I had a love affair on the Camino. Don’t judge. When you’re walking all those miles you start to crave things.
We’d been walking all day through a forest and were ready to be done, but the town proved elusive. Over the crest of a hill, I spied a hopeful sign – a trailer converted into a roadside snack stand. I was thirsty, tired, and growing weary.
“Orange…” Said the voice of craving in my head. “Orrrrannnnge…”
I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to what the Pope is up to lately. He’s talking with common people. Blessing non-Christians. Reaching out to those in prison. He’s eschewing the traditional glitter and pompousness of his role to talk about the poor, the role of women in the Church, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He’s doing it in such a humble way, in true service, that he has the attention of more than just devoted Catholics.
Many people I met on the Camino wanted to talk about the new Pope. Lapsed Catholics, spiritual-but-not-religious, and non-believers spoke of him with such astonished affection, you’d think he were the Dalai Lama or other sage with a pure heart.
Jen's Journey - Camino de Santiago 2013, 2016, & 2019 