occupied most of day two. Getting a late start on account of a little too much “jet lag,” we journeyed to Lourdes. Rolling countryside farms and villages abutted the Pyrenees mountains which remained in view throughout the day. By happenstance lunch time was spent in Pau, France, a site on the day’s Tour de France route. No riders were observed, but signs, costumes, and official looking vehicles were in abundance. Pau made for a great stopover as it is a quaint village with deep history and a wonderful patisserie that provided a great traveling lunch.
A short drive took us southeast to Lourdes, a site where a teenager (Bernadette) claimed in 1853 to have religious visions. Lourdes is a frequent stop for Catholic pilgrims, especially those individuals who experience physical or other difficulties. For the hundreds who come each day, the spiritual power of the religious assembly and historical experience in proximity to it lend support to the hope that there own spiritual or physical condition can receive blessing and uplift.
While some may scoff at the notion that particular sites provide a more direct connection with our creative center, no one should decry the strong faith and fervent hope that causes hundreds of thousands of people to journey each summer long distances to say prayers, participate in worship, or aid other travelers with a loving hand. As I watched the “processional” that is part of each day’s activities, I found myself in awe watching pilgrims from across the European community--both able-bodied and those who were not---join together in a testimony of “belief” (in the original sense of the term--to give my life). Much of the work I do, both in my private and religious roles, involves pressing people to such seriousness of purpose and deed.
At Lourdes, I saw folks (not just a few...but a lot) who had given up their holiday and traveled from the far points of the European community to accompany a person who could not travel on his or her own just so that other person would have a chance to reach out toward something she or he felt was bigger and potentially more powerful than her or his battered shell. Imagine a world in which each of us would undertake an equally powerful act of bonding with those in need at least once in our lifetime!For a few more pics of Pau, France, see:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157600992845362/
For a more extensive view of Lourdes, France, check out:
www.flickr.com/photos/42254846@N00/sets/72157600995341549/
