In August, I had the privilege of participating in El Camino de Santiago, The Way of St. James. It represents a pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of the apostle James are buried. James is the patron saint of Spain, since he spent a number of years preaching there. Pilgrims have been making their way to Santiago de Compostela for more than a thousand years, for a variety of spiritual or personal reasons. I walked with a group of eight others for over 100 kilometers along the Portuguese Way.
We enjoyed nature at its finest, with lovely views of the sea, gorgeous flowers, fragrant eucalyptus forests, olive orchards, grape arbors, and lots of different animals as we walked. We had delightful conversations with pilgrims from many different countries. We sensed God’s presence among us each day, and I was blessed by the faith of the others in my group.
My richest and most meaningful experience came on the middle day of my weeklong Camino journey. We began at a quiet monastery, then entered a thickly wooded area called the “stone and water” route. We called it the Garden of Eden! We opted to walk in silence, which allowed us to totally focus on our lush, green surroundings and the babbling stream and waterfalls that we walked beside for over an hour. I decided to use my time to pray for Reece and Sandy Little. As I listened to the refreshing sounds of the flowing water, I prayed that God’s peace would wash over them and touch their body, mind, and soul. I was walking through the most exquisite handiwork of God, and I was deeply touched by this opportunity to pray for one of the dearest couples I know.
The peace-filled walk through our Garden of Eden set the tone for the rest of the week. We were all moved to tears when we ended our period of silence and reflected on our walk. We all considered this to be the richest experience of the Camino journey. It helped us sense the Holy Spirit at work among us.
Prayer: Lord, may we all experience the peace that only you can provide. Help us to live out the message of Christmas as we enter 2025. May we be instruments of peace in a turbulent world.
Kathy and her husband, Bob, are longtime members of Highland and raised their children, Sarah and Scott, in the church. Kathy is enjoying retirement and the opportunity to travel, hike, and volunteer.