PILGRIMS

The title of my homily is, “Pilgrims.”

I thought of this topic on this the feast of St. James - “Santiago”.

Today - July 25^th -  I assume extra pilgrims will arrive at Santiago de Compostela  in Spain.

Each year, for the last 30 years, a couple of hundred thousand pilgrims make their way to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Northwest Spain - the Galalcia region.  There are several ways or routes to take: the Portuguese, the French, the English and the Spanish ways.  Different pilgrims - different routes.

The idea is simply to make the pilgrimage - short, long or medium length - or break it up for different times in one’s life.

Three thoughts.

FIRST: EGO FREE

Reflecting on today’s gospel about wanting to be number 1, a pilgrimage is the opposite of being all ego - or trying to be number one. 

I went to Santiago de Compostela once - but we didn’t do the walking.  We arrived there by bus - which we got on - from our cruise ship.

Close to the city of Santiago de Compostela,  we were looking out the bus window - watching and wondering about these nameless pilgrims. They were carrying heavy back packs as they were arriving at the city. 

We finally arrived at our destination: the big cathedral of St. James. We got out of the bus and headed for Mass where we saw all these nameless folks.

So a first message would be to be nameless, to be ego free, to simply be a pilgrim - a learner, a watcher, a listener - on the journey of life.

When I’m on a tour, the one person I don’t like on our bus or tour  is the show off. They are the type who have to let those with them know that they know all about everything. We use the classic label: the know-it-all.

Translation: use ears and eyes  more than mouth.

When it comes to  Santiago de Compostela, there are about 300,000  pilgrims each year. I sense that such a trip should be an ego free moment. For a week, a month, or even a  50 day hike, one puts one foot in front of the other - head is down as one walks step by step in pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

 SECOND THOUGHT: CHRIST CENTERED

I assume that those who do a holy pilgrimage should become more Christ centered.

I assume one meets and thinks good stuff - Christ stuff - and they begin to deepen their faith and their following of Christ.

The gospels feature Christ  on the road - many roads - that eventually lead to Jerusalem.

The symbol one receives at the end of the journey to Santiago de Compostela is a shell.

A shell can be a  symbol for  many things.

Here it can symbolize one’s baptism - being dipped into the waters of Christ - as James was called that day near the waters of Galilee. He was called that day - along with his brother - to walk with Jesus - much to the delight of his mom as we heard in today’s gospel [Cf.  Matthew 20: 20-28.]

So that’s my second point: a pilgrimage ought to get us in touch with what we ought to be doing with our life  -  to get us in touch with our callings.

THIRD:  DISCOVERING ONE’S GIFTS AND DIFFERENCES AS APOSTLES

And I assume that one of the experiences and discoveries - when being an anonymous pilgrim, is one discovers who one is by being anonymous.

In  being a  follower of Christ - one slowly compares oneself with fellow walkers - and talkers - along the way - and one sees one’s differences - one’s  uniqueness, one’s gifts.

Traveling together can be a wonderful learning experience.

I think of the difference between the apostles: Peter becomes a  leader - who tends to put one’s foot in one’s mouth. Thomas is seen as a doubter. Andrew brings people to Jesus. Philip brings food to people who are looking for Jesus.  John poetically imagines Christ.

In other words, we start off as a we - as a Christian - but we also become a me - like James.

There is an anonymous - a face in a crowd - aspect to us - but there is also a particular, a unique side to all of us.

CONCLUSION

The title of my homily has been “Pilgrims”.

Think Spain. Think Santiago de Compostela.

Think Rome, Lourdes, Chartres, Fatima and Israel.