Walking through the hills of Navarre, one can’t help but notice all the vineyards. One of my fellow pilgrims gave me a small dark, purple grape that was as sweet as candy. This is what is known as “nature’s candy,” which is the best and nutritious kind. It is through these grapes that we have the wine that graces our kitchen table and dining room table and bar table and, most importantly, the altar table. As we pray in the Liturgy, ” Blessed are you Lord God of all relation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.”
After Navarre comes the meseta, the fields of wheat grown that give us the bread we eat at all the various tables in our lives, especially the table of the altar. Once again we pray at the Liturgy, “Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you, fruit of the earth and work of human hands. It will become for us the bread of life.”
From the earth that God created comes the seed that is planted and once it dies to itself new life is born through a shoot, a stem, a trunk , branches and in the case of grapes, vines. From these is born the fruit of the earth that nourishes us and gladdens our hearts. From this very earth, the grapes and wheat that are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ for our spiritual nourishment.
From this very earth was born the human family…we come from the very earth we walk on…the very earth we must come to respect and venerate more than we do now. Mary, the Mother of God, gave our Lord his flesh and blood. The humanity of Christ is rooted in the earth, the same we have received our bodies. When Christ was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, all creation was blessed. Christ is the Pinnacle of ALL Creation. Through him the entire human race and the entire Cosmos are united in one symphony of praise.

A bike rider on the Camino lost an invaluable small , metal part of the bike that allowed him to carry belongings. He was looking everywhere on the ground for this little bolt, which I immediately thought of the proverbial “needle in a haystack.” We left him with our eyes peeled to the ground.
Later that day we heard that someone , probably a stranger,found the little part and kept it until he heard about the man and his search. We were amazed that this man and his little bolt were reunited, making the trek for him a possibility.

The gospel for today was the parable of the Good Samaritan in which Jesus teaches us that we are neighbor to each other. Every human being is our neighbor and west become the one who finds AND the one who receives. We must ourselves become the one who receives the love and care if the others. Gospel living transforms all of us into neighbors.
There is a saying along this journey: ” the camino will take care of you,” and it does. Something happens to the human heart on this pilgrimage in which we are all united on the journey. People of all races, cultures and religions , and those of no particular faith tradition , become open to the other in care and compassion.
In all of our journeys we CAN develop this openness to caring about the needs of the other. The stranger can become neighbor. Each one if us is a stranger to countless people we meet. Simply become aware of the other transforms that nameless human being into a person just like ourselves , struggling to connect.
This way of living demands a change in our patterns of how we are present in the world. We need to let go of our screens and phones and ear plugs and reconnect with the world. Even if the others we meet have no interest in making eye contact and living in the present moment. We can pray for that person ; prayer connects us with the other even when they are disinterested.
Being neighbor or becoming one is the heart of discipleship. The camino lends itself to such living but it is still a challenge. Most of us have our phones, I Pads and mini pads and Wi Fi exists in many places along the way.
It’s just as easy to become absorbed in our worlds in such a way that we become disconnected with the very people with whom we are walking.
Finding that little metal part and connecting it with the owner transformed two people into neighbors. These small acts of kindness are what change the world.
How can we all be better neighbors ?
Buen camino. Fr. Frank

Before leaving Chicago , I needed to find just the right jacket: light, zippered pockets, a hood. I went to a number of stores trying to find the perfect jacket off the camimo. I finally found one, made by North Face that fit the bill. Just after landing in Barcelona , my fellow pilgrims and I got a taxi for the eastward trek into France. Of course, I left that “perfect jacket ” in the taxi. Now I had no jacket. Upon arriving in St. Jean Pied de Porte I went looking for a men’s clothing store, which
I immediately found. I entered , found the “perfect jacket” with the zippers in the right place and a hood …and in bright red!! It took less than 10 minutes to find the store, enter and find the right jacket. The only problem: the zipper zips up on the wrong side, maybe for those who are left handed. A minor inconvenience.
This jacket is a great reminder of the waste of time trying to find the right piece of clothing , the right car, the right shoes or stylish eye frames. My new red jacket had done the job and then some. I used it last night to keep warm in a rather cool pension.
On this Feast of St. Francis, I can see how I’m getting by with so few possessions. Francis teaches us wisely that possessions always end up possessing us. In the gospel for the Feast, Jesus teaches that what God has “hidden from the wise and learned he has revealed to the merest of children .” We who are sophisticated
and cultured think that what we wear determines our worth and status.
On this pilgrim journey , we all have just the bare necessity of clothes and they are washed by hand in sinks and tubs usually to dry naturally. Ironing is a luxury, for an iron us too heavy to put in any backpack and one would look ridiculous trying to iron. No one is impressed by anyone’s wardrobe which us so freeing. It is enough to have clean teeth and not smell. Although we all smell just a bit. On second thought , some of us smell worse than the cattle.
Francis walks with all of us, urging us to let go with our preoccupation with buying, buying and buying. It never makes us happy. He is walking with you….
800 years ago, in 1214, Francis walked the camino. I hope to get certificate in honor of the 800th anniversary of his pilgrimage. I’m certain he just walked with what he had on. Meanwhile , I am looking in my backpack deciding what to let go of. The mini I Pad weighs a little over a pound but I’m not yet ready to ship it to santiago. Maybe in Burgos. Maybe not.
One thing’s for sure : the red jacket is staying.
Buen camino. Fr. Frank

