As I prepare to walk the Camino, I’ve been surprised by how often the Spirit teaches me through my feet.
You think you’re just going out for a walk —
but then the road starts talking.
Not with words, but with rhythm.
And that rhythm is slower than you expected.
Not on My Schedule
It turns out, the path doesn’t care about my to-do list.
It doesn’t care how far I meant to go today.
It doesn’t care how fast I walked yesterday.
It simply offers itself —
as it is.
Steep, flat, muddy, beautiful, long, or mercifully short.
And I have to choose whether I’ll fight the pace…
or learn to follow it.
Learning to Walk With God’s Tempo
The more I walk, the more I notice this:
God is not in a hurry.
And when I slow down—really slow down —
I begin to notice things I never saw before.
A patch of wildflowers.
The sound of water under a bridge.
A stranger’s quiet greeting that would’ve been missed if I’d rushed by.
The path teaches me that there is no need to outrun grace.
It will meet me where I am.
The Invitation
So whether you’re walking a pilgrimage or simply moving through your life at a weary pace, here’s the invitation I’m hearing again and again:
Let the path set the pace.
Let grace guide your stride.
And trust that slower steps often take you deeper.
A Pilgrim’s Prayer for the Pace of Grace
God of the long road and the quiet step,
Teach me to match my pace to Yours.
When I want to hurry — slow me.
When I try to prove myself — ground me.
When I feel left behind — remind me You never rush away.
Let the path lead me,
not my pride,
not my fear,
not my schedule.
Shape in me a rhythm of grace —
patient, present, and steady.
And let every step become a prayer.
Amen.
Thank you for walking at this pace with me.
Buen Camino,
Fr. Don+