Good Jesus of the Mount, Braga.

Once recovered from the rather hair-raising ride to the top of the Mount and taking a few minutes to find our bearings, we set out walking past the chapels of the passion and resurrection of Christ to the Basilica of Bom Jesus.  Its a live pilgrimage site with groups from all over the world climbing the steps and being part of a service in their own language at the top.  You climb through the 12 stations of the cross, then the five senses which give praise to God and then through the three virtues which are the fountains of faith, hope and charity.  We joined a service in English at the top and then walked down.  It probably worked for our theology as well.

I was stuck by one comment the Irish Catholic priest shared in his homily.  I was a nice counterbalance to my reflection of two days ago at Arcos about being emptied as a pilgrim.

His reflection was on the Lord's Prayer.  We pray "Our Father".  A plural first person possessive pronoun.  Not the single and individualistic "My Father".  Seeking God in prayer is always relational.  We do it together with others.  Maybe not at the same moment or in the same way, but it is a shared seeking, a shared journey of knowing God.

I wrote a couple of days ago about needing to leave things behind as a pilgrim.  While it is true that 'everyone walks their own camino', meaning you have to walk it at your own pace and ultimately by yourself.  It is also true that as a pilgrim you are always in company.  The one constant that remains part of you are your relationships.  There are people who pray for you on the journey and those who you bring with you in your heart to pray for them.  There are those you just meet and those you know God places in your path.

Merran and I have been reflecting and praying for others on this journey.  We deeply value those who have been praying for us as we walk.  Every step is a prayer.  It was good to be reminded today that each step is "Our Father".