Going Places

Apart from excursions into novelties, movement from one place to another often signals that a change has happened or is happening within us. This is one of the less obvious reasons why pilgrimages continue to be a popular and meaningful exercise. Even beyond religious practice, people will take up some kind of pilgrimage—a walk across part of the world, for instance—that has been triggered by a beginning of change and leads to immense inner growth. The demands such a journey places on us can actively push us to the point where an unperceived change bursts into conscious reality.

This inner growth is a corollary and yet at the same time the most difficult and powerful part and in a way the essence of the journey. Thomas Merton wrote that “Our real journey in life is interior: it is a matter of growth, deepening, and of an ever greater surrender to the creative action of love and grace in our hearts.” Jean-Marie Howe, another Trappist author, concurs: “All spiritual life is a journey based on our innate capacity for God … which can ultimately lead to a transformation of being.” And she writes “The monastic life is pure journey … a transforming journey.”

Essentially, the monastic life is a pilgrimage in place. Just as on pilgrimage, those who set out on this journey are prompted by a change that is happening within, and those who commit to it have the inner resources and emotional health to meet all the challenges that will come. Because just as on a physical journey, the challenges we meet will find all our hidden cracks and weaknesses and expose them. We are pruned, and we are urged to grow through our circumstances. There are very few hopelessly sweaty days along hot trails and there are no nights in hostels, but there is more than enough of work, beauty, solitude, and company. The monastic life is a journey and a pilgrimage in place, making ourselves available to the change that God’s work will effect in us, and supporting each other on the way.

The Desert Elder Serapion once went to visit a celebrated anchoress; himself a great traveller, he asked her what she was doing, “sitting” all day in one place. She answered, “I am not sitting, I am on a journey.”

Recent Issues

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

October 2023

July 2023

May 2023

January 2023

December 2022

October 2022

September 2022

July 2022

May 2022

April 2022

March 2022

January 2022

December 2021

November 2021

October 2021

June 2021

May 2021

April 2021

February 2021

January 2021

December 2020

October 2020

September 2020

August 2020

July 2020

June 2020

May 2020

April 2020

March 2020

February 2020

January 2020

December 2019

November 2019

October 2019

September 2019

August 2019

July 2019

May 2019

April 2019

March 2019

January 2019

December 2018

November 2018

October 2018

September 2018

August 2018

July 2018

June 2018

May 2018

April 2018

March 2018

February 2018

January 2018

December 2017

November 2017

October 2017

September 2017

June 2017

May 2017

April 2017

March 2017

February 2017

January 2017

December 2016

November 2016

October 2016

September 2016

August 2016

July 2016

June 2016

May 2016

April 2016

March 2016

February 2016

January 2016

December 2015

November 2015

October 2015

September 2015

August 2015

July 2015

June 2015

May 2015