I wish it were not so, but when I hear the word “pilgrim” my first thought is not one of a person on “pilgrimage” – a time of spiritual discovery, deepening faith, and holy intention. Rather, and regrettably, when I hear “pilgrim” I picture John Wayne tipping back his hat, hand on hip, and saying “well, pilgrim” – or something like that. Pathetic, I know.
So, it was with some restraint that I did not try out my John Wayne “howdy pilgrim” when Craig asked me for the first time in January to speak in The Dean’s Class: Pilgrims on a Journey.
The fact of the matter is, whether we have just moved to a new home or have lived in a place for decades, all of us are “pilgrims on a journey” with Jesus. One of the favorite biblical metaphors to describe the life of faith is as a “walk.” This isn’t surprising. Until recently, the most common mode of transport throughout history was walking. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all “walked” with God; the Israelites walked in the wilderness and were commanded to “walk” according to the law; the disciples walked with Jesus; and Paul was fond of reminding believers to “walk” in the Spirit.
Pilgrims walk with God and, apparently, God takes pleasure in walking with us. As such, we walk with our “three-mile-an-hour God.” There are a number of implications for this. To begin with, God is not in a rush. I’m often impatient with God, but God is never impatient with me. In fact, God seems to delight in generous world-making action that is slow. In his earthly pilgrimage, Jesus was never in a rush; in fact, the more important his task – like his journey to the Cross – the more he slowed his pace, but not his direction.
Further, there are no experts in the company of Jesus. All of us are pilgrims on a journey, but all of us are beginners, and necessarily followers, because none of us know the way. Thankfully, we follow Jesus. He knows the way. He is the Way, and he is already present wherever it is we need to be.
– Dean
Blessed are those whose strength is in [the Lord], whose hearts are set on pilgrimage, who going through the Valley of Weeping use it for a well. – Psalm 84:5-6a