A pilgrimage is different.  It is not a vacation.  It is not a sight-seeing tour.  Rather, a pilgrimage involves both risk and renewal.  It is also undertaken in community with other people.

            One of the first things that I remember from my time at St. George’s College in Jerusalem in 2012 is a sermon that was preached by the Dean of the college at our opening worship.  He spoke about how we were pilgrims and how pilgrims look out for one another.  While the journey would be different for each one of us, we were on a journey with others, and part of our job while we were there was to care for one another.

            Another thing that soon became evident is that pilgrimage removes you from your normal routine and social position.  Those in the group were addressed by their first names.  There were no reverend doctors or bishops or canons or reverends, for God knows us by name, and we are all children of God on a journey.

            A Christian pilgrimage takes place in a sacred location and carries with it the expectation of having an encounter with God.  Rituals and liturgy are part of the journey.  We gain new vision with the eyes of our hearts.

            At the same time, pilgrimage involves both discomfort and risk.  Some of our values might be challenged, while others might be confirmed.  There are also the challenges of being in a different culture, in an unfamiliar setting, or eating unfamiliar food.  A different climate might also pose some challenges.

            However, some amazing experiences can happen in the midst of a pilgrimage, and not everybody has the same experiences.  One person in our group spoke about suddenly bursting into tears while visiting Calvary – unbidden and unexpected.  Others (myself included) experienced powerful and even scary dreams while staying in Nazareth.  Another friend from New Zealand has had powerful spiritual experiences each time that he has visited the Holy Land.

            For me, it was like a resurrection experience that was sorely needed at the time – new life emerging from the experience of God’s boundless compassion and forgiveness.  I keep an icon of the resurrection in my home office as a reminder of this renewal.

            Over the past number of years, several people in the congregation have expressed an interest in making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  At the present time, I am compiling a list of people who might be interested in making this pilgrimage together.  At the same time, I am aware that not everybody can afford to make the journey.  Fundraising would probably be part of the deal to make it accessible to all.

            At the same time, I attended a workshop last year that talked about pilgrimage in your own locale.  While I still haven’t figured out how this would work, it is interesting to think about what sacred locations might exist in this part of Manitoba.

We are pilgrims on a journey,

We are trav’lers on the road;

We are here to help each other

Walk the mile and bear the load.

(EvLW #659)

What kind of journey is God inviting you to take, and who will make it with you?

                        In Christ,

                        Pastor Lynne Hutchison