The Ru Neuf Canal 6/29

This was a most pleasant walk along a canal - really a three or four foot wide channeling of running water. There is a whole history to it that was written on a sign post along the path. It seems that the terraced wall, which directed the canal parallel to the mountain side, makes for a good walkway as part of the Via Francigena. 

I found a grotto with a statue of Jesus and Mary - with Mary pointing the way along the route. This was a perfect place to sit and pray Lauds - along with all the prayer intentions on index cards fro the people of St Mary Mother of Jesus parish. One card - with a prayer on behalf of someone with pancreatic cancer - flew out of my hand and landed near the unlit candle placed in front of the grotto. I slipped it a little bit under the candle so that other pilgrims might pray for her too.

During the early part of the walk I could not help but think of water as the matter of the sacrament of baptism. Then after reading the explanation of the statue - written in three languages - there was the connection. The rough translation into English that was posted: "...especially those who see baptism as a rite that turns us into children of a merciful Father."