A Deaconess View of Pilgrimage
During our pilgrimage, we encountered many aspects that are true of anyone’s faith journey:
You may face danger, as the woman who had fallen at Saint Govan’s Chapel or times of scarcityas those now in the field at Monasterboice(potato famine).
Still, Travel light, what you carry will weigh you down like the heavy ceiling that caused the supports to stagger under its weight at Saint David’s Cathedral.
The path will be narrow, especially when ascending. Consider the stairways at the Bishop’s Palace (Saint David’s), Cardiff Keep or even the narrow lanes that Peter had to negotiate as we traveled by bus.
It is a gift to be able to follow in the footstepsof previous pilgrims (Nevern); their footsteps allow us to find the Way.
God’s message of love is all around us as we journey. Those Psalms memorized (23, 24, 46) will speak to us as we delight in God’s object lessons (sheep, hills, sea, fortresses) and remind us of God’s grace and constancy.
There are unexpected giftsif we only have eyes to see. Christine at Melangell’s Church reminded us that, while we may be thinking: “It’s a shame about the crack!”, others will see a blessing. So be attentive or you might miss it. (Charles and I walked the Green Road at Glendalough and walked right by St. Kevin’s well.)
And remember, theLight gets through in seemingly impossible and surprising ways as at Newgrange, the “mistaken” ordination of Saint Brigid as bishop and the Green Party winning the Irish election!
Wemake provision for the weakeramong us. A helpful hand over a stile (Glendalough) or a Leper’s window at Saint Beuno’s chapel blesses us all.
Butmake no provision for evil. Protection has been sought through yew trees (various cemeteries), gargoyles, etc. We pray regularly: “Deliver us from evil”.
Humor helps as we journey with others and put up with each other’s foibles, as Sisters Mary and Rita demonstrated so well to us at Saint Brigid’s, or with our own! (Leslie shared her Museum incident in Dublin).
We need, and are invited into, Community. As the monks at Clonmacnoise, Glendalough, and the sisters at Kildare have known, we are at our best as we connect with one another in community. It was a blessing to us all to worship with the whole communion of saints: past and present at Kildare.
A special gift is an“anam cara”, or kindred soul. As we celebrate the gift of friendship and our time together, I am reminded of the wording from the Lutheran Book of Worship at the time of a funeral: “We thank you for giving us_____to know and love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth, “and at the commendation: “a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming”
May God grant you grace as you continue on your lifelong pilgrimage, Deb
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