Going (pilgrimage)
Man moves toward God. He looks for Him through the
events of his whole life. Therefore he must leave, as
pilgrims do, following the ways that bring to Faith.
Pilgrimage reminds man of his condition on Earth as a
creature walking toward Heaven. The way to get there is
more important than the destination itself, the journey
is a time for meditation and dialogue with God.
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Indications of
biblical passages
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Spiritual exercise to pray the
Word of God
Called
to leave (Gen. 12:4)
"Get thee out of thy country,"
these are the first words that God says when He announced
his mission to Abraham. Go! Leave! Abraham and Lot
followed God`s orders and begin their journey. They chose
to leave, and that was the first step to make the promise
of God come true. In fact in verse 15.2 of Genesis
Abraham repeats that his way is the way of the errant
shepherd.
The
Lord stays with us during our journey (Ex.
33:14)
Moses asks the Lord to show him his path, God
promises then to walk side by side with His people. Moses
understands that he has found the Grace of God. The
exiled people feel that the Lord is with them.
God's
word walks like a men (Ex. 25:12)
God tells Moses to build an ark made of wood, with
four golden rings on the corners. Four staves of shittim
wood have to be put into the rings and never taken off,
"that the ark may be borne with them." The ark
had to be carried by the priests of Levi throughout their
journey. This shows, according to the Hebrew
interpretation of the Scriptures, that God walks with His
people. He does not go faster nor slower."The most
important thing is keeping God`s pace, trying neither to
precede Him nor to stay behind." (Bonhoffer)
The pilgrim's heart is
pure (Psalms 24: 3-4)
In the Old Testament God ask His people to go on
pilgrimage. A Pilgrimage is not considered just a ritual
act but an invitation to trust God completely, to listen
to his words and to be converted.
The
pilgrim's song (Psalms 84)
The pilgrim keeps thinking of God "while
passing through the valley...going strength to
strength." Finally he deeply meets Him in the
temple, where he can rest and pray.When it is time to
leave melancholy fills the pilgrim`s heart. He envies
birds and swallows who dwell in the temple "for a
day in Thy courts is better than a thousand."
Sustenance for the
journey (Lk 24:13-35)
Two disciples meet Jesus on their way to Emmaus.
They are leaving Jerusalem. They are sad and
disappointed. A stranger draws near and goes along with
them, he listens to them.It is while they are walking
that the Lord explains the meaning of the scriptures,
since the journeys of Abraham and Moses. His words
enlighten the disciples and they will fully understand
the necessity of Jesus` passion and death. When they stop
to rest, the Lord stays with them and finally reveals
himself blessing and breaking the bread. That bread is
the food the disciples needed to resume their way in the
Church. Because of this bread they will decide to go back
to Jerusalem.
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