By Steven Norris
“Buen Camino!” It was probably the phrase I heard most as I traveled the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) this past Spring. It was the primary greeting shared between pilgrims upon first meeting, as one passed another on the trail, or when parting ways. Townsfolk would call it out as pilgrims made their way through the cobblestone streets of a village. Passing motorists would honk their horns in an effort to join the conversation. I found the phrase on the sides of buildings, plastered across t-shirts, and beckoning from roadside souvenir stands. “Buen Camino” can literally be translated as “good journey.” It echoes the traditional Irish blessing, “May the road rise to meet you,” or means simply, “I hope you have a good walk.”
A number of years ago, a television show depicted a traveler walking among possible transport ships. The mechanic of one ship noticed that the traveler spent more time looking at the ship than its destination and asked, “Why is it you don’t care where you’re going?” The traveler responded, “Because how you get there is the worthier part.”
My own experience on the Camino convinced me that there is deep wisdom in that traveler’s response. The old cliche rings true: “life is a journey, not a destination.” Although my pilgrimage had a clear destination (the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela), the journey itself was the true agent of transformation. The goal of the tourist is to arrive at a particular destination and experience it firsthand. The goal of a pilgrim is the inner transformation that takes place through hardship, trial, community, prayer, reflection, and contemplation over time and distance.
The primary message of Jesus focused more on transformation and less on destination. Too many folks reduce the Gospel story to one of destination (going to heaven after you die). Instead, the goal of discipleship to Jesus is that we might be conformed to his image (see Romans 8:29 and 12:1-2). When I was a young man, I remember asking people, “If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven?” What if that is the wrong question?
Maybe a better question would be, “Is your life/heart/mind/will becoming more like Christ?” In other words, the quality of one’s faith might be more accurately measured by the fruit that the Spirit produces. It might be better measured by the quality of Christ’s love and grace flowing through us. If we focus on walking the right road, the destination will take care of itself. We don’t want people to have to wait until they die to experience eternal life. Eternal life is available right now for those who are being conformed to the image of Christ.
As I return home from pilgrimage, I am actively looking for ways to see others as fellow pilgrims on life’s road. We might travel at different speeds and find ourselves passing different mile markers, but my calling is to bless others as they travel. So, “Buen Camino, friends! May God bless you as you choose to move one step closer to Christ today.”