The walk today was spectacular but challenging. It was uphill most of the way with no places to get coffee or a bite to eat. We were struggling up one of the many hills when anmarie, a fellow pilgrim, said God would somehow get us through this by reminding us that he is watching over us. No sooner had she said this than we turned a little bend in the road and there was a meg shift stand serving wonderful coffee, hard booked eggs , water, juice and some sweets.
It was our oasis where a human angel named Sabastian treated us so beautifully.
Yes, God is watching out for you and you just never know when you turn around and are embraced with the warmth of an angel disguised as a human being. God invaded our lives constantly with signs of his presence and love. He created the Angels as spiritual beings to love and serve him by guiding us, the pinnacle of creation. In Christ’s humanity we are ALL united with a common purpose : to give birth and life to the kingdom.
Today is the feast of the Angels and the pilgrims will gather tonight in the ancient church in Roncesvalles and celebrate the Mass in honor of the Angels. After the Mass we will receive a pilgrim’s blessing and prayer to guide us on our journey to santiago. I pray that you who read this will become more attuned to how God is trying to get through to you in your own unique life.
The Angels not only help us but we help them “get their wings ” when we treat each other with compassion and dignity. The Angels want us to recognize their presence and purpose : to help us realize that God is caring for us on our journeys and we are to extend his care to those we meet, especially the lonely and sick and poor. The Angels help us and we are called to return the favor.
Buen camino. Fr. Frank

We arrived in Barcelona safe and sound. Mary ann, Rat, Margaret Anmarie and myself…four pilgrims missing the only train that would get us to Pamplona in time to make it to st Jean pied de Porte in France before the hostel would close its doors for the evening. First minor glitch. We stayed in Pamplona and will make our trek over the Pyrenees via taxi into at Jean and start walking this afternoon. Another major glitch: my cell phone data could not be retrieved. Thanks to anmarie who patiently spoke on her phone to a tech assistance for nearly an hour, the problem was solved with one forgotten press of a button.
All things considering , we had a great first day. I began the day with prayer and mass. The gospel spoke of Jesus telling the disciples that the call to follow is NOW and we have to stop making excuses in following his call. Whether it is saying our goodbyes first or even burying the dead( he didn’t really mean not to bury a loved one; he was just using exaggeration to awaken us) ; we all come up with reasons why we don’t or can’t change. “I’m too old” or “I’m too busy” or “my family will be inconvenienced” or “I promise I will do it when my affairs are all in order” (they never are!!!!!) tomorrow….tomorrow ….tomorrow ….and nothing changes….we don’t change and life becomes stagnant. We just become comfortable in our endless excuses to stay right where we are.
Jesus us calling all of us out of our comfort zones into a life of transformation. This always involves change if perspective and attitude which lead to changes in how we think which leads to change of heart. We need to become unsettled just a bit and tryst that Jesus will accompany us as we respond NOW to his calling. Right now, I don’t want to leave this warm, comfortable cafe with its delicious coffee. It’s too chilly outside; I had a long day yesterday; my fellow pilgrims need a further day to rest; maybe I’ll take a bus!!!!
I’m leaving….NOW ….to a pilgrim path that has many unknowns. No wonder I want to stay. Who likes all those “unknowns?” God comes alive and our very purpose in all those unknowns.
Buen camino. Fr. Frank

I walked into our empty church building and felt out of sorts and empty. The inside has been completely gutted, only the ceiling and brick walls intact. What caught my attention was the floor, torn up in places revealing dirt and gravel. As a walked I noticed the underground piping system which carries water in and out of the building. A trough has been created to carry water to our new baptismal font. On top of this system of pipes the floor will be poured and shaped.
This underground network of pipes carry water….life…in ways we are totally unaware. We walk on the floor as water is flowing in and out underneath our footsteps. The foundation has a life of its own.
The foundation of our lives is God, whose presence flows in and out of our awareness, our memories, our prayer. This “foundation”…God….dwells in our hearts and we are usually completely unaware this Divine Indwelling. As we walk over the floor of our church, unaware of the life that is flowing underneath, we walk through life disconnected with the very Foundation of our lives.
Pilgrimage is walking with a purpose, with a deeper awareness the very Presence that “grounds” our lives. The more we are grounded in God, the more inner peace we have; the better we make decisions; the more patience we have; the ability to forgive and let go of bitterness increases; the less likely we are to complain ; the more we give thanks.
Every time we walk, whether around the block, in the park, along the lake or on a Camino in Spain, we can open ourselves up to this life giving foundation. Whether we walking freely, with a cane, or a walker or a wheelchair, we can be on a pilgrimage that gently reveals the hidden “underground ” presence of God.
Buen Camino. Fr. Frank

I was walking past the building of our church at the corner of Armitage and Kenmore and saw the doorway completely gutted. One could see very clearly into the church through the heavy dusted air. The church couldn’t be more open without a massive set of doors LOCKED greeting people.
The doorway into the church has a particular soulful designation: the “portal.” The port us where a ship returns and rests after being at sea. The port is both an entranceway to land or to sea. The doorway of a church is both an entrance into the building or a re-entry into the world after encountering Christ in the Eucharist. The waters at the “portal” of the church are the waters of baptism. We pass through the doorway as baptized people needing to reignite the passion of our baptismal identity. We leave through the same doorway renewed with Word, Sacrament and Community as “leaven” for the world. We leave with a mission rooted in the waters of Baptism.
The entrance of our church without the doors is an apt symbol of our church and parish. We face the world with an openness to the people in the world and “outside” the church. Our mission rooted in the waters of baptism is to be in the world like an open church. May people see in us the presence of Christ. May our humanity become a harbor of rest and welcome.
May we open wide the doors…the portal of our hearts to God’s People.
Buen Camino. Fr. Frank

On Friday I had the opportunity of praying the Sabbath with the people of Temple Shalom. It was a beautiful experience of prayer and community, the people welcoming me with open arms. Part of the service included a rite of commitment by a young man entering the Jewish faith. I was privileged to be part of his journey.

But the irony of the experience was that we both met a couple of years ago at St. Teresa’s. He would come to St Teresa’s on occasion as he explored religion and his experience of God. After one if his visits , he left a beautiful origami shaped crane( the bird) in front if the tabernacle. Inside the crane was a prayer for Peace, a passion of his. I remember finding this “crane of prayer” and wondered who created it and left it for me to have a moment of joy. Here I am in a Temple, a fellow pilgrim on a journey of faith, being able to witness his moment of commitment and belonging. Once again, there are no coincidences in life. I was meant to be there.

Sitting in Temple Shalom on a cold and dreary Friday allowed me to be swept up by ancient prayers and song. We are all “pilgrims” walking at different places on one path, all leading to the same destination. We Catholics tend to be unaware of the Jewish identity of Jesus. Yes, we all know he was a Jew but have little clue as to the Jewish and Hebrew world that shaped his humanity. Out prayer of Eucharist is rooted in Jewish prayer and ritual. Jesus lived and breathed in a world that united body and soul and saw the beauty of the created world. Due to heavy influences of Greek philosophy, we tend to divide the world in which we live so that the invisible takes precedence over the visible. The foundation for understanding the Scriptures must be in the Hebrew world vision if the meaning of the Word is to have any impact on our lives.

Somehow, God invaded my memory last Friday evening through a beautiful paper crane. There is a parable in here somewhere. Peace and Burn Camino. Fr. Frank

Just finished the final touches on packing my new 48L backpack….22 liters less than my last backpack two years ago. It was heavy !!! Almost 40 pounds!!! Last night my back weighed just under 20 pounds , a huge difference. Gone were the coffee mug, large I Pad, extra set of clothing, a pad for under my sleeping bag, a lighter sleeping bag, no floppy hat, no camera, no book for reading( my mini I Pad will suffice ).
I’m learning quickly that I don’t need nearly as much “stuff” as I think to make this journey. We fill our lives with too much of this “stuff”that creates the illusion that we have to keep buying and collecting to fill the inner void.
Letting go is just the first step. The question becomes : how will I fill the void?? Getting rid of all the things we don’t need just will allow us to buy new things, creating new clutter.
After letting go, we turn to God in prayer who will help us to begin to live life differently…more simply.
Buen camino. Fr. Frank