La Sagrada familia and me

The difference between a tourist and a pilgrim

Yesterday we were at Gaudi's famous cathedral, Sagrada de Familie, which was one of the most magnificent things I've ever seen. I could spend the entire post writing about it. It was absolutely stunning, and a testament to Gaudi's deep faith. At the same time, it was a painful experience. Why?? Because of the difference between seeing a place as a tourist or as a pilgrim. First, I want to acknowledge that I too am a tourist. I am not Catholic and don't share that rich tradition with Gaudi. Yet, in spaces so grand, so gorgeous, so clearly reaching to the highest we can imagine, the only thing I could think to do was to pray. There was a space roped off for prayer only, and in front of it was a guard. I asked him "Am I allowed to pray here?" he said "I wish someone would. For most people, this is just a Pitt stop before they hit the beach."

I enter the space and sat down just to contemplate the Holy as I was experiencing it through Gaudi's architecture. A man came in behind me, and then was tapped on the shoulder by the guard. He came into the prayer space to get a better picture of the crucifix. Just ouside the prayer area a young girl was posing herself in front of her own camera, smiling, with the cross hanging in the background.

I know I'm a tourist in these places, but I'd rather approach this trip as pilgrimage. Less about how many pictures can I take and more about what these places have to teach me. Less about "getting" and more about giving.. of my time, my attention and my profound respect for these spaces. A pilgrim needs no self-posed photos in front of the cross; just to stand in the presence of the holy is enough.

Posted by Kathleen