We go right as we leave the train station and walk toward Los Pilares street. We follow this street, which curves slightly to the left and then to the right. In this way we cross through the town and reach the LR-260 which we cross at a right angle. We leave the asphalt and enter onto a road. We continue straight along that road, passing a warehouse on our right.

We pass a solar power station on our right. In 1.3 kilometres from that point, we arrive at the highest point of the road. Here, the road divides: we take the road to the right, which is straight in front of us. This road then turns to the right, and we continue to follow it without taking any side road.

We cross highway AP-68 on an elevated bridge. As we come off the bridge, we turn to the left and take the dirt road which runs parallel to the highway. We continue walking parallel to the highway. In 3,5 km, we come across the N-123 road, which we pass through a tunnel and continue straight ahead. We keep walking parallel to the highway until reaching a tunnel, which allows us to cross under the highway to the other side. We turn right and we go straight on, parallel to the highway until we come to the train line, which right away we cross on a bridge. 

We reach a paved road, which we cross at a right angle. We take the asphalt road in front of us. Further on we follow the dirt road until we reach a stone and sand quarry. At the crossroads we keep going on our road, almost in a straight line. The dirt road ends into another, which we take to the right and which takes us to a bridge over the train line. We cross the iron bridge and continue straight ahead. 300 meters later, after crossing the Lodosa Canal, we turn right and descend toward the canal. In 500 meters, we cross the canal again and continue along the same path, climbing to our left.

We continue along the paved road for 1 km, and just after a farm, which we pass on our left, a dirt track begins on our right, which we take, following the arrows for the Ignatian Way and the Way of St. James, painted on the ground. We continue along the dirt track until we reach Viamed Hospital. Once back on the paved road, we turn left to continue along the Logroño road, which surrounds the hospital. We reach a roundabout and take the first exit on our left, continuing along the Logroño road. We reach another roundabout and continue straight ahead, along the same Logroño road, until we reach Avenida Santander. We turn left onto the avenue and continue along it until we reach the next street, José María Garrido, which we take on our right. Continuing straight ahead, the street changes its name to Calle Gral. Gallarza, and we continue straight ahead until we reach Paseo del Mercadal. Once in the square with the fountain, in front of us lies Calle de los Mártires, which later becomes Calle Grande and then Calle Mayor. We cross the unique Plaza del Raso and, further on, about 300 meters away, next to Plaza de la Dra. García, we find the convent and Church of San Francisco, the site of the modern pilgrims’ hostel. 

ALCANADRE

Taxis Pachicho. Tel: 948 693 055

Taxis Pradejon. Tel: 619 964 141

CALAHORRA

Albergue de Juventud . Youth Hostel (for groups of 15 persons or more). Paseo de las Bolas, no street number. Tel: 941 105 071. Reservations must be made in the Local Youth Office. Tel: 941 146 511

Albergue de peregrinos San Francisco . Pilgrims’ Hostel San Francisco (18 beds): Calle Rasillo de San Francisco, no street number, beside the convent of San Francisco. Tel: 941 590 511 // 637 736 108

Ayuntamiento . Tel.: 941 105 050

Ciudad de Calahorra . C/ Maestro Falla, 1. Tel.: 941 147 434.

Hostal Gala . Gala Hostel. (10% discount for pilgrims carrying credentials) .Avenida de la Estación, 7. Tel: 941 145 515.

Parador de Calahorra**** . Paseo del Mercadal, s/n. Tel.: 941 130 358.

CALAHORRA: Two-thousand year old city, point of contact with the Roman highway from Asturica to Tarraco. The city was called Calagurris by the Romans and Kalakoricos by the Iberian Celts. The old Roman Forum was located in the Plaza del Raso. For Christians, it is remembered as the site of the martyrdom of two Roman legionaries, Celedonius and Emeterius (year 300). Calahorra had a bishop from the 4^th century. As a result it was able to exercise great influence over the vast extension of the diocese for several centuries. In 714 it was conquered by the Muslims, who strongly influenced the agriculture and the urban life of the region. The city has a long pilgrim tradition, as can be seen in the baptismal font of the Cathedral of Santa María (16^th c.), which is covered with shells, gourds, and the image of St. James. Also worth mentioning is the chapel of Christ in Agony and another one of “Christ of the Football.” This important city has 23,000 inhabitants and offers restaurants, bicycle workshops, drugstores, health centre, supermarkets, banks, and tourism office (Calle Ángel Olivan, 8. Tel: 941 105 061. Open from Tuesday to Saturday, AM and PM. Sundays only in the AM.)

