Stephen reminds us what Cleopas and his friend said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road?” He tells us that a pilgrim pays attention to what makes the heart burn. A pilgrim tends the flame. How will we do that when this pilgrimage is ended? He closes by saying that we’ll spend ten minutes in silent meditation. He sits down, and a great silence engulfs the group.
This pilgrimage has been like exercising a muscle that sometimes cramps up. It would be easier to stop. I’m not used to approaching God in this way. I want to think my old way, that there is something I can do, something good, and then God will be pleased and give me a reward.
Have I been thinking cause-and-effect without even knowing it? I learned to approach God with my mind, and perhaps this is the result. I like to be logical. Maybe my ancestors were like this, too. Maybe this is why we are Reformed. We are happiest with a complete theological system: beginning, middle, and end, with all the main actors playing their appropriate roles. If, at the last minute, the system doesn’t quite work, we can quickly say, “Oh well, that’s a divine mystery.”
How foolish we are, and slow of wit!
What would happen if I forgot everything I thought I knew and began in mystery? I pull out my notebook to write down the few things I know about God, the sureties I’d stake my life on. They are all mysteries:
God created the world. God made us humans, limited, but with the ability to choose. God allows evil in the world, even great evil. But there is also love. Out of love, God entered the world in Jesus. The world couldn’t stand that, tried to stamp it out. But love continues. It is the lifeblood of the church. Love will eclipse time.
I close my pilgrim notebook. These simple sentences are all I know, but they are enough. I don’t have to chase after Jesus demanding more.
The chaplain stands up, breaking the deep silence. He makes the invitation to the table: “People shall come from north and south, from east and west, to sit at table in the Kingdom of God.” He offers the Great Prayer of Thanksgiving, then picks up the round loaf of bread. He says, “When our Lord was at table, he took bread, blessed and broke it.” My eyes follow as his hands deliberately tear the loaf and hold the two halves aloft. “Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.”
He picks up the pitcher and chalice and pours, the wine a red stream into the cup. He picks up the full chalice in one hand, the torn bread in the other, and holds them out to us. “These are the gifts of God for the people of God.”
People begin to go forward. I am in a front pew, so I get in line. I tear off a large chunk of bread and dunk one corner into the cup. The sopping part of the bread is aromatic, and the rest is dense. I chew slowly, relishing this taste of heaven.
Then I return to my seat and watch the other pilgrims go forward, their faces expectant and full of hope. I’m surprised when, beside me, Kyle breaks the silence by singing. His tenor voice quavers in the air. After each line he pauses, and the rest of us sing the line back.
Are not our hearts burning within us?
Are not our hearts lighted with fire?
Jesus is the Lord!
The sound of our voices resonates through the stone chamber. I look up at the sunlight streaming through the high windows. I can almost see our song hanging like the dust motes that speckle the rays of light.
It is time to rise for the Benediction, but I don’t want to stand up. When I rise from the rough pew, the pilgrimage will be over; I’m already feeling its absence. Of course, we pilgrims have our good-byes to make. We will take final photos. We will celebrate at our farewell dinner. We will part as friends. But with the end of this communion service, we will be done worshiping together.
It will be up to us whether or not we remain pilgrims.
Shalom, Salaam, Peace.
Questions on Pilgrim Themes
Theme 1: Be Open
A pilgrim is open to where the Spirit leads, even if it’s uncomfortable.
• In Chapters 1 and 2, Ruth wrestles with the transition from her normal life to this pilgrimage. She must leave certain things behind in order to open herself and become a pilgrim. When have you had to leave something behind? What is something that you need to practice leaving behind?
• In Chapter 15, the pilgrims visit Tabgha, where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes. Ruth feels the Spirit invite her to a new way of approaching her words/writing, which involves both release and multiplication. What in your life needs to be released? What needs to be multiplied? Which process is up to us?
• In Chapter 16, Ruth is moved when she listens to a sermon about the healing of a man who is deaf and mute. Have you ever struggled to open your ears to a message that was painful to hear? What was that process like for you, and where did it lead?
• In Chapter 18, the pilgrims visit Dominus Flevit, a chapel shaped like a teardrop. Do you believe that tears can open the heart? Have you cried tears of anguish that felt sacred?
Tears of joy, relief, release? How has the experience of crying affected your spiritual life?
