Why Pilgrimage?

In our busy world many people are searching to find balance between their inner spiritual lives and their outer material ones. Pilgrimage is one way to search for deeper meaning and purpose in our lives. Through Pilgrimage, the spirit is renewed and our general outlook becomes uplifted, transforming the way we look at everyday life.

Pilgrim or Tourist

We are told we should be pilgrims in life,
but instead we have become tourists.
Pilgrims are on a special journey,
every part of it has meaning –
the setbacks, the frustrations,
as well as the joys.
Tourists are out to enjoy life,
to seek pleasure, fun or just rest.
Pilgrims carry little with them,
just enough for their needs.
Tourists are burdened with possessions
and are always anxious about losing them.
Pilgrims stay as long
as they need to be in a place.

Tourists have schedules to keep
and are always rushing on.
Pilgrims are humble,
open to people and experiences.
Tourists are arrogant,
they know what they want,
and they’ll see it, do it, find it.
Pilgrims share what they have.
Tourists never have quite enough.
Pilgrims are changed by their journey.
Tourists are always a little bit disappointed –
It is never quite as good as they had hoped.

Lord, help us to be Pilgrims in life . . .
not just Tourists

— Isabelle Kingston

Pilgrims for centuries have headed off, to be in places where miracles happened, still happen, and may happen again. The promise of something sacred, healing or mysterious draws us out of ourselves and into paths of transformation we cannot imagine. There have been many reasons throughout history for Pilgrimage. Some to fulfill a vow made to God, others perhaps to do penance. Sometimes people sought to visit a place where the Divine might be just a bit closer.

There are several broad categories of pilgrimage. Archaic refers to the places that have been considered holy for a very, very long time and often by many different faiths and religions. Jerusalem would be an example. Medieval, from the 5th century to the 16th century, included trips to Rome and Santiago de Compostela. A modern Pilgrimage, considered holy in more recent time, includes Lourdes and Fatima. Pilgrimage has and can be an individual quest to a chosen revered place.

The object of Pilgrimage is to throw down a challenge to everyday life. An opportunity to step away from your daily distractions and allow you to find an internal rhythm that has been smothered by the din of modern life.