Our Great Pilgrimage

I felt in need of a great pilgrimage
so I sat still for three
days
and God came
to me.
   
—“A Great Pilgrimage” by Kabir (c. 1440-1518)

   
When summer rolls around, I always get the itch to travel.  I love traveling, speaking different languages (or trying to!), and eating different kinds of food.  I love to see and meet and experience people and places and cultures that are new to me.  I love the challenge.  I love the wonder.  And I’ve had some wonderful opportunities in my life to travel far and wide, but over the last few years, my travel has been more limited and more localized.  Imagine that, with a little one!
   
This past week, my sister has been moving with her husband and 3 little ones from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Glasgow, Scotland.  And part of me says with relief, “Thank goodness that is not me!  I surely would have lost my mind by now!”  But another part of me longs for that type of adventure.  I want to teach Clive about the delightful diversity of the world and the great goodness of God’s creation.  But right now, our great pilgrimage is right here.
   
Our great pilgrimage is looking up and down our own street and locating and ways and places where God meets us right here.  Where does God meet you?  How does God meet you?  I always think it is unfortunate that the weeks and months following Pentecost are referred to as “Ordinary Time” because, really, if we are paying any attention at all, very little in our world is ordinary.  What we might casually call “ordinary time” or “ordinary things” are actually spectacular miracles that have become worn to our tired eyes.  So, how do we change our perspective?  What would it take for us to see newness and opportunity all around us?  Whatever it is could be the great pilgrimage we need.

See you in church,
Christy