06 Oct Pilgrim’s Prayer in the Camino
The night before we started our last 100 + km to Santiago, we drove from Madrid and stopped in one of my favorite places, O Cebreiro, where are the limits between the Bierzo mountains and Galician mountains, where we visited at first its Romanesque church and learned about the miracle that happened there. The little church is kept by the Franciscan friars and you can feel upon arrival something very special in there.
Here is the Pilgrim´s prayer, I would love to share with you:
Although I may have traveled all the roads
Crossed mountains and valleys from East to West,
Id I have not discovered the freedom to be myself
I have arrived nowhere
Although I may have shared all of my possessions
With people of other languages and cultures,
made friends with Pilgrims of a thousand paths
or shared albergues with saints and princes
if I am not capable of forgiving my neighbor tomorrow
I have arrived nowhere
Although I may have carried my pack from beginning to end
And waited for every Pilgrim in need of encouragement
Or giving my bed to one who arrived later than I
Given my bottle of water in exchange for nothing
If upon returning to my home and work
If I am not able to create a brotherhood
Or to make happiness, peace ad unity
I have arrived nowhere
Although I may have food and water each day
And enjoyed a roof and shower every night
Or may have hade my injuries well attended
If I have not discovered in all that the love of God
I have arrived nowhere
Although I may have seen all the monuments
And contemplated the best sunsets
Although I may have learned greeting in every language
Or tasted the clear water from every fountain
If I have not discovered who is the author
Or so much free beauty and so much peace
I have arrived nowhere
If from today I won’t continue walking on your path
Searching and living according to what I have learned
If from today I do not see in every person, friend a companion on the Camino
If from today I cannot recognize God
The God of Jesus of Nazareth
As the one God of my life
I have arrived nowhere
Pilgrim’s Prayer by the Franciscans
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