As I prepare to walk the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been spending time with the namesake of this journey — St. James the Apostle, or as he’s known across Spain and around the world, Santiago.
His story is woven into the heart of this pilgrimage.
Not because he was the most polished or the most prominent of the apostles —
but because he was among the first to say yes to the call of Jesus.
A Fisherman Called to Follow
James, the son of Zebedee, was a working man. A fisherman.
When Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee and said, “Follow me,”
James and his brother John left their nets and followed.
It’s easy to forget how radical that was.
They didn’t ask for a plan.
They didn’t negotiate the details.
They simply said yes to a holy unknown.
That’s the first echo of pilgrimage:
Trusting the road, even when we don’t know where it leads.
A Zealous Disciple with a Human Heart
James was sometimes bold to a fault.
He and his brother were nicknamed the “Sons of Thunder.”
They wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village.
They jockeyed for places of honour beside Jesus in glory.
But Jesus never rejected them.
He shaped their zeal into courage.
He taught them that the way of greatness was service.
That the path of power was the path of the cross.
James would later become the first of the apostles to be martyred.
His witness was not just in what he preached—but in how fully he gave himself to the Gospel.
The Pilgrim Legacy of Santiago
Legend tells us that James’s remains were brought to the far northwest corner of Spain, where the great cathedral of Santiago de Compostela now stands.
For centuries, pilgrims have walked across Europe to reach that place—not for the stone alone, but for what it represents:
- The call to follow Jesus, wherever He leads.
- The courage to live out our faith, fully and fearlessly.
- The humility to know that we are always being shaped by the journey.
Walking in His Footsteps
As I prepare to walk this ancient road, I’m reminded that I am not the first.
Countless others have walked before me—some with questions, some with prayers, some with sorrow, and some with gratitude.
And James?
James walked it in his heart the day he dropped his net and followed Jesus.
So now I walk too.
Not to earn something. Not to escape something.
But to follow. To learn. To listen.
To let the journey shape me more into the likeness of Christ.
The Invitation
You don’t have to walk the Camino to walk in the spirit of St. James.
You just have to be willing to say:
“Yes, Lord. I will follow.”
Even when the road is unclear.
Even when the journey is long.
Even when you feel a little like a Son of Thunder yourself.
God will shape the rest.
Thanks for walking with me.
Buen Camino,
Fr. Don+
A Pilgrim’s Prayer to St. James (Santiago)
O holy James, Apostle and friend of the Lord,
you left your nets to follow Christ,
not knowing where the road would lead —
only trusting the One who called your name.
As I prepare to walk the road that bears your memory,
pray for me, that I may walk it with purpose,
with courage, and with joy.
Help me to lay down what is heavy,
to welcome those I meet along the way,
and to find Christ not just at the journey’s end,
but in every step, every pause, every breath.
Walk beside me as I walk toward God.
And when the path grows steep or the way grows dim,
remind me that grace is always just ahead.
Santiago, pray for us pilgrims —
that we may walk in faith and arrive in peace.
Amen.
A Blessing for Setting Out on the Road
May the road rise to meet you,
and may each step draw you closer to the heart of Christ.
May your burdens be light,
your pauses be prayer,
and your companions be signs of grace.
May the path teach you what maps cannot.
May you find beauty in the overlooked,
strength in the silence,
and joy in the simplicity of the walk.
And when you arrive — wherever that may be —
may you find that Christ was walking with you all along.
Buen Camino, and go in peace.
Amen.