Dear Caminoheads,

 

I don’t know why I did not come up with the realization that being a pilgrim was something that was imprinted in my life since a little girl until tonight… You see: yesterday I talked about the Three Wise Men (Reyes Magos) and said I love them and it is their festivity the one I love the most… I have always been traumatized by Santa Claus because having a birthday just the day before Christmas Eve (when Santa visits us in Argentina), he used to tell me that I had a “bigger” present at Christmas to compensate my birthday present… or like my ex-husband did for my first birthday when we started dating: he gave me a pair of shoes, but he gave me the right shoe on my birthday and the left shoe on Christmas day. Cheaters.

Back to the Three Wise Men, they were pilgrims too, they did a pilgrimage following a star (instead of arrows) to visit the baby Jesus in the manger.

So, maybe, this fascination with the Three Wise Men is what ignited my pilgrim spirit… I think I need to give this thought a deeper reflection!

In any case, today’s post was not about me, but about something Ron shared with me and thought would be also thought provoking to all of us… With all that we are going through these days, I wholeheartedly agree with him. Give it a try.

 

Pilgrims loves,

Cris

 

 

Before he began his walk (known also as the Way) Ron’s church pastor, Morris Fleischer, sanctified his trip with the Pilgrim Blessing found on the Camino:

As you follow the Way

May God bless you with discomfort at your own easy answers, half truths, superficial relationships, so that you will learn to live deep within your heart.

As you walk

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you will fill your heart with the desire for justice, equality and peace.

As you carry your load

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you will reach out your hand to comfort them and change their pain into joy.

As you enter the Cathedral at Santiago

May God bless you with the foolishness to think that you can make a difference in the world, so that when you return home you will do the things which others tell you cannot be done.”

May all of us on our Way to sanctification receive these blessings.