What does a pilgrimage mean to you?
Hi everyone, I will be going on a pilgrimage again this year to Lourdes in May for a day trip which will be a time for reflection and spiritual renewal. I will share my experiences of going to Lourdes. I look forward to see the miraculous waters and the Grotto to. I have to other retreats/pilgrimages and have written my experiences of going to Aylesford priory on this blog.
“Retreats are usually focused on inward reflection and quiet (stationary), whereas pilgrimages are journeys, focusing on movement toward a destination. A retreat can be taken anywhere, such as a local monastery, whereas a pilgrimage specifically involves holy, significant, or historic sites.”
Lots of people are thinking about how to become a pilgrim now. Whether we intend to travel ourselves or are thinking about pilgrimage as a spiritual journey. Being on a pilgrim we can travel to special places and learn from Christians that have gone before us to.
Today was a church sermon below which discussed about pilgrimages and retreats and Jesus’ road to Emmaus on being on a retreat and pilgrimage. This sermon was based on (Luke 24: 13-35).
I think it is good to have time to explore the resurrection appearances of Jesus. His appearance on the road to Emmaus that we have heard just now happens of course on the day of the resurrection, the evening of the resurrection. This appearance tells us so much about the risen Jesus and our response and how Jesus is with us.
Yesterday someone asked me to explain the difference between pilgrimage and retreat in Christian life and I found that an interesting question to ponder. Often pilgrimage and retreats can go together. Pilgrimage is about making a journey with a spiritual intention often a physical journey involving travel and often with companions. Whereas retreat is about intentionally setting aside time with God, often making space in the usual pattern of our lives, perhaps about being in a particular place, perhaps about silence.
The road to Emmaus seems to combine elements of pilgrimage and retreat, although probably the disciples didn't realise either before they set out from Jerusalem to Emmaus. It's interesting that Jesus joins them on a walking journey out of the holy city, going away from the centre. Jesus gently inquires what they're discussing. Of course, he knows already, but he's showing he is with them, listening, going at their pace, and then Jesus explains everything, including gently unfolding what they have misunderstood. When they reach Emmaus, the not yet recognised Jesus plans to continue.
But the disciples are very keen to talk more, although they don't quite know why. Jesus agrees to stay with them. They need him even though they don't yet know that it is Jesus. At the table, Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it. Now they realize it's Jesus. Jesus who fed the 5,000. Jesus who shared so many meals with them.
Jesus the bread of life. Jesus who before he died took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them and told them to keep doing that. And now they can't see Jesus anymore. They don't need to talk anymore. They also recognize that somehow they knew it was Jesus even though it wasn't yet entirely clear on the road and they go and they share the good news that they have encountered the risen Jesus.
We can have moments of realising that yes, Jesus was there with us in a deeply difficult situation and that's why that happened. I wonder whether you have had similar moments of realising Jesus is here or Jesus was there or things don't make sense or are deeply difficult and become clearer through the presence of the risen Christ.
The road to Emmaus reminds us that Christ walks with us even when we do not recognise him. It invites us to bring our confusion and disappointment honestly before him. He calls us to return to scripture with open hearts and minds. And it points us again and again to that place of recognition, the breaking of the bread because it is their time and time again that Christ makes himself known. And when he does, something happens. Our understanding deepens. Our hope is renewed. Our eyes are open. And our hearts begin to burn within us.
