Saturday Morning - June 7 - Post Camino - Day 1

 (NOTE:  I have been adding pictures and videos to the blog since returning home. I started at the beginning and work on it some each day. My neck is really stiff this evening and my feet are swollen.  I have been sitting too long ! My legs really ached today because I didn't go out for walk at all.)

It seemed odd to wake up and not get dressed to head out for another day on the Camino. Odd but good. I had a great internet connection so I worked on the blog. It would be about 90 minutes before the breakfast buffet opened at the hotel and it was wonderful to just relax, look at pictures and lay in the bed.  After a couple of hours though my legs began to ache. That sure seemed strange. Did they really want to be out walking?  I think so. 

The breakfast buffet at Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos (aka Parador) was very good and presented very well.

 Nick enjoyed having a pot of coffee on the table and I enjoyed the hot milk in the pitcher. I could control the coffee to milk ratio and poured myself a delicious cup of coffee or Nick might say it was hot milk flavored with a little coffee.

 A look at my first plate.  I went back for a second plate. Not pictured is fresh squeezed orange juice which we really enjoyed on the Camino. Today we could have had fresh squeezed kiwi juice. I was going to try it but the pitcher was empty when I went back.

 We went back to St. James Cathedral. Yesterday, we had walked by a small chapel that noted English speaking Mass would be held at 10:30 AM.

 I thought this would be a fitting end to our pilgrimage -- Mass in English inside the Cathedral. When I saw this notice yesterday and looked into the chapel, it seemed so welcoming. So when I awoke this morning and thought about this place, I knew I would go back.

Yesterday, I took this picture through the closed grill.

 Even though Stoney said he was done with churches for awhile and he didn't care to see anymore anytime soon, he went with me. 

There were just a couple of woman there when we arrived.  As usual, we were early. We knelt and prayed.  

 As we sat down after prayer, one of the women approached us and asked if we were from Ireland. I thought it was a strange question. We chuckled; with his white hair and blue eyes, Nick looks Irish. I replied Nick's ancestors had come from Ireland in the late 1800's. She asked if one of us would like to do the first reading at Mass and Nick looked at me. Of course, I would consider it an honor.  And then she handed me a small piece of paper with very small type.  Thank God for Lasik eye surgery. I can read with my right eye and see distance with my left. Nick offered me his reading glasses but I didn't need them. So I practiced the reading silently.

See the crossed trekking poles in front of the altar.

Reading 1, Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

¹⁶ On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.
¹⁷ After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, 'Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.
¹⁸ They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty;
¹⁹ but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, though not because I had any accusation to make against my own nation.
²⁰ That is why I have urged you to see me and have a discussion with me, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.'
³⁰ He spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him,
³¹ proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete fearlessness and without any hindrance from anyone.

The chapel was very small and intimate. I asked one of the Sisters the name of the chapel and she said Our Lady of Sorrows.  I could see the tears on our Lady's face, but I was perplexed with the fancy attire.  The Sister said, remember this is Spain.  The chapel filled and there were some standing. Maybe there were 50 of us total.  There was a bowl in front of the altar and we were invited to take a slip of paper and write down our prayer intentions.  I did.  

Looking towards the entrance of the chapel

 
The priest arrived; he introduced himself and two nuns from Ireland (one was the woman who asked me to do the reading - red shirt on seated on right side) and explained this was their first morning to volunteer as staff for this little chapel. I can't remember how long they will be there before returning to Ireland.

There was a Mass in Spanish at the main altar of the Cathedral in progress and so the sound carried over quite a bit to the little chapel.  However, it ended and that's when our Mass began. This is a small portion of the tape recorded opening song - The Magnificat. Although it was a version I was not familiar with it, it was very special.  If you are viewing this using an Ipad - the video will not show. So click on this link Opening song




During the prayers of the faithful, the Priest said there was a woman with us from Ireland whose brother had recently died while he was walking the Camino; I think he died on the third day. She was at Mass because she had come to walk the Camino in remembrance of her brother. She and her brother were two of 10 children and her brother and sister-in-law have five children. Can you imagine? After Mass I expressed my condolences and said I would remember her, her brother and his family in my prayers. Will you pray for them too?

A little snippet of the ending song from Mass.  Ipad users please click on  Closing song


I can't think of a better way to have ended our pilgrimage. Oftentimes it is hard to put into words when we feel especially close to God through the Holy Spirit. This was one of those precious times for me.

Now on to Madrid and one stop closer to home.