“The Way”

Last week I showed a wonderful DVD called The Way to my 11th graders at Holy Cross Catholic School. I chose to show the film in light of our faith’s upcoming Feast Day of All Saints. The Catholic belief is that we acknowledge the extraordinary lives lived by the Saints while here on earth. The Saints chose to live lives for Christ and their Church and they are recognized for their many sacrifices and good works for the benefit of others. Living a life worthy of one’s faith at any time in our world history has not been easy. I wanted to compare the lives deliberately chosen by the Saints with the main character in the film The Way. Do we deliberately chose our lives or do we just live them?

In the movie, Tom, an irritable doctor, comes to France to deal with the tragic loss of his son who died while on the pilgrimage. Rather than return home, Tom decides to go on the pilgrimage, “The Way of St. James”, to honor his son’s desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn’t realize is the profound impact this trip will have on him. He unfortunately comes to understand his son’s life through his death and along the road finds himself as well. In “The Way,” Tom discovers the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.”

This question of finding oneself is a matter of acceptance and choice. Given the circumstances of our lives, how do we understand ourselves, our family and our friends, and the choices we make? Do we blindly go through life unaware of our actions and how they affect not only ourselves but others, as well? What role does our community, friendships and faith play in our decisions? My eleventh graders were asked these questions. They were also asked how they believed Saints would have answered them and did the Saints choose their lives rather than just live them. It made for very fruitful conversation.

The Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James is a spiritual journey that pilgrims of all faiths and backgrounds have traversed for over a thousand years. This Camino route covers 500+ miles through northern Spain. One can walk 12-15 miles a day to reach the Cathedral de Santiago in 6 to 8 weeks. Pilgrims walk the Camino for various reasons, from penance to enlightenment to a sense of adventure. They all walk toward the Cathedral in Santiago where the remains of the apostle St. James lie. Whatever the reason for the walk, the Camino offers the perfect landscape in which to contemplate. Pilgrims follow the path as did millions before them.

The Camino is a metaphor for life. A path may be the guide, but we are confronted with the questions that most of our busy everyday lives prevent us from sometimes recognizing. The journey of life is life along whichever road, path, Camino, or Way we find ourselves on. How we see and treat ourselves and others, both in our pasts and in our futures is what defines us. Take the journey of life.

Buen Camino!

Kaky

(Some info taken from The Way website – http://www.theway-themovie.com/)