The Pilgrim

We are all Pilgrims

Just received the travel documentation and itinerary details for my trip which is coming up very quickly - A Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

No, no a trip, a pilgrimage.

I have never been on an actual pilgrimage before. A number of years back, Jill and I did have the notion of walking part of that pilgrimage trail through Spain, the Way of St James, ending up at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. But (aren't there always "buts"?) changing circumstances, a rush of old age with creaking joints and a realisation of what was really involved put a "Ya gotta be dreamin!"on that idea.

We did cross that "Way" on one occasion, I remember. That was when we visited the church of St James in Rothenburg ob der Tauber on the Romantic Road in Germany. This church lies on one of the many feeder routes which lead south to the main pilgrim way in Spain. At the front of the church is this tall bronze statue of a pilgrim, right foot forward ready to keep moving and the right index finger pointing to the pilgrim's real destination. We stood beside him for a while but then continued our journey NORTH.

A bronze statue in front of the St James church in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, in Germany, encourages pilgrims on their way.

A mediaeval German monk and mystic, Johannes Geiler von Keiserberg, wrote back in the fifteenth century that it is death that will guide us all to our true homeland, our true destination (our Heimat). The whole life of the Christian person, the pilgrim, is leading back to a reunion with the maker. This need to be reunited presupposes the Christian belief that humankind's initially perfect relationship with God had been broken by the rebellious, selfish action of the human race. This yearning to be reunited, for a re-association with "Paradise", has remained in spite of the alienation from God. This makes us all pilgrims and gives the life of a Christian an eschatological perspective.

We are trying to follow that statue's finger. We want to return to our ultimate Heimat. We are striving to reach that perfect, harmonious relationship, which according to Christian mythology, existed when, as stated in the Bible, "God saw everything that he had made and indeed, it was very good"(Genesis 1:31).

Yes, we are all pilgrims on the way.

Makes me think of that old classic by John Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress. I rooted out a copy which I knew was hiding in the house somewhere. I found it. It was old and batted, patched up with brown paper and sticky tape. And a real surprise awaited me when I found it. Something I had completely forgotten. The book had belonged to an old aunt of mine. The bookplate inside the front cover read: "Awarded to Freda H.... for obtaining highest marks in the Ropeley Lutheran Saturday School, 1924. H.E.Temme, Pastor."

 Sadly Aunty Freda passed away many years ago. But Saturday School? Who goes to school on a Saturday? And at a church? Now there's some more memories!

Yes, a batted copy, seemingly read by many, but I would soon ask, "By whom?" After reading a number of pages of this classic from the late seventeenth century, it soon became apparent that it would not figure on any modern best seller list. To give you some idea.

"Then said Evangelist, If this be thy condition, why standest thou still?  He answered, Because I know not whither to go.  Then he gave him a parchment roll, and there was written within, Fly from the wrath to come.

The man therefore read it, and, looking upon Evangelist very carefully, said, Whither must I fly?  Then said Evangelist pointing with his finger over a very wide field, Do you see yonder wicket-gate?  The man said, No.  Then said the other, Do you see yonder shining light?  He said, I think I do.  Then said Evangelist, keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate; at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do............ (The Pilgrim's Progress  p19.)

John Bunyan's pilgrim, Christian, shouldering the many cares and worries of life - carrying the load himself.( Picture from an early edition of The Pilgrim's progress -pre 1924. R.T.S London.)

The pilgrim then begins his journey towards the shining gate, meeting a wide range of types on the way, mostly wanting to hinder his progress. There was Obstinate and Pliable, Sloth and Presumption, Mr Malice and Mr Cruelty, Mr Love-lust and Mr Live-loose... and the list goes on.

I suppose we can all relate to many of the episodes related in this book, for we also are nomads, wandering east of Eden, daily being confronted by members from this cast of colourful characters hell bent on keeping us from our goal.

Too much time spent with these characters and one can become despondent, overburdened by pessimism, bent low by cares and worries. This is not how life should be. My trip is sub-titled "Following in the footsteps of Jesus". I know that written in those footprints, inscribed on Jesus' parchment roll, are new directions which will take one past the many road-blocks. This trip will, I hope, help us read those directions more clearly and continue our earthly pilgrimage with a lighter step.