November 29, 2011
"I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8)
My foot is getting worse but at times at least I'm able to outsing the pain and in spite of it I feel an overwhelming happiness! Today my refrain is Walk A Mile In My Shoes - it motivates, keeps me going.
This morning Yesouk said she was meeting the "old" Spanish guy Jose to go with him by taxi. He's probably the same age as me and I said to her that he would not be flattered to be referred to as "old". With that Mark called out to me saying "you are the young Irish priest!".
Later someone commented on how I get up so early in the mornings. It gives the impression that I'm a morning person but I had to confess that this is not usually the case and that I need time and silence in the morning before I get going. Mark said he's the same and I said it's the artistic streak in us - to which Becky replied " oh yea, when we have kids I'll tell them not to disturb their father in the mornings because he's an artist!" Sounds funny when said like that.
I think it was in O'Cebreiro and Astorga that Lorna and I encountered each other early in the morning - both of us needing this kind of private space and being able to give it to each other, both of us sitting there in silence drinking coffee.
"Whoever listens to me may live secure, he will have quiet..." (Proverbs 1:33)
The walk through Galicia is very like Ireland, the music is also very similar but the people are not a bit friendly.
Sanghan passes me by but later I find him sitting at a roadside bench drinking tea. It's a bitterly cold day and he gives me tea from his own cup, something I find very intimate. Of itself it binds us together. I remember as a child the feeling of intimacy I got from drinking tea from my Mam's cup. It tasted like no other. It was an experience I missed out on with an Egyptian friend in Rome because I didn't understand when he asked if he could drink wine from my glass. This intimacy we had in Tanzania. I've rediscovered it here on the Camino - we have eaten food from each other's spoons and plates, drunk from each other's cup.
Sanghan has moved on and we may not meet again but he says he has me in his camera. Beautiful camera!
The call to childhood comes to me again. Jesus saying "I bless you Father...for revealing the mysteries to mere children...Blessed are the eyes that see what you see..." - words that I read to Mam during Mass, minutes before she died.
"Julian of Norwich maintains that, in this life, we can have no other stature than childhood...The inmost heart of Jesus was always that of a child." (Ruth Burrows). The child of God is not preoccupied with what he can do for God but with receiving what God is giving - this is what is happening to me now!
Tonight Becky approached me saying she did not know if it was appropriate but was offering to massage my foot. First time ever I had a massage of any kind and it brought great relief.
"Grant us Lord in this our day the ancient dream of peace" (from Morning Prayer)
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