Everyone has various reasons and different ways like walking, kneeling or fasting to endure a sacrifice towards God or a favourite Saint you believe in. Some do it for retrospect, some do it for good health for self or for others.
I had my own personal reason for this sacrifice, which we call ‘Angonn’ in konkani and decided to walk from Margao to Old Goa on 2nd December 2020.
I had made a promise a few years back but unfortunately never had the opportunity to fulfill the same due to various obstacles. I even attempted the walk three years back, but my companion got hurt on the way and couldn’t walk further, hence we had to abandon the journey and my wishes were left unfulfilled.
This year I felt a strong call from the Lord calling me to accomplish my promise. As it’s rightly said, if you want to walk fast, walk alone but if you want to walk far, walk together. That’s exactly what I did. I invited a few of my running buddies who obliged to my request immediately. We started our journey with humble thoughts from Bolshe circle at 9.45pm on the 2nd of December. The Journey lasted seven hours and the night was cold. A few places were dusty but my company was good, as we laughed, chatted and had fruits along the way with a few pits stops for a water break. All this made it very easy to reach our destination at 4.45am sharp on the blessed Saint Feast day, 1.e 3rd December 2020.
The journey was really a very humbling experience. We prayed many rosaries and divine mercy rosaries dedicated to all the sick, to all my friends and families who needed it the most. I had a sense of relief when I accomplished my walk with the blessings which was bestowed upon me. We had an easy access to venerate the saint (although it was told to me that the timing of the veneration was from 2pm to 8pm, I still decided to walk with an inner feeling that I would miss the veneration. The sense of joy filled my heart and I know God works wonders and miracles, that our little sacrifice is nothing compared to the suffering our Lord Jesus has endured. He kept us safe and strong through the night.
Pilgrims were a common site in the olden days, but unfortunately due to the Covid times we didn’t see any other pilgrims except one from Utorda. With gratitude, I would like to thank my four friends who accompanied me through this journey, without whom I would never be able to do it.
Three of my friends were Hindus and it brings me great joy to know that I have friends who are amazing human beings, who do not discriminate between religion, caste or creed. May the Lord’s choicest blessings be upon them and their families.
For those wondering how we came back we had a little angel who woke up in the early hours to reach Old Goa and get us back to our homes safe and sound. God bless her abundantly.
St. Francis Xavier Pray for us.
Pritiva Silva Lobo