On The Way


This morning, my wife and I saw the new movie “The Way” starring Martin Sheen, directed and written by his son Emilio Estevez. Can a movie be both incredibly gorgeous and low-key at the same time? Apparently it can. Director Estevez has proved it with this inspiring road movie.

El Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, is an ancient route from the Pyrenees in southern France, across northern Spain, through Galicia to the Atlantic Ocean. For over 1000 years, pilgrims have followed The Way, a route that passes through such places as Pamplona, Burgos, and Leon. The Way ‘ends’ at the tomb of the Apostle St. James the Greater located inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Field of Stars).

In Estevez’ script, one of the characters says he not much interested in religion. Another says in reply, “Religion has nothing to do with this. Nothing at all.”

That was the ‘moment of truth’ for me in this wonderful movie. The Way is not religion. It’s about finding out who we are.

Perhaps this is the real message. It’s not transformation. It’s transcendence. It’s realizing that we mean so much more than we realize.

I love that The Way brings you to The Field of Stars. What a destination. Talk about poetry in motion.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Saturday November 26, 2011

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