Pilgrimage

[Templar81]

I'm interested to know what people here think about pilgrimage in general accross the board from people of all types of churchmanship. Pilgrimage is something I'd really like to do but I'm never sure where to go. i've often thought about going to Lourdes or Sant iago de Compostella but its mostl likely yhat I wouldn't be able to recieve the Eucharist at the end as these are Roman Catholic shrines. So I think perhaps Walsignham would be good. Has anyone here been to Walsingham? Is it safe to go to the Holy Land?

Has pilgrimage changed your faith in any way or the way you think about it?

 

[jerryjohnson]

Just grab your Bible and take a pilgrimage through it.

 

[Templar81]

While reading the Bible is very special to me, the thtread is about soemthing which you can't just do at any time.

 

[Brother Mike]

If the Lord has directed you to go, then being in the Will of God is the safest place you can be. No weapon formed against you can prosper, if the Lord really told you to go.


Pro 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

 

[Miss Hepburn]

Oops, clicked twice.

 

[Miss Hepburn]

No, I haven't been to Walsingham and don't know what it is.

Plgrimages, like fasting, abstinence during lent, other external rituals, lighting a daily candle on your altar- help focus the mind.
They are not necessary, but if one does them they are neat focusing tools. :)

There isn't a need to crawl on our knees a mile to a shrine - but, hey, if it helps one to control this distracted, out-of-control mind- I say go for it.
(Just an example of the extremes that some do.)
Anything to focus the attention on God, to me, is just fine. Different strokes for different folks.

Personally, I defy the Catholic Church. As I always say - if Jesus was here would He approve of all their rules - let's see -"Templar can't receive my body
because -hey, he isn't Catholic." I think not. I love communion in the Catholic Churches. There's one walking distant from my house with 8 am masses - I've gone there at 8:15, received communion sat a bit and left.

I'm also a big believer on calculating how much a trip (pilgrimage) would cost - lost wages, hotel, food, gas ---then give those hundreds of dollars to
your charity, anonymously to a neighbor that has utility bill problems, for example ---- then spend the day or 3 alone in prayer and contemplation and fasting.

Just a thought. Whatever you do will be to get closer to the Lord - your heart is what matters.
I think it is nice to put the body, heart, mind and our wallets to use, also.
But, hey, that's just how I approach worship. Doesn't have to be everyone's way.
:) Miss Hepburn

 

[Templar81]

I have felt the call to go on Pilgrimage for a long time, even when I was away from the church for a time. I'm never sure where is best. I have a desire to visit Compostella and I do wonder if that is where I am called to go. I can't treally explain why but I've always felt that it is the right thing to do. I've been and seen the tombs of St William at York and St Hugh at Lincoln and stood where St Thomas Becket was killed at Canterbury, these were like mini-pilgrimages and felt very special to me. I might also visit the tombs of St Bede and St Cuthbert at Durham.

 

[Templar81]

Miss Hepburn

Being a High Anglican I have more or less the same beliefs as Roman Catholics apart from things like Papal infalability. If I did recieve Commonion from a catholic priest I would be OK according to 1st Corinthians becuse I believe the same as they do about the Eucharist, but I'd be hesitant to take it because I'd feel that I wasn't respecting their rules. When in Roman do as the Catholics do or perhaps not in this case since they'd be communing. I've known of some Catholic priests who aren't that bothered as long as their giving the sacrament to a sincere baptized Christian. I have one friend who recieves the Sacrament in france or Spain when he's on holiday and if someone challenges him about it he say's "I have it on higher authority." Anyway we'll have to have a topic on Open vs closed communion some time.

 

[gumby]

If the lord has called you then by all means go