We’re all on a journey. Doesn’t matter if you believe in heaven, or a supreme power, of life after death or not, we’re all making a journey toward something. Our journey of discovery now takes us to the city of Pamplona in northern Spain, but on the way we call in as St. Jean Pied de Port, what is commonly seen as a starting point on the Comino de Santiago de Compostela (Way of St James), although there are actually many starting points for this journey all over Europe, and finishes on the North West coast of Spain. From Saint Jean Pied de Port that’s over 500 miles.
Pilgrims from all over the world come here to make this journey, on foot, on bicycle, in cars (like us). Some attempt this all in one go, taking weeks to complete, others will do this journey in stages over months or even years. It’s not a race, you do this in your own time at your own pace. Not a bad metaphor for life itself.
Saint Jean Pied de Port is a medieval town in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Its streets cobbled and lined with shops selling all sorts of equipment for walking, hostels offering accommodation and even transport for your belongings to the next stop on the walk. It is geared towards the pilgrim and their needs. Over the next few days will will see hundreds of pilgrims on this journey.
We call at Roncesvalles, which is on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and is traditionally the first stop in Spain on the Comino. There is a monastery here, now a hotel, where pilgrims can be fed, stay the night, rest. There’s a sign here 790 Km to Santiago de Compestela. I wonder how many people give up at this early stage. How many of us give up on our ‘journeys’ through our lives? Journeys of faith, of learning, of vocation, of relationships. All take effort and perseverance.
People say this walk across Spain is not about the destination, it’s the journey itself that makes it. How does that fit with our journey through life? Are we just about the destination, wherever we think that is, or are we about the journey alongside others? Will we help others or just do our own thing?
Holy Places - a journey of discovery 