By Bishop José García
“And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him…” (Mark 3:14)
The interesting thing about this verse is that Jesus appointed the disciples to be with him. As we can see in the New Testament narrative, this “being” with Jesus meant that they walked together throughout the whole region. By some estimates, the group likely walked more than 10,000 miles throughout Jesus’ three years of ministry. During that time, Jesus talked with his disciples, heard from them, ate with them, had fellowship with them, and even shared some humor.
Last month I participated in an event lead by Noel Castellanos and the Christian Community Development Association called El Camino del Inmigrante. As I walked with more than 150 participants over a 11-day period, I realized how precious it is to walk alongside others even for just a few miles.
There is a deeper bond that forms when one travels with others by walking rather than by plane, bus, car, or train. I did not personally know the majority of the walkers, yet, on the last day, after finishing the 150-mile trek, we were one.
