Rest and reflection

We are in Burgos at the municliple albergue.  An albergue is, like a hostel.  In our room there are 25 pilgrims.  Some are friends we met along the way, some are odd folks we met at other albergues, some are strangers.  Some of these pilgrims are young adults in their 20s and others are much older us.  But all are pilgrims on the camino, each with there own hopes, goals, and struggles.  

The nationalities represented include  canada, denmark, hungry, Germany, Spain, Italy, United States, Australia, holland, England.  And those are only the ones I am sure of.   The international character of our shared room is indicative of the whole camino.   This is a world wide pilgrimage. 

In the church we often become focused on our internal concerns; budgets, the pastoral need of our people, the building, the interrelationships within the congregation. But in reality we are not a local institution rather we are a World wide movement and family.  The woman who got my attention at the Mass the other day so that I knew to go forward for the pilgrims blessing was my sister. Her concern for my spiritual well being as a pilgrim was a family taking care of each other.  At Trinity Memorial we are fortunate to have Korean sisters and brothers sharing our community with us.  This reminds us that we are not an isolate community but part of something that is found throughout the world.  

We are in Burgos and tomorrow we begin the Mesetta.  It is gruelling two week walk over a hot semi acid grassland.  Few trees and few changes in the contours of the land.  It is a place of spiritual testing as often the personnel issues of life creep into ones thoughts.  Limitations, weaknesses, breakdowns, failures, giving up, struggling through, admitting decline, these can all show up on under the hot messeta sun.

The very same can be said for many of our congregations.  The way through is to except the limitations, weaknesses and not to let the failures and breakdowns to define the journey.  It is not that giving up is not an option rather it is that to give up because your ego is hurt is defeatists.  Give up because you physically are unable to continue but don't give up because you feel weak, or humble.  So too with the church,  a congregation  should never give up because it is humbled by its decline or a shamed of its status, while the people are still dependent on the ministry of the church to do their own mission in the world, then the church has strength and has purpose.  Stay true to the journey not to an ego goal.

We need to rest and recover after walking  for ten days.  Rest is important and critical to staying true to the journey.   Peace Bill