Home

For me, Monday began two days ago with Mass at St. Ann's Church in Strathfield (a Sydney Suburb) where the pastor, Fr. Ray sent the pilgrims from Rapid City back to their homes remarking that there is something sacred about home. Home means family. Home means love. Home means rest. Home, ultimately, is the goal of pilgrimage.

All of us are pilgrims, making our way through this life on our journey to our heavenly home. Pilgrimage itself helps us recognize this fact. The sacrifices, the suffering, the pain along the way make home that much sweeter when we arrive. On pilgrimage, one discovers that one needs the help of others. One needs to be told which train to take. One needs another to help provide for food, for water, bathrooms. One needs another to show the way. On pilgrimage, one learns the value of generosity and hospitality. One learns that love and patience are verbs while the group of Italians in front of you stomps on your feet and screams and smells for a full fifty minutes. Pilgrimage helps one to find great joy in very small things (like a place to sit on the train). In a huge way, though, the value of pilgrimage is discovered in arriving at home.

Travel well, fellow pilgrims.