“Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray/from the straight road and woke to find myself/alone in a dark wood.” ~Dante, The Inferno

“The world is thy ship and not thy home.” ~St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul

“To be a ‘viator’ means to be ‘on the way’. The status viatoris is, then, the ‘condition or state of being on the way.'” ~Josef Pieper, Treatise on Hope

The above are words of pilgrimage. Pieper’s words truly capture what it means to be a pilgrim. A pilgrim is one who is on the way. The pilgrim has a definite destination in mind. The way there, however, may not always be so clear. Nor is the pilgrim assured of reaching his destination. The pilgrim is simply on the way, trying to reach the destination his heart yearns for.

I am a pilgrim on the way. I have already reached several of my pilgrimage-sites in this life. I have had the immense blessing of being a pilgrim to Knock, Rome, Assisi, and World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow. I have had the immense blessing of being a pilgrim to lesser known places within the United States - the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche in Florida, the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C., and other basilicas throughout the country. Going on physical pilgrimages, whether they be close to home or far abroad, is a rich Catholic tradition. Going on pilgrimages to churches, shrines, and holy places is an imitation of the final pilgrimage of life. 

 The primary place my pilgrim’s heart seeks will take a lifetime to reach, God willing. I am, first and foremost, a pilgrim on the way to the home Dante, St. Thérèse, and Josef Pieper more explicitly address in their works – the Heavenly Jerusalem. My life is a journey to return to God, to join the Church Triumphant. I live in hope that I will reach this destination, but I do not live in presumption. The distinction between the theological virtue of hope and the sin of presumption is absolutely necessary for every pilgrim to understand. I do not know that I will not falter. I do not know that I will not apostatize if some calamity were to strike. Pray God save me from that! But I do have hope in Our Lord’s mercy and goodness. I trust in His providence. I do not trust myself. I am weak and poor and sinful and selfish. I must depend on His grace alone and never on myself. 

Earnest pilgrims must be prepared. When going on a pilgrimage, the pilgrim usually takes supplies for the way. Fold out maps have been replaced for the most part by smart phones and electronic GPSes, but paper maps give a more all-encompassing view of the surroundings. Maps offer myriads of paths and roads and stopping places. They provide different options for reaching the same destination. Some routes are more scenic and others are more straightforward. When lost, a map can be used to get back to the road you want to be on, or to find a better route. Keys are also good to carry on the way. Keys unlock treasure chests, castles, and prison doors. Possession of a key could be the difference between indefinite confusion and turmoil or mysteries answered. Maps and keys ought to be taken by the pilgrim on the journey.

Along the way, the pilgrim will very likely experience uncertainty, indecision, roadblocks, forks in the road, dangerous beasts, and dead ends. Journeys are frequently fraught with dangers. Like Dante in the Inferno, the pilgrim can become lost in a dark wood despairing and far from the true way. But this cannot be how the pilgrim continues the pilgrimage! Virgil was sent to Dante to be his guide away from the dark wood and through the horrors of Hell. Virgil gave Dante advice, encouraged or chastised Dante’s reactions, and directed him along the path.

Jesus Christ came to be the ultimate Guide for every human person. He came to give his pilgrim people hope for the journey. He gives us advice, encourages and chastises us when needed, and directs us along the path. For Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is our Way to the ultimate pilgrimage destination: Heaven. Not only is He the Way, but he is also the Way-Bread. He nourishes the hungry pilgrim with His own Body and Blood to give us strength for the journey. He slakes our thirst with the rivers of His goodness and mercy. The pilgrim is not certain that he will reach his destination, but he yearns for and strains towards it. He ought to be confident in the providence of Our Lord to provide for him. St. Paul says to in his epistle to the Philippians:

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (3:12-14)

We have not yet attained the prize! We are still on the way, as Josef Pieper pointed out. But be not afraid of what lies ahead! Jesus Christ has provided us with what we need for the journey. By map and key, Jesus Christ provided the Church and therefore the faithful the supplies to make the pilgrimage. These blessed maps are the Holy Scriptures, the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and the wisdom shared by the people of God throughout the ages. These keys are the keys of St. Peter and the Sacraments. By map and key, the pilgrim will journey with hope towards the home his whole being cries out for. 

Brothers and sisters, I am praying for you as you experience the many and various pilgrimages that the world has to offer. I ask that you pray for me, too. Do not lose sight of the ultimate pilgrimage destination. May the hopeful pilgrim spirit ever be on your mind and in your heart. May God bless you on your way!