Camino Portugues at Tui, Spain
Blessed are those whose strength is in you; who set their hearts on pilgrimage. – Psalm 84:5
As my first entry on this blog, I would like to share my experience with you from my second pilgrimage in Spain – from Tui to Santiago de Compostela along the Camino Portugues.
On this pilgrimage, I became aware of the importance of this prayerful walk as one in which I was not alone, even though I walked it alone.
Certainly, there was the communion I felt with our Father’s beautiful creation all around me as I walked under sheltering trees of eucalyptus and pine forests, through quaint villages along country lanes, friendly villagers urging me on with the words, Buen Camino (Good Way), bordering fields ripe with the fruit of harvest, doves cooing, roosters crowing, and dogs wagging their tails.
And there was the sense of common purpose with other pilgrims, whether they were walking in front or behind me, walking along with me, or sitting by the trail resting.
This was also my experience on my walk along the last 115km of the Camino Frances, but this pilgrimage held more meaning for me because it more closely traced the path left by the Apostle Iacob (Jacob, the brother of John, Santiago, St. James) when he walked and preached the Gospel along the Roman roads through what was then Iberia, from the south to the northwestern coast of Spain, known as Finisterre (end of the earth).
This path along the northwestern coast was also taken by two of his loyal disciples when they returned his martyred body from Jerusalem to his final resting place in Santiago De Compostela.
Monte Santiaguino above Padron
In the towns along this pilgrim path, you could experience the legacy of this apostle through the people who live there. They filled local churches, kept fresh flowers on their wayside crosses (cruceiros), and in many other ways showed that they still followed in the footsteps of their beloved Santiago.
It struck me how our lives can interact in ways that speak of our valued principles (our morals and ethics) beyond words and a moment in time. As I walked, I was encouraged onward by the footprints left by those who walked before me. And with each step I took along the trail, I left a footprint that showed a pilgrim’s progress to those who followed.
Even when there were no other pilgrims in sight, I would come upon the traces of their prayerful walk through the rocks left on waymarkers to mark a moment of prayer for someone, crosses made of small branches left on the path or weaved into fences, a worn pair of shoes, a note to other pilgrims, or a memorial with the photo of someone who was in their prayers.
Camino Portugues waymarker with rocks
In the quiet recollection of my journey, I became aware of how this path was formed by pilgrims following for nearly two thousand years in the footsteps of the Apostle who followed in the footsteps of Jesus – and how this pilgrimage stretches forward in time and beyond that path throughout the earth.
I encourage you as you walk your Camino, to reflect on the footsteps you are making, the path you are taking, and the Buen Camino we can make for one another.
Buen Camino!
Pilgrim Paul
Comments welcome!
Paul – a powerful and moving description of your pilgrimage. Your story here, along with others you have shared with me personally, inspire me to make my own pilgrimage and walk in the footsteps of Jesus and others who have walked before me. I look forward to more inspiring stories here on your “Following in the Footsteps” blog. Nice work, and GREAT visuals, my friend!
Thank you my friend for your kind words of encouragement and for considering your walk in the footsteps of Jesus, for that is the purpose of my pilgrimage and my footsteps blog – to share that walk with you and all whose paths converge. I wish you a Buen Camino!
I just saw your Twitter account, @footsteppilgrim. I will follow you there, as well, to stay up-to-date and get a regular dose of inspiration (and education)!
Thanks Gene for following me on twitter. I will be tweeting with news of new blog posts and also briefly sharing thoughts and experience while on pilgrimage journeys or attending events of interest.
Paul, I am so glad you have responded to the Holy Spirit’s inspiration to encourage and assist others to “Follow in Jesus’ Footsteps” by creating “Following in the Footsteps” especially today as the whole world celebrates with joy and gratitude, the Feast of Pentecost.
Thanks Bud, for your valued comments and encouragement for this evangelical undertaking. Your pentecostal thoughts are echoed in my corresponding tweet today on https://twitter.com/footsteppilgrim – Celebrate Pentecost everyday by inviting the HolySpirit to guide you to know and do our Father’s will and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Paul, truly inspiring testimony and pictures on your pilgrimage walk. Pilgrim Paul’s wisdom on celebrating Pentecost every day is a wonderful way to lighten the weight of our daily concerns, allowing The Holy Spirit to plow thru and prioritize our day to truly walk in the sandals of Jesus.
Thanks Sharon, for sharing your comments on my Camino pilgrimage experience and for highlighting the liberating benefit of being guided by the Holy Spirit: freeing us from our worries and self-concern while allowing us to experience the joy of sharing our faith with others in the ways that Jesus has commissioned us.
As always, I appreciate the way you share your journey- figuratively and literally- on this blog. You’ve asked for some ideas on how to further the connectivity potential. I see you are on Twitter, where I believe you have a good presence. What I struggle to see is your presence on Facebook. I’m partial to this social platform, but so are many of my friends, family, and colleagues that I believe would enjoy your blog! One key is to utilize shareable images that will grab the attention of viewers, and increase traffic to the blog (Hayden, 2014). Recommended steps include: developing an image that is “pinnable” on Pinterest with a catchy phrase, share the graphic on Pinterest, and then “cross-posting” the image on Facebook (Hayden, 2014). I have used PicMonkey to make graphics for my business purposes and receive really positive feedback on them (www.picmonkey.com). Your photos are beautiful, and if you add a short quote, either a Bible verse, famous pilgrim saying, or one of your own, it can further promote the blog. Social media users are inundated with content every moment of the day so keeping the graphics simple, yet powerful, is a good marketing strategy.
Hayden, B. (2014, May 19). 3 Steps to promote your blog on Pinterest and Facebook. Retrieved from: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/promote-your-blog-pinterest-facebook/
Thanks Rachel for sharing these helpful tips on using social media for spiritual good. Promoting this site using digital marketing strategies as you have suggested will not only draw more viewers here, but will also allow them to reflect on their journey as we are all on a spiritual pilgrimage – the one we walk on the Camino provides the opportunity to share that experience in both the physical and spiritual sense.