red or white?

Those training to be Jesuits have two requirements that are distinct from other orders. One, to spend time working with and serving the poor. Two, to go on a pilgrimage. I think back to Mark 6 where Jesus sent the apostles out two by two. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in their belts--but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. Like the Jesuit novices, Jesus called upon the apostles to put their trust in God alone. When Ignatius left Loyola, he had no idea how far he would travel that first day. As the sun crept diwn the horizon and nightfall approached, he would seek shelter. Refuge. Food. He trusted in God to provide. God alone. As we embark on our two week pilgrimage to Manresa, we do not need to trust in God for our physical well being. Our accomodations are pre-reserved. We know exactly at what time dinner will be served at each destination. Every day. The only unknown is whether our hosts will put out a bottle of Txakoli (white) or Rioja (red). So are we really pigrims? Yes. Though we will need to listen closer and work harder to manifest moments of trust. Some may be physical (help me get through today after a restless night with only two hours of sleep). But more likely, we will need to put our trust in the Lord in more demanding ways. Emotionally. Relationally. Spiritually. We'll need to dig deep to wrestle with the questions Christ puts before us, like when he turned to John's disciples and inquired, "What do you want?"