On Pilgrimage

Happy fifth day of Christmas! Today the Church celebrates the martyrdom of the splendid Saint Thomas Becket. Having the birth name “Thomas”, I take Becket and Aquinas as patrons.

Each year, I write something about the saint here.

Previous articles on Saint Thomas Becket:

2014: A Happy Death
(Thoughts on the saint’s martyrdom and the grace of a happy death)

2012: Becket and Chaucer
(A meditation on pilgrimage)

2011: Saint Thomas Becket
(G.K. Chesterton on Becket’s martyrdom)

2010: Becket
(Becket, More, and Henry VIII (that jerk))

2009: Saint Thomas Becket
(Becket’s martrydom, an eyewitness account)

Back in 2013, for some reason, I failed to post anything. That’s going to happen from time to time.

This year, I’d like to revisit the idea of pilgrimage. Within a very short time of his death, pilgrims flocked to Canterbury to visit the saint’s relics. Geoffrey Chaucer famously wrote The Canterbury Tales about one such group of pilgrims and the stories they tell each other.

The idea of pilgrimage looms large for me just now, since Francine and I are less than 90 days from the beginning of our next Camino, walking across Spain to the relics of another saint, the Apostle James.

As I’ve said before, the reasons that people go on pilgrimage are as varied as the people themselves.

The Catechism gives spiritual reasons including intercessions, cures, and miracles. In addition, many people also go as a penance. Some people go as a prayer, either for themselves or for others. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, many will go for the indulgences available at the Cathedral’s Holy Door.

Some walk in thanksgiving. Some are trying to fill that God-sized hole in their hearts.

Some folks are just going for a long walk.

Perhaps some simply seeking to join Chaucer’s company.

When fair April with his showers sweet,
Has pierced the drought of March to the root’s feet
And bathed each vein in liquid of such power,
Its strength creates the newly springing flower;

When the West Wind too, with his sweet breath,
Has breathed new life – in every copse and heath –
Into each tender shoot, and the young sun
From Aries moves to Taurus on his run,
And those small birds begin their melody,
(The ones who ‘sleep` all night with open eye,)
Then nature stirs them up to such a pitch
That folk all long to go on pilgrimage

And wandering travellers tread new shores, strange strands,
Seek out far shrines, renowned in many lands,
And specially from every shire’s end
Of England to Canterbury they wend
The holy blessed martyr there to seek,
Who has brought health to them when they were sick.

Geofrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales
Prologue (in Modern English)
(source)

Who can know God’s reasons?

And why do I walk? It’s impossible to fully explain the Camino to those who have not been there, and with those who have no explanation is required.

It is a challenge, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Some days it is the joy of the companionship of those you’ve met on the Way, and some days it’s the joy of walking for hours in silence with the Lord.

When we returned last time, it took me months – perhaps years – to shake off the feeling that the Camino was somehow the real world, and my ordinary life in Tacoma was a fading imitation. Integration of the Camino’s lessons into ordinary life is a challenge, and that, too, is one of the lessons of the Camino.

It is a time and place to recharge yourself in all ways, to draw closer to the Lord, His Church, and His saints. When you can internalize the idea of the Church as a pilgrim Church on earth. A retreat accomplished through advancing on foot!

It is a time and place where Francine and I grew closer together and learned much about ourselves, each other, and our relationship. I suspect there will be more of that this time around, too.

In addition to the many prayers and intentions I bring this time, there is also this: by the time we leave, we should know if I’ve been accepted into the deacon formation program of the Archdiocese of Seattle.

So one way or another, I’ll be praying about that, praying for the graces needed for formation – or the graces needed for not being in formation.

Please pray for me and all pilgrims that walk upon the earth.

O God, who gave the Martyr Saint Thomas Becket
the courage to give up his life for the sake of justice,
grant, through his intercession,
that, renouncing our life
for the sake of Christ in this world,
we may find it in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

Saint Thomas Becket, pray for us.