SPEAKING TO THE SOUL

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” And now here we are, standing inside your gates, O Jerusalem.

Like the pilgrims in Israel who made their journey to Jerusalem, we consider making our approach to the incarnation with expectation and joy. A sleeping world is about to be woken from its godless stupor and face the reality that God is alive and desires friendship with humanity.

I love the whole process of pilgrimage, from preparation through the journey right up to the point of arrival. While there is an objective in the arrival point, this is not the primary focus of the pilgrimage. Pilgrimage works at three levels. The first, obviously, the destination. My favourite place is to journey to San Damiano in Assisi. This the church where St Francis heard God’s call and in response began building stone upon stone seeking to obey God’s command “Build my church”. Later St Francis handed it over to a community of like-minded women, led by St Clare.

However, destination though important, must be accompanied by my intention for this pilgrimage. The journey is primarily about what it is I am processing between myself and God. I have usually formulated a question within my heart which is my purpose in pilgrimage. Many voices will interact with that question from my own inner thoughts, both good and bad, to those of the pilgrims I walk beside, people who have no clue of the question I am carrying within. Yet often God’s wisdom will be found within such random conversations with people I shall never meet again.

Finally, there is the purpose God has for me in making this pilgrimage. Often my question, so important and pressing at the start of my pilgrimage, fades, even dies, as I discern God’s question. This cuts to the very core of who I am and I often discover the real fruit and purpose for this pilgrimage.

QUESTION

Will you treat Advent like a pilgrimage this year and consider what question you want to carry, and invite God to answer?

PRAYER

I have experienced Christmas many times, but rather than sleepwalk into another, I invite you to journey with me and make this feast new and fresh.