“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was Baseball.”

That’s from the BJM translation of the Bible. The presence of the greatest sport in the known universe in this version of St John’s gospel is just one example of the translator’s poetic genius, though scholars argue that word translated as “baseball” could be the result of a misprint in the original manuscript or possibly the result of someone with a C minus-understanding of ancient Greek. It’s hard to say.

What’s easy to say is, OPENING DAY!

Opening Day is up there with Christmas, Easter, and my wedding anniversary. Please don’t ask me to rank them.

Predictions:

The Padres, NYY, NYM, Astros, Dodgers, Braves, Phillies will be hard teams to beat. The Rockies, Athletics, Cubs, Nationals, Reds, Tigers, and Royals will struggle to get to .500

The Cardinals will be the best team in the NL central and slink into the postseason by a few games or by wild card. The Cards need to sign a legit ace if they want to send shivers down postseason spines. Nootbaar, Arenado, and Goldy will be studs.

Judge, Ohtani, Trout are MVP candidates in the AL. Arenado and Goldy are MVP candidates in the NL, but they have stiff competition in Soto, Lindor, Turner, and Machado. Cy Young: AL, Cole or deGrom; NL, Verlander or Burnes…maybe Wheeler. Rookie of the Year: AL, Henderson; NL, Carrol or Walker.

But most importantly: GO CARDINALS!

I’m slowly reading -and loving- Mary Beard’s “SPQR” while also perusing a theologian’s take on desire. Also watched a couple good movies: “Les Miserables” (1998 version) and “Dick Johnson Is Dead.” Both are worth a watch, but good heavens “Dick Johnson Is Dead” is a moving tribute by his filmmaker daughter. Dick is a widower, retired psychiatrist, God-loving, present-inhabiting, devoted father who is losing his memories to dementia. It’s an offbeat documentary, but it inhabits Dick’s ceaseless love of life and family. It is proof that the world is populated by extraordinary people. We just need to do a better job of being present to that reality…like Dick.

Two good things for the ears:

1. Jimi Hendrix’s long-lost, but now found, recording of a Joni Mitchell concert, which can be read about & listened to HERE
2. The Choir of King’s College Cambridge singing “Ubi caritas et amor,” which can be listened to HERE

I had the privilege of celebrating this Ash Wednesday at King’s College Chapel. It is a grand place to kick off the Easter season. I arrived early hoping to get a seat on the choir-side of the chapel, and as luck had it I was seated just a few feet from them. The choir and clergy processed in, incense and all, and broke into song, departing from evensong’s customary liturgy. The service was a sliver of God’s grace as people from around the world took part in the solemn service. The choir sung “Ubi caritas,” a hymn dating to 796. Translations vary, but my favorite is, “Where charity and love are, God is there.” I can’t imagine a better summary of Easter’s promise than that.

Long live Dick Johnson.

A great resource on Universalist Christianity: universalistchristian.net.

Aside from DC’s Universalist National Memorial church, I don’t know of other historically Universalist churches that still practice UC explicitly (of course people are still theologically universalist individually). Many (most?) Universalist churches morphed into Congregationalist or Unitarian Universalist (or Federated, possibly Baptist) churches…or closed (eg www.oldhousedreams.com/2018/12/1…).

If there’s a list of active UC churches, I’d love to see it.

A beloved mentor in ministry has died. I got to know Sis Joyce when I worked as a chaplain at Saint Louis University Hospital. Her stories could bring me to tears and laughter, often at the same time. Her vision of God was ever-expanding grace. No one “died” in Joyce’s words; “they went to heaven,” she’d say. She baked the best sweet rolls and took charming photos. God bless you Sis Joyce. Obit: www.grdominicans.org/sisters/s…

A long awaited walk. When I got to the cathedral square I sat down to soak it in. It’s hard to summarize how I felt, am feeling. Mostly it’s gratitude and love, for friends and family, for God. For it all.

Tomorrow morn I’ll attend the pilgrim Mass at the cathedral and enjoy one more day in SDC before heading to the UK for a bit, then home to S & E (& C).

This morning’s lectionary reading was from 2 Chronicles, a book in the Bible that isn’t exactly a page turner. The last line was, “and the Lord gave them rest all around.” At this moment, I’d summarize my pilgrimage as a gifted rest. Rest to a racing mind. Rest to ego. Rest to attempts at control. Rest to BS. Rest in what is.

Perhaps in time I’ll write something about this that makes more sense. But maybe not. All I know is, I pray a portion of this lives in me and I in it.

Shortish walk to O. Bright and sunny, warm bordering on hot. On the way out of A, I stopped to pray at Iglesia de Santiago (photo, circle windows) and had a charming interaction with a local.

Leafy walk at points in eucalyptus filled woods. Even more pilgrims today as other routes are converging into SDC.

Before dinner I attended Mass at Igrexa de Santa Eulalia (photo), technically in the parlor of the parsonage across the lawn. The priests gave a nice pilgrim blessing and I was off to find supper. A lovely sunset on the walk to back to my hostel.

Tomorrow, on what will be the 33rd walk of my Camino, I’ll arrive in Santiago de Compostela.

Warmed up quickly. Long walk under clear, sunny skies. To get into Melide, today’s midpoint, one has to cross the medieval bridge Ponte Velha (photo).

Melide is known, among other things, for its octopus pulpo (photo). I was literally ordered by a couple Spaniards to eat some, so I did. I’d rate it a solid B in the taste dept. (One said he’s walking the Camino partially for Melide’s pulpo) On the way out of town I stopped in Iglesia de Sancti Spiritus (photos in and out). It’s been there since the 14thC and once housed an Augustinian monastery (it has an active local congregation that uses it now).

Tomorrow I’ll make my 2nd to last walk before arriving in SDC. Unbelievable.

Shortly after leaving Portomarín, I detoured to the 4thC BC castro (photo, ruins), which was inhabited until the 1stC AD, in the beginning of the Roman occupation. It had several purposes over the years, from vegetable storage to strong house.

Further up the way I visited the tiny Capela da Magdalena (photo), a former hospital of the Knights Templar that catered to pilgrims especially.

The last photo is the 12thC Igrexa de San Tirso where I attended Mass. It ended with a lovely pilgrim blessing. Another plus: the hymn lyrics were on a TV so I could sing with the congregation!

On the way out of S I stopped by the ruins of Sarria castle Fortazela de Sarria (photo). To leave the city you have to cross the medieval bridge Ponte Áspera (photo) named for its rough carved stone.

A great walk through forests and farmland. I’ve officially crossed the ‘less than 100km’ mark. Only a few hikes left. Close enough to feel the gravitational pull of home in my heart, most especially for S & E.

P is a riverside town, notable not least of which for the Romanesque fortress church of St John (photo). It was built as both a place of worship and defense. Gives a whole new meaning to St Paul’s advice to the Ephesians! (That’s both a dad/theology nerd joke for which I offer no apology)

As of yesterday, I’d met 13 other pilgrims total. Today I met 18 new ones, which proves the guidebooks right: the last 100kms are very popular.

The other photo is of the ancient, steep, and rocky descent into P. The stones are smooth from the millions of pilgrim feet over 1,000+ years.