7 pilgrimages you can go on right now
Not all successful pilgrimages involve journeying far away.
There
are many ways to practice pilgrimage. You can journey far away to a
sacred site, but there are also options within reach of a walk or drive
from home, or even within your own imagination. Keep in mind these three
essential aspects to create your own pilgrimage experience:
- Begin with an intention and prayer or blessing for this time.
- Stay open to the ways God might break in through the unexpected.
- When you return, spend time in reflection on how this experience has touched you. What new discoveries or invitations did you hear?
Walking
is a wonderful way to get out of our heads and into our bodies. If
mobility issues prevent this, know that imagining yourself walking to
each suggested site can have the same impact. God is present to us in
whatever ways we are able to receive the sacred.
Make a local pilgrimage
Chances
are you live near a church or perhaps even several churches. You could
choose to make a pilgrimage to your local cathedral. Using the three
essential aspects, make it a sacred experience by blessing the journey
there, paying attention for divine whispers along the way, and then
reflecting when you return home. You might look up the church calendar
to see if there is an upcoming feast day that feels especially
appropriate for your journey and let that shape your prayer.
In
a more urban area, plan a walking pilgrimage from one church to
another. Research the churches and map out a route. Look up the various
saints they are dedicated to and write a note for each of them. Offer a
prayer to each saint as you make each stop. Spend 15 minutes in silence
at each of the churches. Listen for what is offered to you. Remember
that what can feel like interruptions or disruptions to your plans may
contain the sparks of an encounter with the divine.
If
you live in a rural area, still try this suggestion out, but you may
need to drive between sites. Try keeping the car radio off to maintain
an atmosphere of quiet reflection.
Begin your pilgrimage
by reading the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35) as a blessing for this
time. Listen along the way for how the holy is being revealed to you.
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