This last Spring semester at Seton Hall, I had the pleasure of taking a course offered by St. Andrew Seminary’s beloved spiritual director, Fr. Fred Miller. The class was on how to strive for holiness in the different Christain vocations and a large section dealt with the the ways (also known as “phases”) of the spiritual life: the purgative, illuminative, and unitive ways. These are not seperate segments of the spiritual life but function as descriptors for the predominating aspect. First a person must struggle against themselves and be purified of sin. Second, God draws the person further in, illuminating new aspects of their faith life which often seem confusing at first. Third, due to a deeper union with God, a person begins to experience the work that God has been doing in him since the begining. Warning! Don’t try to figure out exactly where you are in this spectrum, especially not from such a brief description. It is better not to worry about it and to continue to pursue holiness where you are at. Once again, these ways are somewhat fluid and should not be seperated into sealed off ideas.
So how does this relate to the Camino? I postulate that there are three similar ways of St. James, with the same names.
In the begining, one is purified through bodily struggles. The whole first week or so is centeted around bodily pains and needs, as one works himself into a routine. This purgation comes in the form of blisters, tiny Spanish breakfasts, waking up early, old Italian men snoring, foot pain, the hot sun, a little hunger, exhaustion, not understanding other langusges, and more foot and leg pain. In these things and more, one is slowly and simply stripped of exterior aspects of their person. There is an adjustment made to a simpler life with simpler needs and tasks. It is hard to explain it all, but I have experienced this stripping away in these past weeks. I have become a little more in tune with my needs for food, prayer, solitude, company, and rest, even if these needs cannot always be met.
Over the past few days I have felt a transition. The purgative way of St. James continues, as I continue to deal with little struggles and need to keep an eye on my bodily needs. Yet, the illuminative way has begun to open up as the body takes a bit of a back seat as my routine has settled in, allowing time to focus on reflection, friends, and the beauty around me. In the begining I struggled to think as I walked, but such activities have come a little easier to me. Today especially I had many good conversations about life in general, my vocation story, and about an hour plus of Catholic Q&A with Mike. I am enjoying the fluidity and sincerity of the pilgrim community which allows for such conversations.
Some people come to the Camino with a question to answer. I, however, have not. Rather I have come to experience God through simplicity and through the people and places around me. My routine is developing and I am able to concentrate on the deeper aspects of life, on thoughts and friendships, yet I am not certain how exactly I will choose to walk the camino or what lessons I hope to learn. I do not know exactly what God has planned for me, or what my walk will be like tomorrow, what questions to ponder or what to talk about, but I look forward to seeing his plan unfold as he illumines my way.
As for the unitive way… I’ll let you know when I come to that part.
-Michael