SUNDAY PLAN

How do I live my Sunday? Virtually like any Christian should: resting and giving praise to God. It's quite liberating to consider the fact that even rest gives glory to God. I need to rest not only for religious reasons, but even for the most basic of human reasons: we all can use some rest every once in a while. Concerning Sunday, of course the consideration of the obligation to go to Mass is very evident (for the Catholic, by the way, we don't just go to worship: we go Mass. The Catholic doesn't go to "Sunday service" but to Mass. People would whine that it's the same. No, it's not. Let's not play with terms nor should be relative about them. Words mean something. As that character in Bertulocci's film once said: 'If you don't say what you mean, you will never mean what you say', or something like it). 

I was pondering on this as I was doing my usual Sunday morning jog. I've somewhat varied my route. I used to do a circuit of the Ciudadela, which is an old fort (reminiscent of Fort Santiago) that they have transformed into a park. I now run towards the Taconera park through the old fortifications, into the old city quarter of Pamplona and towards the Cathedral and back. This morning it dawned on me that it would be a good idea to go on this route on Sundays since the cathedral bells (which have been newly restored) ring incessantly (to the chagrin of the neighboring district). It's great to hear them, and the ringing is so loud that it could be heard from quite a distance. Up close it's a show in itself. I was listening to a requiem as I was running to keep up the pace and with all that clamor I felt transported back in time.


These photos were taken in various points of the route that I took this morning. This one below was taken well into the old quarter, drawing near what seems the wet market.

This one below was taken as I was running along the walls leading to the rear of the Cathedral.

I was running behind the cathedral when I took this shot:

The Archbishop's Palace is located next to the Cathedral, coming down from the pathway above the old walls of the city. I doubt it if the Archbishop lives here still, but it seems that he still does (I believe that some bishops don't anymore)

Another part of the city:

The bells were ringing again when I passed through the Cathedral. I took this shot as I was running away. Several people were looking up at the belfry as I passed. The bells are still rung the old-fashioned way, mind you. In fact I saw the bell ringer pulling the ropes while standing quite close to the bells.

This used to be an old college or something before it became the Museum of Navarra. I don't think that in the church next to it the liturgy is still celebrated, since it was closed when I passed by. The rest of the churches were open for the Mass, it being Sunday.

The church of St. John the Baptist. I got to know this by looking at the facade. That was very evident.

This is the entrance to the Taconera

A view of the city walls

Just to prove that it was I behind the camera and the photos...

Some people in the environment that I live in might not agree with me and in what I plan to do with my Sundays, but I think this is a time for me to take a break from the six days of work that I normally have. I prefer not to touch my books on Sunday nor work on anything related to my studies. What plan do I have for Sunday then? First among them is of course, prayer: the Mass, time dedicated to the Office of Readings and Lauds in the morning. Then I go out and jog, and after taking the shower either I read a novel or I work on this blog or prepare the homily for the next Sunday. I could watch a movie, either something related to history or a movie that has absolutely nothing to do with it. I have a siesta (which here seems to be spoken of in whispers) and I don't have anything against it. It's Sunday for God's sake! Sunday for me means to things: Prayer and Rest, as such, the Sunday Liturgy and the siesta go hand in hand!