I Want to Walk for You
Several weeks ago, I was struck by the thought of carrying others with me on my long Camino this autumn. Now I know what you’re thinking. Sounds a little odd, yes? Perhaps the easiest way to clarify is to quote from the note to myself that I wrote back on April 3rd:
I’d like to walk this Camino – all 1000 miles of it – for the intentions of others. I have this crazy idea that I will solicit or ask for the prayers, hopes, and dreams of people that I know, or perhaps parishioners at my parish, or perhaps complete strangers, and carry those with me on Camino, to lay them in the crypt of Saint James.
Each time I have walked the Camino, I have carried with me prayer intentions, but they have been my own. Obviously, I will still carry my own intentions on this walk, but for some reason this time I feel called to carry the intentions of others as well.
I don’t really have a clear idea yet of how this will work, but I’m certainly open to ideas.
Well, before I’d even voiced this to anyone else, the Lord was busy showing me how this might work. Just a few days later, a friend asked if I could take her prayer intentions with me on Camino, since she didn’t think she’d ever get to walk herself. And then, this past weekend at the Gathering of Pilgrims, I was asked if I could take at least some of the stones left by pilgrims at our temporary Cruz de Ferro with me to the actual place.
As you can see, there were quite a lot, and I’d be carrying them for about 800 miles. Francine convinced me that perhaps a handful was better than a backpack full! In the end, I took four of the stones.
I’d like to walk for you, as well.
Respond with a comment, or DM me, or if you have my email address, contact me that way. Tell me your intentions. Tell me what prayers, hopes, and dreams you want me to take on Camino for you. I plan to pray for these along the way.
I will take them with me to Cruz de Ferro, or to the tomb of the Apostle in Santiago if you wish. I will pray for your intentions every day of my walk.
Please, though, no more rocks!
I think this is a lovely idea! I have 2 prayers, in particular, to send with you:
1) That the Lord will help my stepdad, Lon, who has really struggled since my mom’s death. That He will help Lon to feel how much he is loved by those of us who are still here–that he’s not alone–and also reassure Lon that he really will see my mom again one day.
2) That the Lord will help me to honor my mom’s memory by being the best mother I can be to my daughter.
Thank you ❤️
Wonderful of you. I have ashes from St. Jame’s grave. Cathedral built 1078-1188. The trip started from Tacoma over Germany and onto Spain. Returned with these ashes to Holland, Germany, USA. I would like for you to take part of them back to the Cruz de Ferro and pray for me and my deep depression/sadness. And for better mobility. Also for being able to pardon a certain deacon who has insulted me in front of others in a ministry group about 4 years ago. Aside from funerals, I have not been able to return to Mass since. This man is phoney in my eyes. Thank you. Thom.. I appreciate you and Francine. God bless.
Marlena, please email me, and we can discuss how to get those ashes to me. thomryng (at) gmail