Introducing...

Isabelle: the guardian angel of American Pilgrims!

Isabelle and I after ice cream and a sight-seeing in Toulouse

     The last two days in Toulouse have been extremely relaxing, and I count myself very blessed to have had the opportunity to stay here (for free) and catch my breath for a bit before hitting the trail tomorrow.  Isabelle has been great, she absolutely bends over backwards to make sure I'm comfortable and that I have what I need.  She's always thinking of friends that she can call that could give me a ride out of the city (which I decided against) or people that speak English so that I wouldn't get lonely while she was at work (which I also turned down: sleeping is as good as conversation in my opinion).  She even connected me with her friends Marc and Claudia (an American) the day I came back to Toulouse so I'd have somewhere to go until she got off work.  She took some time off work today to make sure I saw all the important things in the city (read: churches) and I tell you I was not dissapointed! There are some marvelous churches in this city, even if many of them need some repairs.  The high point today was the Cathedral of St. Stephen (St. Etienne in French).  It's a very strange building, which is kind of made up of two juxtaposed buildings because the church which was meant to replace the original was never finished.  Regardless, it's beautiful, and the high altar is about a billion feet tall (okay, probably 60) and made of almost solid marble, with a huge sculpture of the stoning of St. Stephen front and center.  Very, very cool.

Me with Isabelle's friends Marc, Claudia, and Jean-Claude

     But when I first blogged about all the struggles of my first few days on pilgrimage I promised a reflection on the blessings to go with it.  So, a bit overdue, here is the reflection straight out of my journal, written two days after I left Toulouse and began walking from Arles:

*****

     I've already written about all the trials of my first few days traveling to Santiago.  But about the graces and consolations, I don't think I can fully express them in words.  In the afternoon of the day I reached Toulouse I went numb.  I had already mentally accepted that my pilgrimage was over and that I was going home a failed pilgrim.  I took the bus to meet Isabellem; exhausted and despairing I waiting for her outside a laundromat.  As soon as I met her I felt a little better; just to have someone to talk to and a place to stay, a place of safety, was a comfort.  At her aparment Isabelle arranged for me to meet an English speaking priest, Fr. John Christopher, the next morning.  While she ran errands I was able to shower (which always makes a traveler feel more human) and email Mom and Dad and Fr. Rick to update them on my situation.  Afterward Isabelle took me out to dinner.  Since I don't speak French and we were having "menus" (a three course meal with options for each course) I told her to get me the fish option.  My first taste of French cuisine!  It wasn't great.  The first course was raw salmon, which lost it's exoticness pretty quickly.  Second course was some unidentified kind of fish which also didn't taste very good.  But dessert was grand!  Strawberries and cream with an extremely good strawberry ice cream, so good! 

     The best part of the meal however was talking to Isabelle.  She told me her conversion story and that she is searching for her vocation, possibly to the Carmelites!  It was amazing.  She is a woman filled with the supernatural joy that only comes from grace.  When I told her I was a seminarian I thought she was going to pop she was so excited!  Simply being with her and seeing that grace flowing through her refreshed my soul greatly.  Granted that I was in an extremely stressful and vulnerable situation, still, the grace was powerful.

     The next morning I met Fr. John Christopher and he offered me a room in the rectory for a few nights.  Around 10am he took me to the airport to ask about my bag and lo and behold, they found them!  I couldn't believe it!  By 11am I had my bag and was headed back to the rectory.  I emptied it, made sure everything was there, and laughed like a fool the whole time.  Then I slept.  Like a rock.  I slept from 1-5 with a short break for lunch and afterward I felt great!  Oh to be well rested!  When I woke up I went to vespers at a nearby monastery; the chanting was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.

     The graces given to me in Toulouse, from the time I met Isabelle on, were overwhelming.  The encouragement from friends and family to persevere gave me strength when I had none and the consolations from God gave me comfort in a time of darkness.  So my pilgrimage began.  

"Don't be disheartened.  I have seen you struggle.  Today's defeat is training for the final victory." - St. Jose Maria Escriva, The Way #263

*****

How easily disheartened I am.  How quickly I lose faith.   How quickly I give in and cry out "I can't do it!"  And how overwhelming is God's grace is to those who suffer through adversity, those who have just a little bit of patience.  Praise to the God who always watches over His children, and provides abundantly for their every need.