O God, who brought your servant Abraham
out of the land of the Chaldeans,
protecting him in his wanderings,
who guided the Hebrew people across the desert,
we ask that you watch over us, your servants,
as we walk in the love of your name.
 
Be for us our companion on the walk,
Our guide at the crossroads,
Our breath in our weariness,
Our protection in danger,
Our refuge on the Camino,
Our shade in the heat,
Our light in the darkness,
Our consolation in our discouragements,
And our strength in our intentions.
 
So that with your guidance we may arrive safe and sound
at the end of the Road
and enriched with grace and virtue
we return safely to our homes filled with joy.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
St. James the Greater, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
 
Traditional prayer of the Camino

Prayer for Today

Pilgrim:  who calls you?
What hidden power attracts you?
It is not the field of stars
Nor the great cathedrals.
It is not the peoples of the camino
Nor their rural customs.
It is not history or culture.
The power that pushes me
The force that attracts me
I know not how to explain it.
Only He who is above understands it!

A poem found in Najera, along the Camino, (trans. Kevin Codd)

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are the source of forgiveness and peace.
Show me the way to forgiveness
of those who have hurt me.
Show me how to seek forgiveness
for those whom I have hurt.
Grant me your forgiveness,
that I may walk in your footsteps
with joy and confidence.
You live and reign for ever and ever.  Amen.
 

Mary our mother, when you received the message
of the Angel, you “set forth in haste”
and traveled through the hill country
to share the good news with your cousin Elizabeth.
May we who walk this Camino
through the “hill country”
of the beautiful place where we live
be heralds of Christ’s Gospel,
who lives and reigns for ever and ever.  Amen.
 

My life is but an instant, a passing hour;
My life is a moment that escapes me and flies away.
You know, my God, that to love you here on earth
I only have today!
What does it matter to me, Lord,
if the future is uncertain?
If I dream about tomorrow, I fear my inconstancy,
And my heart grows sad and weary.
My God, let me endure my trials and sufferings
Just for today.

Thérèse of Lisieux

Lord Jesus Christ,
Divine Pilgrim,
on the road to Emmaus
you walked in hidden glory among your disciples
and revealed yourself to them
in the breaking of the bread.
Be with us on our journey,
to open the Scriptures and break the bread.
You live and reign for ever and ever.  Amen.
 

Glorious Saint James, apostle and friend of Our Lord,
teach us the WAY which leads to him.
Preacher to the people of Spain,
open us to the TRUTH
you learned from the Master's lips.
Witness of the Gospel, give us the strength
always to love the LIFE which is Christ.
Patron of pilgrims,
walk at the head of our Christian pilgrimage.
And just as, in times past,
the peoples walked towards you,
be a pilgrim with us as we go forth to meet the world.

Adapted from a prayer of Blessed Pope John Paul II