclude itself from your creative influence.

You are wonderful in your words and in your sovereignty.

Amazed, I contemplate the perfection of the world you created for human beings.

You are unmatched in your power and in your goodness.

O Lord, you direct like a conductor the orchestration of a storm, and you shape like a sculptor the petals of a flower.

You are prodigious in your majesty and in your wisdom.

Lord, you have fashioned human beings to accept the challenges of nature and to be your voice in creation.

O Lord and King, Majestic Creator, you have made your mystery transparent in the world you have created.

I worship you in your creation and in your providence.

Amen.

From Prayers of Blessing and Praise for All  Occasions

Prayer

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love, and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose, Your will through all things.

(By St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556)

Prayer

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart  from that desire.

And I know that, if I do this , You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore I will trust You always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton
Thoughts in Solitude, pg. 83

The Noise is Out

During our church services we often have a time when we can share our praises, thanksgivings and petitions  in the form of prayer requests.  This past Sunday,  I decided to share the fact that I had been accepted to seminary.  It had been a bit of a process and a few members of the congregation, particularly the other elders and the pastor, knew that I had applied.  Most had no clue.

Since I had not really prepared myself to make this announcement, I found it more difficult to do than may have been expected.  Tripping over my own words, I actually said that I had received word from the cemetary to say that I had been accepted.  Well, that got a few unintended laughs.

It was cool to let my church family know how I am trying to respond to God’s leading.  Their response was very supportive, as it should be,  becuase in many cases, they have been the vehicle through which that leading has come.  Their words over the years have led me to believe that I am supposed to do something with my life other than the career path that I am now on.

The thing that was not clear during the service and caused some discussion afterward was the fact that I am stepping off one path onto another very slowly.  I was excited by the fact that the seminary accepted me at all.  I really did not know what my undergraduate transcript said.  When I finished that degree 28 years ago my goal was to graduate and get a job.  Marks were not that important.  Now I needed at least a B.  I must have had it.  I am only taking one course in September.  I am not quitting my job.  I am putting my toe in the water.

Oh, and did I mention….J is not going to be a congregational pastors wife.