Prologue


Prologue

Today, on the Feast of the Epiphany, reflecting on the journeying of the Magi, following a star and seeking the Messiah. I prepare for my journeying to Santiago. A pilgrimage that begins in this my 60th year on 11th February 2018.Well, first the preliminary journeying by car, plane, train and foot from Tividale to St Jean Pied a Port via Gatwick, Bordeaux & Bayonne. Then Ultreia! To Santiago...

I wonder what preparations the Magi  made? How much specialist kit they had bought to undertake their journey? Was it by camel? What kind of camel - a"Clio" type camel or a "Range Rover" type camel? Did they have "all weather" footwear, merino wool hose, a survival bag, a whistle to attract attention?  Did they pre-book or just show up along the way? Who did they encounter apart from Herod and the Holy Family? Who will I meet along the way - apart from Nikki, hopefully in Sarria. What did I actually need to take compared to what sits on the bed in the spare room awaiting packing, somehow, in a rucksack borrowed from Sue... the dream of Semena Santa in Santiago de Compostella, the Tomb of St James and a glimpse of the botafumero in action will act as a "star".

At the end of it all will I be able with joy to sing, in spirit and in truth, the words of the Dan Schutte song :
"Drawn by a dream,
lured by a love,
pilgrim companions,
as friends on a journey
we come through the storm,
pass through the fire,
hungry yet hopeful,
sustained by the love of the Lord"*

Perhaps you will journey along with me in this blog? 
Pray for me and for all who journey in faith whether to a place, for a purpose or just through this transistory life... Pray too for those who love me and will worry about me while I am away...




*(c) 1991 Daniel L Schutte. Published by OCP


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Introduction

One way or another all of our lives are spent journeying. Whether it is the daily commute by bus, train or car, walking to school or whatever, we are always on the move. We travel from here to there, sometimes quickly, sometimes at a more leisurely pace. Occasionally we fly to a favourite holiday destination, or like some I know, a great distance just to do the day job. In the gospels we read of Jesus journeying from heaven to earth, from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, Calvary and beyond. The gospel accounts record some of things that happened on the journey. Who Jesus met, what was said at the time, what else happened, and more often than not, what change took place as a result. If you pause and reflect for a moment, each of us has this experience on a daily basis. We meet other people, some known to us, some for the first time, and we journey through the day. Sometimes we discover new things about ourselves, about the way the world ticks or about life that affect how we view it, o
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