Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions: Joan Allabaugh and Robby Allabaugh for their special intentions.

Today was a fairly easy day of terrains, inclines, declines, and paths…. But where the road was easier…the heat made up for the extra effort of walking!!! But we made the most of the day to offer up prayers for our friends Joan and Robby today. It’s a special feeling to imagine that heavy pack and hot walk up the hills is a burden of another that you are privileged to help carry. It makes the walk much more joyful!

As we were leaving Logroño we noticed a parish church along the road which is built into a 4 story apartment building! St Michael the Archangel parish church is the first floor of this building and I thought how awesome is that to have your parish attached to the building in which you live?! There really is no excuse not to go to church then is there? ☺️

Today we walked for a long time on a bike trail and through local parks even coming up on some parks in the woods with many local children playing. There were so many kids we were wondering if there was school today or if perhaps they took the day off because it is the feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi?

Thinking of St Francis, today was the first time we saw squirrels in Spain. We were wondering if they had any… today we have our answer.

As we got further out of the parks and started making our way along the highway we came across the long stretch of chain link fence where pilgrims have made makeshift crosses out of wood, thorns, weeds and cloth. Lisa found her own way of making some shade during this very hot part of our trek.

As we approached Navarrete we passed the ruins of an ancient hospital for pilgrims which is now located adjacent to a huge winery. If only that bottle of wine were real!

Tonight we got to stay in a local albergue named after my patron saint Ignatius of Loyola. All of the rooms are named after points of his pilgrimage. But tonight I’m thinking about St Francis of Assisi as it is his feast day and there was a beautiful statue of him in the parish Church in the center of town.

After dinner I went back to the church to do my evening prayer and as I sat alone in the church before the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle, I was thinking again of my own question on this journey. What do I do after? What is Jesus calling me to do with my life, ministry, Diaconate?

The prayer of St Francis of Assisi came to mind. “Make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy.”

What if I just spent the rest of my life trying to live those words to the full?

Yes…I think that could be my answer.

Buen Camino 🙏❤️

Today’s pictures can be viewed here. Today’s prayer intentions: Joan Allabaugh and Robby Allabaugh for their special intentions.