XVI during his holy land visit, in a statement that could well serve as the basis for pilgrimage for any Christian believer. Describing himself as a “pilgrim among pilgrims,” the Pontiff remarked: “I appreciate the opportunity that has been offered to me to come on a pilgrimage to a land that is hallowed by the footsteps of patriarchs and prophets; a land that Christians hold in particular veneration as the setting for the events of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I take my place in a long line of Christian pilgrims to these shores, a line that stretches back to the earliest centuries of the Church’s history and which, I am sure, will continue long into the future.” Pope Francis also described his 2014 holyland visit as a “pilgrimage with a strictly religious purpose.” The Spiritual Journey As an outward journey to holy sites and inwards to spiritual elevation, a pilgrimage may be undertaken in a spirit of fasting and penance, or joyously, in thanksgiving for blessings received or in hope, prayer and entreaty to be blessed, to feel a sense of the holy by being in the presence of relics or by walking on ground hallowed by the presence of Jesus and His disciples. A pilgrim might pursue spiritual ecstasy in the religious sites of a particular faith, or seek a miracle through the medium of God or a saint, depending on his or her set
of beliefs. Whatever the purpose, leaving behind what is comfortable and traveling off to a strange distant land is a way of stepping outside one’s normal routine. When undertaken with the right attitude, a pilgrimage is a way to “lose” one’s lives for His sake, an echo of Jesus’ teaching: “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the Gospel’s, will save it” (Mark 8, 35). Pilgrim & Tourist Although both are journeys, and a very fine line may exist that differentiates pilgrim from tourist, to undertake a pilgrimage is not merely to take a trip, to travel to Israel the Holy Land, and some religious leaders have even drawn a line between pilgrimage and religious tourism and study tours. Both tourist and pilgrim may visit the same ancient church; it may be of spiritual import for one while for the other it may be of historical, cultural or social interest. Tourism is an escape from one’s own everyday life into something out of the ordinary and often entertaining, whereas, pilgrimage is a journey that is rich in symbolism, toward a definite goal. A pilgrim travels toward a shrine as to “the house of the Lord,” that is, toward the symbolic house of the Lord, which is in Heaven. Thus, symbolism is the specific element that distinguishes pilgrimage from tourism. A symbol is something containing two truths: one on the level of reality and the other on the level of the conveyed meaning. A pilgrimage is a symbolic act: a symbolic journey toward God. “O God, you are my God whom I seek; for you my flesh pines and my soul is thirsting for you like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water. Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary to see your power and your glory” (Psalms 63, 2-3). For those that believe, life is a journey, a pilgrimage. While their life may be firmly anchored in reality, which is in history, it is a journey at the same time, a pilgrimage toward salvation. As opposed to tourism, where the specific destination is less important than the experience and the fun most of the time, pilgrimage is a spiritual practice, a journey toward a specific spiritual goal, reminding believers that growing closer to God is the sacred purpose of life. For all that undertake it, pilgrimage is a spiritual search for inspiration as well, a strengthening of faith, a renewal of bonds and vows and an opportunity to grow closer as a Church or a congregation. Preparations Since the actual time spent in the Holy Land is usually relatively short, preparations are an important element to the success of a pilgrimage tour. Preparation for a pilgrimage can be done on an individual basis, but also as part of a group, either by discussing religious and
13
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker