I took a little break yesterday afternoon and I watched the Movie “The Way” starring Martin Sheen. I had heard a lot about this movie but I had yet to see it.
Martin Sheen plays Tom an American doctor who faces a tragedy that brings him to St. Jean Pied de Port, France the start of the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of St. James. The Way is a pilgrimage of some 497 miles ends at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
Tom undertakes this journey in order to understand his son. Along the way he meets several people who become like family for him and his life takes twists and turns and changes along the way. This is the idea of the pilgrimage. People start it for many reasons but they never finish it the same way they started. Their life tends to change during the miles that they walk.
For me there were many similarities to the Orthodox spirituality of Theosis. During the journey toward Theosis our life is supposed to change. We are on a pilgrimage of sorts as we move along our path much like the journey along the way. Unless we change as we make this pilgrimage we really are not walking anywhere except in a circle. We have to change on the pilgrimage.
The take away line from the movie was at the very start. Tom’s son Daniel is the car heading the airport with his dad. His dad says that he has chosen this life and Daniel responds, “you don’t chose life dad you live one!” I have to agree.
I have not been so emotionally touched by a movie in a long time and it has inspired me to one day make the journey that Tom took in the movie. If you have a chance take the time and see this movie. I have posted the trailer below.
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