Grace of a pilgrimage

GUEST EDITORIAL BY MICHAEL SHACKLETON

A letter on this page today extols the spiritual relish experienced by a reader who learnt on a Southern Cross pilgrimage that many disparate persons can bond together in unimagined solidarity when they are all one in the faith, and present in a place that strikes a chord deep in the heart of each one of them.

There is something singularly uplifting for an individual to be thrust together with strangers on the same pilgrimage journey.

There is the realisation that the group is not comprised of tourists who pay substantial sums in order to visit places of historical interest and enjoy the benefits of a pleasantly comfortable and relaxing excursion.

The pilgrim does not expect luxury and is prepared to slum it in the best tradition of baring one’s faults and weaknesses to God and to one’s neighbour’s scrutiny. Every pilgrimage has an element of the penitential about it.

Jostling, noisy crowds, irritating characters and sometimes awkward timetables are inextricably entailed in the undertaking, and these can be the means of humbling oneself and being cut down to size. John the Baptist’s remark about Jesus, that “he must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30) comes to mind.

Such may not happen on every pilgrimage but the spiritual benefits of small indignities can elevate the soul in a satisfying manner, which pilgrims of all times have discovered.

Inconveniences do not deter the faithful who have a longing to be present where Christ and his saints were present.

They may even strengthen a resolve to make a pilgrimage for the sake of one’s soul and not for the pleasures of a cruise, a tropical paradise or a simple vacation.

A pilgrim’s journey is on an inestimably higher level of fulfilment than that of the self-seeking tourist’s.

It is a way that leads into oneself, into one’s presence with God and his saints. It can bring about life-lasting peace of mind, healing and personal sanctity.

The Holy Land is the theatre of the dramatic developments of God’s love of humanity and his very presence there in the person of Jesus Christ.

It is supremely on this sacred soil that pilgrims feel a close connection with their Saviour, experiencing the paths that he walked and the sights that he saw.

In advertising and promoting pilgrimages to the Holy Land, this newspaper accepts the view that the Holy Land may be considered the “Fifth Gospel”.

Visits to its sacred sites vividly bring to life the descriptive and moving narratives penned by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament. Pilgrimages to other shrines and hallowed places are also encouraged for similar reasons.

The Holy Father’s visit to the Holy Land at this time is significant for an assortment of reasons. It highlights the importance of the area not only for the Church but also for Jews, other Christians and Muslims. His meeting there with Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, will hopefully be another step on the path to the reconciliation between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

A visit to the Holy Land unlocks the deep-rooted appreciation of the Church’s origins in Judaism and its expectancy of the Messiah, the son of David. The Old and New Testaments are seen to be integral to each other, as pilgrims pray where ancient kings and prophets prayed.

In addition to the Holy Land, Rome, Assisi, Lourdes, Fatima and other venerated spots receive pilgrims who give expression to their piety as they join processions and receive the sacraments in an atmosphere conducive to prayer, penance and the consciousness of the blessing of being among the vast People of God.

The effort and rewards of making a pilgrimage for the good of one’s soul is a time-honoured and grace-filled benefit on the road to the Kingdom of God.