Sybille woke thereafter and it was soon time for me to accompany her to the Iglesia de Santa Susana, where she organized (and sometimes led) the regular English-languages services there for Santiago’s Anglican Church community. Upon arriving, Sybille unlocked the doors and then asked me to sweep the church’s dusty floor while she got everything else ready – a job I reveled in shortly thereafter (feeling as physically cleansing as it was metaphorically appropriate). She also asked me to read a portion of the service’s liturgy that day, so I spent a few moments amending the relevant texts in order to be able to announce them with both humble reverence and honest conviction (see below). Various English-speaking residents and ex-patriots and tourists and fellow pilgrims then began to steadily filter into the sanctuary, and a quite lovely service then ensued shortly thereafter. I think my favorite part thereof was when the “candle of sharing” eventually made it to me in the very back pew and I chose to witness to my Walk powerfully by not saying a single word about the same – simply smiling lovingly while I passed the flame on to the congregant nearest by …

“Come ye Holy Spirit; fill the hearts of your Faith-full (faithful) people, and re-kindle in us all the fire of your LOVE (love), through The Way of (Jesus) Christ our Lord … May the God of all Love & Forgiveness draw us into (to) Himself, and cleanse us from all our misdeeds (sins), that we may embody (behold) the glory of his son; all of us becoming the Word made flesh; just as did Jesus Christ, our Lord … My help comes from the Lord, the enlivener (maker) of Heaven in (and) Earth. He who watches over all sentience (Israel) can (will) neither slumber nor sleep. The sun does (will) not harm us (you) by day, nor the moon by night. Indeed the Lord ever (will) watches over our (your) comings & goings, both now & evermore … I believe in God, the Soul (father) almighty, re-creator of Heaven in (and) Earth. I follow The Way of (believe in) Jesus Christ, his (only) Son; the (our) Lord. He was conceived in (by) the power of the Holy Spirit, and he was re-born in his conceived virginity (of the Virgin Mary). He who was punished (suffered) under Pontius Pilate, who was crucified, who gave up his spirit (died), and who was buried thereafter. He who then descended to the dead and on that same (the 3^rd) day rose again. He who thereby ascended into Heaven; by being (and is) seated at the Right Hand of the Father. His Way (He will) comes again & again to judge both the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, know the (holy) Catholic Church, witness to the communion of Saints, walk the forgiveness of sins, and live the resurrection of the body – to know a (and the) life everlasting.”

“Our Father who art (in) Heaven, hallowed be your Way (name). Your Kingdom is come, whenever your will is (be) done on Earth as it is in heaven. You give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins whenever we (as we) forgive those who sin against us. Your Way leads us not to temptation, and ever (but) delivers us from evil. For thins is the Kingdom and the Power and the Peace (Glory), both now and forever … The Lord blesses us and guides (keeps) us. The Lord makes his face shine through (upon) us while we are (and be) gracious to others (us). The Lord turns his face toward us while we bring others (and gives us) peace … Amen.”

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt