2/9/2022

After seeing San Antonio’s Alamo and River Walk yesterday and putting up with various bros and other tourists, I decided to get into my Jeep and drive about the city, digging a bit deeper into what it had to offer. What I found was quite possibly the prettiest, most romantic, spiritually fulfilling city in America. My heart feels full and my soul balanced after my second day here in San Antonio.

My day started with something that has somehow eluded me this entire trip, but boy did it make me happy. I almost cried tears of joy: a free, continental breakfast! I did not need to go out and roam the urban wilds searching for food this morning! Hallelujah!

With my stomach full and it only being about 9 am, I headed about 7 miles south of town. My destination? The San Antonio Missions.

By the 1600s and spurred by tales of gold and riches, Spanish explorers had started pushing north and east from Mexico and into what is now Texas. They encountered the Tejas Indians for whom Texas is named. Gold wasn’t found here, but the Spaniards decided to push into the area anyways and attempt to spread the Catholic faith among the Tejas natives. This led to the creation of a mission system along the San Antonio River, an oasis in an otherwise desert-heavy part of this State. Financed by the Spanish Crown, the system was led by the Franciscans who promoted a humble lifestyle of prayer and work ethic within the mission walls, which functioned more like village walls than church walls. Ultimately, five missions were created in the area, the most famous of which was the Alamo which made an appearance in yesterday’s blog entry. However, the other missions are far more beautiful, less touristy, and more spiritually fulfilling than the Alamo.

The oldest mission in the system, originally called the San Francisco de los Tejas and later named the San Francisco de la Espada (aka the Espada Mission), was built in 1690. It looks nearly as remote now as it was then, and of the missions seems to be the most pragmatic and approachable. Modern pottery and garden hoses could be found in the yard, and to this day if you are a Franciscan, you can be stationed at this mission and live here:

You may have noticed from the pictures above that these sites are preserved not just by the Catholic Church, but by our National Park Service in a rare disregard of separation of church-and-state. These sites are just too important, both spiritually and historically, to not protect as part of the national heritage.

The second mission, only a mile from Estrada, was the San Juan Mission. Built in 1731, it too houses Franciscans to this day; although it is not quite as pretty as the other missions.

I did not make it to the Conception Mission, so the last mission on the list-for-the-day was the San Jose mission. It is by far the biggest, most beautiful of the missions and technically, it was the first mission I went to for the day. I went there at 9 am, and for the better part of an hour had the place to myself. The second I got to the site, I could feel its spiritual charge. It truly felt like a holy place.

The San Jose Mission was built in 1720 and acted as the model vision for mission organization and design thereafter. Dubbed the “Queen of the Missions,” and surrounded in a pastoral area of rich fields and pastures, it offered those who sought refuge in it a true life of peace, something that must have seemed so wonderful compared to the wild plains filled with Apaches and Comanches outside its walls. Indeed, the massive stone walls were built to repel the Apaches and Comanches, and several times the Franciscans had to do battle with these tribes to protect their holy site.

Feeling completely moved by the place, and otherwise alone in the old Mission, I got on my knees and prayed to God in the empty church for about 15 minutes. I prayed for spiritual guidance and courage as this long half-year of travel comes to its end, and the next half-year begins of moving and setting up my new career and future. And you know what? When I was done praying, something happened. It’s so crazy that it sounds made up as I put it into words, but it’s not made up, it actually happened:

The entire day today has been warm, about 73 degrees, and the air has been still. But, when I finished my prayer, a heavy wind blew through the front doors of the mission and through the entire Church. It disheveled the papers and pamphlets at the front doors, blowing them everywhere and throwing them to the floor, and I could feel the wind blowing even though I was praying all the way at the front of the Church near the altar. And then the wind stopped, as suddenly as it started, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I should have been nervous. But instead all I felt was a warmth and calm. A gentle whisper spoke to me, or to my heart at least, and told me not to be afraid. Explain it however you want, but I’m pretty sure in that moment I experienced God no different from the way Elijah experienced God in 1st Kings. I’ve kind of been shaken by the moment for the remainder of the day, but at the same time I feel a calmness and confidence about the future that I did not feel before. It was an important moment for me. I guess praying by yourself in an abandoned mission from the early-1700s can lead to some pretty profound spiritual moments.

After my time at the missions, I decided to drive north to Breckenridge Park. The park consists of over 300 acres of breathtaking gardens and natural trails. It was the combination of this park, the missions, and yesterday’s River Walk that had me thinking towards the end of it that San Antonio must be one of the most underrated, most romantic spots in the country. I can easily see a version of myself (or maybe my family) investing in a ranch or vineyard somewhere between Fredericksburg and Boerne, and escaping to San Antonio for dining and spiritual recharging. Heck, maybe it’s not ‘some version of myself’ living that life, but just me in my actual life in the not-too-far-off future. It doesn’t sound like a bad life at all, actually.

While I cannot condone “Bro 2’s” behavior from yesterday, I can certainly understand where he was coming from as he was trying over the phone to woo an already-taken woman and convince her to come visit him in San Antonio. San Antonio is a dream, and a place that needs to be experienced with someone you love. It’s not built to be walked without someone there by your side, holding your hand and cuddling close to you through it. “What am I doing here alone?” I couldn’t help thinking to myself as I walked the trails by myself. I even almost thought of calling her, but didn’t. I’ve tried that enough. She can contact me if she wants me in her life. So, alone I am…spiritually fulfilled, but alone. And what do you do when you’re alone? Bury that loneliness with tacos!

My last stop of the day was a place called La Gloria that Shelby recommended when I saw her in Austin. It has delicious food. Period. Come here if you are in town! Knowing that I’m soon going to be returning to parts of the country that don’t have great Mexican food, I have been doing everything I can to eat as much Mexican food as humanly possible while in Texas. And La Gloria does not disappoint. I had some steak tacos and tamales and man! So good.

We’re coming to the end of the trip. My last stop is Dallas, where I will be seeing my old college roommate/good friend, Anton. For tonight though, I am going to take a lazy, romantic stroll down the River Walk, find a nice hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and enjoy some drinks for the evening while watching the sun go down.

Cheers,

-Rob