If yesterday’s scenery was beautiful, today’s was even more so. The beaches never stop surprising us. Some would like to stop and have a swim, others to sunbathe, but the priest and the sherpas set the pace very well. As a curious fact, today we walked through Marina d’Or (“Ciudad de Vacaciones, ¿dígame?”).
After sleeping on mattresses, we were all very well rested: how fresh we were! You could tell from everyone’s pace; a mattress can get us past any aching legs. Blisters, not so much; that’s why it’s lucky we have several blister-care teams working flat out. We really have to thank them for what they do for everyone. Some of them had never popped a blister before, but the care with which it’s done, and the love for each member of the family we are, means nobody minds who it is that pops them.
The first hour of silence and prayer was for meditating a little on what Fr Bernat preached to us in the morning, before setting off, about faith and how consistently we live it. Whether it’s just rituals, whether I do it because I’m made to, or whether I go to Mass because my whole family goes. He told us that we have to ask ourselves these things, and see that faith is first the step God takes, and that then it is we who respond. God always comes first, in everything, even if we don’t see it.
On the stage there were all sorts of conversations. Today they explained to the priest what CrossFit is. At first he didn’t really get it, but it seems he might be persuaded to go one day, although the first goal is Lisbon.
Today the best gift, without a doubt, was the afternoon we shared with Fr David and the parishioners of the parish of Benicàssim. At our Mass we were joined by the families of a group of young people who are also going to Lisbon, by coach from here (we invited them to join the walk, but, for some strange reason, they didn’t want to). They are very young, 12 and 13 years old, and we are already praying that WYD will also be a huge moment of conversion for them. After Mass we were able to chat for a while with them and their families at a super high tea they had prepared for us. Honestly, people are so generous and welcoming that we can’t believe it: there were so many omelettes, empanadas, potatoes and quiches that we couldn’t finish them. We had a lovely get-together, alternating songs and stories, and we said goodbye with the promise of praying for one another.
We’re off to rest now; they’ve let us use the parish halls to sleep. It’s really funny, because their church is half-built, just like our Sant Rafael! How beautiful it is to see how, in a world where God seems to be something secondary, we arrive at a place where they too are building a church. Places of encounter with God where people can give that response of faith Fr Bernat preached to us about today. Because only in the Church can there be a true encounter with Christ. We give thanks for this great day. Next stop: Nules.
Good night, parents!