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Reflections from the back of the bus - 20,000 steps in!
22nd June, 2009 - Posted by Ursula Stephens -
It’s Saturday - a bright blue sky reflected on the deep blue sea.
Today we have been told will be quite strenuous and very hot. We’ve all found our sea legs but no-one seems to have slept very well.
I’ve remembered my pedometer and we’ve already walked about 20,000 steps in the footsteps of St Paul - that’s about 20kms!!!!
No wonder then that Ian, Eileen and Bishop Francis have decided not to venture to Lindos , in deference to their knees.
Today we’ve arrived on the important island of Rhodes.This is a strategic trading and defensive location, famous for its medieval walled city. Paul visited here in 51 AD as we read in Act 21:1.
Among the pilgrims is James, who is a member of the Knights of Malta - I’m certain this must have special significance for him.
The Knights of John of Jerusalem, Archbishop Mark tells us, was an order of monks whose vocation as hospitaleers was the protection of pilgrims and pilgrim routes and the service of the poor and the sick. Hence of course the Maltese cross that is the logo of St John’s Ambulance.
When Sulamen laid siege to Rhodes he gave the Knights free passage and they settled in Malta.
So, we headed off with our guide. through Rhodes and into the countryside, then along the coast to Lindos.
St Paul travelled here and anchored in what is a spectacular bayan during his historic voyage to Ephesus. The ancient Acropolis of Lindos is built on the clifftop nearly 150m above the Aegean Sea.
We climb uphill- its very rough going - a combination of ancient marble steps and stepping stones and finally reach the great staircase leading from the Hellenic Portico to the Acropolis and the Temple of Athena.
Stephen and Elizabeth manage to set a cracking pace!
What would St Paul have thought of us all - snaking up the treacerous steps - none of us decided to take a donkey!
From the pilgrim journal we find a prayer from Philo:
Lord God, we travel in weakness hoping to find strength, we travel with sickness hoping to find health, we journey in confusion, seeking peace.
I’m not the only one struggling to cast off preconceptions of this amazing journey we are undertaking.
As we collapse back into the coach I check my pedometer -12428 more steps in the footsteps of St Paul!
Tags: Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, footsteps of saint paul, pilgrimage, st paul
Posted on: June 22, 2009
Filed under: Reflections from the Back of the Bus
1 Comment
Dennis Sleigh
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Greetings,pilgrims.
Is there a commandment that says “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s pilgrimage”? If so, I am eternally condemned. Every time I read your comments – whether they be the scholarly reflections and special insights of Bishop Mark, the chatty but prayerful thoughts of Ursula (Paddy and Nell must be proud of you as they watch your progress), or the brief but promising notes from other dear friends – I pout and say “I wanna go too!”
Thank you for sharing so emotively and so colorfully. Back here we can almost feel the things you must be feeling – and it is wonderful to think that you are praying for us, just as we are praying for you.
Bishop Francis, look after yourself – you are very much in our prayers. Travel well, everyone.
Dennis
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