As we prayed last night and again this morning, we remembered again that we are less than one third of our complete group. While we have not been physically together these past couple of weeks, we have journeyed together in many other ways. We have shared joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties. We have loved one another as a community of faith.
Some last photos of the group as we prepared to depart. The pictures tell the story.
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Remember Thomas Merton's Prayer for the Pilgrim. We have all been through a lot since we first prayed this together at our pre-pilgrimage meetings. Because of all we have been through together we have a new depth of understanding and of faith. Let us continue to pray with and for each other:
A Pilgrim's Prayer by Thomas Merton
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end....
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you,
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road, though
I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem lost in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Amen
Thank you for the prayer by Thomas Merton.
ReplyDeleteI wrote a few lines, for all the Pilgrims, and all the want-a-be Pilgrims. Here goes...
"I come to gather
Where you once walked
To see the places
That you once saw
A life once lived
A love so gived
I stand in awe
Time stands still
Through words passed on
The lessons taught
The wisdom sought
A life lived now
Through each new day
I journey on
And so to all
Who come and go
May you be with them
As they walk on
And so as I
Cross paths with them
I too may pilgrim
And journey too."