Notes: Do not forget the “Introductory Prayer” which is the final outcome of the entire experience. We should not forget that important prayer. This “second week” of our inner pilgrimage is characterized by intimacy: we want to know better our Lord and King, in order to follow him closer. Intimacy is required! We try to find that intimacy as a grace.

Grace: I ask the Father for three things that I need and only He can give: a more intimate knowledge of Jesus who has become one of us; a more personal experience of His love for me so that I may love Him more tenderly; and a closer union with Jesus in His mission of bringing salvation to humankind.

Reflection: The companion of Jesus the King grows in awareness of who the King is, what He stands for, who His enemies are, what His aspirations and plans are. One grows in intimacy by experiencing the loving presence of this King who calls, teaches, heals, challenges, nurtures and accepts His followers as they are. The companion of Jesus the King yearns to bear with Jesus all wrongs, abuse and poverty if that is what is required for intimate fellowship with Him. We know that we are never alone in the enterprise. We are in constant communion with the King in work, prayer and rest. The follower of the King shares totally in the mission of Jesus: to bring the good news of salvation, liberation, justice and peace to all people. Consider that Jesus’ call to us is of such a kind that no one can predict where our life journey will take us, the twists and turns of our career and relationships, unexpected death or remarkable good luck. Likewise, we don’t know where our journey by Jesus’ side will lead us any more than we know who we might meet at today’s journey’s end. And so, you are invited to join Jesus with generosity and great faith in Him.

This intimacy and generosity is also God’s deep desire towards humankind. God looks at humanity and feels that intimate calling in Him. The incarnation is the answer to God’s desire of generous intimacy. Ignatius invites us to look at the Holy Trinity which itself is looking at humankind and to share with God His vision: «I will see the various persons… on the face of the earth, so diverse in dress and behavior: some white and others black, some in peace and others at war, some weeping and others laughing, some healthy and others sick, some being born and others dying, and so forth.» Then, I will see and consider the three Holy Persons, seated, so to speak, on the royal capped throne of Their Divine Majesty. They are gazing on the whole face and circuit of the earth; and they see all the peoples in such great blindness, and how they are suffering and dying in the absurdity of sin… «I will hear what the Divine Persons are saying, that is, “Let us commit ourselves to the redemption of the human race.”»

Let us reflect on the reality of sin and on rebellion against God’s plan.

Now we reflect on God’s free and compassionate choice regarding this sinful world: that Jesus would come into human history, show a new way of being, redeem us and bring love to our heart of stone.

Scripture Texts:

Luke 1:26-38. God invites Mary to collaborate in the mystery of the Incarnation. Though free to say “no”, Mary chose freely to say “yes”. We feel the hope and wonder present in the scene: anything is possible with God; Elisabeth, who thought she was barren, is now in her seventh month; for nothing is impossible with God. If God can bring this about in the world, what can’t God do!?

Philippians 2:5-11. As I see myself in the presence of the Holy Trinity who determine that the Son is to become one of us, and as I contemplate Jesus present in the womb of Mary, I let this ancient Christological hymn express the awesome mystery of God the infinite being who has become finite, the unlimited limited, pure spirit enfleshed. John 1:1-14. Let us pray using the prologue of John’s Gospel and let God fill us with awe and wonder at the gift of Himself to me and to all His people.

Luke 1:39-55. Contemplating Mary’s visit to Elisabeth, let us try to be awake to the human and divine drama that is taking place. Let us be particularly attentive to Jesus present in the womb of Mary. The humanity in John the Baptist welcomes Jesus the Son of God.

The Closing Colloquy: Make a summary of what we have meditated on in our time of prayer, talking to Jesus as a friend does to a friend. Be honest with him regarding the items found at this time I have just done and end with the “Our Father”.