Pilgrim journeys
The Rev Dr Richard Frazer reflects on the value and gifts of pilgrimage.
The Rev Dr Richard Frazer
IN 2012, I walked the pilgrim way to Santiago in Spain.
It was a chance to spend time away, connecting with nature at three miles per hour, testing my limbs and seeking refreshment from the Spirit, that I knew from previous pilgrimages, is always close at hand.
There were many rich encounters and I tuned into an ancient spiritual tradition once very common in Scotland.
There were probably good reasons for ending pilgrimages in the 16th century. However, many will testify to a profound encounter with the Spirit as they travel. ‘Home is the journey’, pilgrims often say, rather than the place of arrival. This echoes what happened to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, who felt their ‘hearts burning within them’ as they walked and talked with a stranger along the way. A deep spiritual awakening can happen even to those who do not consider themselves people of faith.