• In Chapter 21, the pilgrims take communion at Emmaus, where Jesus “had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:35). Have you experienced an opening of your heart/eyes/ears/tongue through a sacrament or holy ritual of some kind? When has place or setting affected your ability to be open to the Spirit?
Theme 2: Cheek to Cheek
A pilgrim has the opportunity to brush against the presence of the Divine.
• In Chapter 3, the pilgrims hear a lecture about Jerusalem, but, for Ruth, the facts drop away, and the Holy One becomes present when she ducks under an olive tree. How have you experienced the divine presence through the natural world?
• In Chapter 10, Ruth stands in a sheepfold in Bethlehem and hears a familiar text as if for the first time. How did you react to this scene? Have you ever encountered a familiar text or a spiritual truth that suddenly seemed completely new and powerful?
• In Chapter 13, the pilgrims visit Masada. Have you had desert experiences that have made you aware of the presence or absence of God? How did the story of the cable-car mishap make you feel? Have you experienced your own fragility and contingency in a similar way? Does that have any relationship to your spiritual life?
• In Chapter 14, the pilgrims swim in the Sea of Galilee, which Ruth describes as brushing against the Divine. What was your reaction to this experience? Has the touch of water ever been playfully sacred to you?
• In Chapter 17, the pilgrims ascend Mount Tabor, the scene of the Transfiguration. How do you react to the biblical stories that describe Elijah, Moses, or Jesus as radiant like the sun? How appealing or unappealing is it to encounter a prophet, a religious leader, or a divine being? Do you think that supernatural or prophetic encounters occur in our world today? If so, can you think of any examples?
Theme 3: Religious Strangers
A pilgrim cannot avoid the painful connection between religious strangers and estrangement, which sometimes leads to violence, both historically and currently.
• In Chapter 4, Ruth converses with Khalil and discovers the “six degrees of separation” between them. How are you aware of degrees of separation between you and members of different faith traditions? How can a sense of strangeness lead to estrangement, or be overcome? Have you ever become aware of closer connections with people of other faith traditions than you had initially realized?
• In Chapter 5, the pilgrims visit Jerusalem. The atheist Tercier says, “Religion is good for nothing but hatred.” Do you agree or disagree? Does religious belief offer any hope? How might we live in such a way as to contradict Tercier’s statement? A Muslim shopkeeper says, “We all worship the same God. We are all brothers and sisters.” Do you agree or disagree? How do you experience your sisterhood/brotherhood with people of other faiths?
• In Chapters 7-9, the pilgrims visit the Jerusalem shrines of three religious traditions. Have you ever visited a holy site fo
r a faith you do not embrace? What was that like? Are these visits a good idea? How do you react to the Crusader history, which has left its marks in the Holy Land?
• In Chapter 11, Ruth haggles with a street-seller in Bethlehem. Have you ever tried to connect with someone who is very different from you by buying something from them? Did the encounter increase or decrease a sense of estrangement?
• In Chapter 12, the pilgrims visit a Palestinian refugee camp. How do you react to the facts given by the guide, Jihad? How important is it for people of faith to be knowledgeable about what’s happening politically in the Holy Land?
• In Chapter 20, Ruth encounters two Muslim boys who run at her with sticks. Have you ever interacted with people who thought you were an infidel? Have you ever interacted with persons whom you regarded as infidels? Can you describe these interactions? What do you think is the link between religious belief and violence? What does the last line of the chapter imply?
Questions for Bible Study
CHAPTER 1: UPROOT ME
I am the bread of life. (John 6:48)
This is the first of seven “I Am” statements of Jesus (chapters 8–15 in the book of John). What does it mean to you that Jesus is the bread of life? In what way do you experience Jesus as bread? How does communion feed you? How has communion functioned to welcome people in, or keep people out?
CHAPTER 2: TIME LIKE SAND
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8)
This verse in Hebrews refers to the story of God calling Abram/Abraham to go somewhere unknown (Genesis 12). The story of Abraham’s call is foundational to the three great monotheistic traditions. How does that commonality strike you? In what way do you relate to this story? How is this a pilgrim text?
