Santiago

[Rosina Lila]

Hello you all,
I arrived at Santiago last night.  At about 9:00 p.m. I reached the
Obradoiro, still illuminated by daylight.  The Cathedral was closed, of course, but the
 plaza was full of people milling about, or sitting/lying on the floor, and
street entertainers, musicians and youngsters playing were all about.  There
were also impromptu theatrical and musical performances in Platerias  It did not
get night-dark for another hour or so.
This morning I went to the Cathedral where some things have changed.  The
Cathedral now opens at 10:15 a.m. and it closes the main door at 11:30 a.m. in
preparation for the Pilgrims' Mass, until 2:00 p.m.  While the church  may be
entered through the side doors, silence is imposed and movement within the
Cathedral is restricted during services.
There is now a barrier around the Portico de Gloria and Maestro Mateo's
kneeling likeness, and while those who wish to do so can still place their hand(s)
on the hollowed finger marks and butt foreheads with the Maestro, they need
now enter the barrier single file and in a manner far more orderly than before.
At the beginning of the Pilgrims' Mass the officiating priest now makes a
more extensive allusion to  pilgrims, listing where they come from, how many
started their pilgrimage where,  whether they walked or bicycled, etc. The priest
also makes special reference to given groups.  As before, the readings from
the Apostles' Acts are done by a pilgrim, as are the general and special
prayers; additionally  two or three pilgrims, representing a group either here or in
their own country, may give special thanks and prayers in their own language
from the altar. Some Scottish and German pilgrims did so today.
The Cathedral is getting ready to receive the mortal remains of Ste. Therese
of Lisiuex which will be honored at the Cathedral on the 7th,  8th and 9th of
this month.  I myself do not understand it, but it would appear that the
thousands-of-years-old fascination with Saints' relics continues unabated.
The homily was given by a French priest and I was infinitely moved. He
articulated precisely the feelings that I, and most pilgrims, I should think, have
sensed wordlessly when venturing forth in the Pilgrimage.
The priest said that our lives are an amalgam of mind and spirit, and that
overwhelmed as we have become with material stimuli and distractions, a certain
spiritual hunger appears to be rising in search for a livable equilibrium. He
noted the rise in religiosity among so many young people and he said, simply,
that the Camino offers the means of investing the body to free the spirit.  He
remarked upon the oneness of pilgrims demonstrated by the fact that although
some of them may be totally unprepared for the physical demands of the Camino
they unhesitatingly will turn to support one another....."as one".
He said that Santiago the place itself is not as important as the spiritual
inspiration leading us there because life is  a Camino walking to God.  He
recalled Jesus' answer when some of His apostles asked Him how they would know
what Camino to take.
And on, and on.  Most movingly.
I guess we all know that French eloquence impelled by inspiration and
sincerity is unsurpassable.
Many of you from this listservs  have sent me repeated  messages of
encouragement and offered prayers on my behalf.  I thank you from the  bottom of my
heart.  Although I did traverse most of the Camino by car I walked from O
Cebreiro, all on my own.
A little more  than one year ago I suffered four fractures throughout my
body, shattered my right-hand wrist and broke the bones of my right arm.  For
months I could not brush my teeth, sit, stand, bathe or do anything without
assistance; I couldn't even hold a cup of coffee until about six months ago.  The
operations that I underwent, and the harrowing and long-lasting ensuing pain
debilitated and scared me; I thought, at times, that I wouldn't be able  to
venture outside of my house  alone. My self-confidence was as shattered as the
bones in my wrist.
That, now in my sixties, after such terrible and serious injuries, I was able
to go back to the Camino, totally by myself, and that I was able to walk to
Santiago from O Cebreiro entirely alone,  could only happen because of the
generosity and the love that  Sweet Jesus and our Blessed Mother have bestowed
upon  me.  I am humbled and immensely grateful for such blessings.
Life and health are a divine gift.  I can only hope that I can use mine  in a
manner that will be pleasing to my beloved Jesus and Mary.
I'll be going home next Wednesday,.... to begin preparing for next year.
Warm and heartfelt greetings to you all.
Rosina
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