CHAPTER 3: OLIVE TREES AND SPARROWS
Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. (Matthew 6:26)
Ruth slips under an olive tree and remembers this Scripture from the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5–7 in Matthew). What do you learn from “the birds of the air”? In your life right now, what are you “gathering into barns”? When you consider the whole Sermon on the Mount, do Jesus’ words seem to be more about right doctrine or right practice? How do either of these relate to pilgrimage?
CHAPTER 4: SIX DEGREES
They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. (Hebrews 11:13-14)
Hebrews 11 and 12 are chapters about faith. As people of faith, we are all pilgrims. This verse seems to ask, Does faith provide a homeland, or is faith the path of seeking a homeland? How does your faith guide your actions when you encounter other “strangers and foreigners on the earth”?
CHAPTER 5: OPPOSING FORCES
From one ancestor [God] made all nations to inhabit the whole earth . . . so that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him — though indeed he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:26-27)
In Acts 17, the apostle Paul is preaching to the Greeks, seeking points of commonality with his hearers. In what way does this verse help you connect with Paul or his hearers? How does this verse speak to you as a pilgrim? How far, or near, is God? Do you consider yourself to be a seeker, or a finder, of God?
CHAPTER 6: COMPELLED
As a captive to the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. (Acts 20:22)
In Acts 20 the apostle Paul acknowledges the difficult road that lies ahead of him, which is nevertheless unavoidable. When have you felt driven by God to do something that you knew might lead to difficulties? For you as a pilgrim, how does this verse give you sustenance for the difficult pilgrim path?
CHAPTER 7: SIN-CERE
Lord, my heart is not proud. (Psalm 131:1)
Psalm 131 is one of the Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120–134). It is one of the briefest and most humble of the Psalms. How does this language of humility resonate with your spiritual life, especially your prayer life? What new meaning might it have for you as a pilgrim? A Christian lives in humility while still proclaiming faith in Christ. How do you experience this tension, or resolve it?
CHAPTER 8: SISTERS
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! (Mark 10:47)
In Mark 10 Jesus heals a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, who calls out for mercy. When has your heart echoed this beggar’s cry? How might the repetition of this cry further open a pilgrim’s heart? What thoughts or feelings surface when you pray the “Jesus Prayer”?
CHAPTER 9: STONE COLD
Come to him, a living stone . . . and let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood. (1 Peter 2:4-5)
The book of First Peter can be read as a series of instructions to new disciples. In what way does the image of “living stone” speak to you as a disciple? What does it mean to you that God might build you into a structure greater than yourself? Stones are common in the Bible, and omnipresent in the Holy Land. What do stones represent?
CHAPTER 10: BIRTH AND DEATH
I am the gate for the sheep. (John 10:7)
This verse is another of the “I Am” statements of Jesus. It also calls to mind Psalm 23, which is the “Shepherd Psalm.” How have you experienced the shepherding quality of Jesus? How are you like a sheep or a goat? Remember the swaddling cloths. How does a shepherd tend the transition between life and death?
CHAPTER 11: LOVE IS DIFFICULT
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)
First Corinthians 13 is the great chapter on love. What new meanings come to mind as you consider this chapter in the context of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? How might a pilgrim be both nourished and challenged by this verse?
CHAPTER 12: THE HOPE
How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)
Psalm 133 is one of the Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120–134). It is a brief Psalm about unity. What is your experience of unity, or disunity, within communities of faith? How important is unity for you as a pilgrim? How might a pilgrim seek unity? Is it possible for a community of faith to live in unity without demanding conformity (or uniformity) on doctrinal matters?
CHAPTER 13: SUSPENSION
In my distress I cry to the LORD, that he may answer me. (Psalm 120:1)
Psalm 120 is one of the Pilgrim Psalms (Psalms 120–134). It is a Psalm of lamentation. How comfortable or uncomfortable are you with lamentation? What events have pushed you to lament to God? How are the Psalms helpful when a person is faced with death?
CHAPTER 14: FLOTILLA
Where do you get that living water? (John 4:11)
John 4 tells the story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. What surprises you about their entire conversation? In what way do you relate to that woman? In the life of faith, both individually and communally, what is water good for? How does Jesus become living water to you as a pilgrim?
CHAPTER 15: MULTIPLY
How many loaves have you? Go and see. (Mark 6:38)
The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes is recounted in Mark 6 (and also in Matthew 14, Luke 9, and John 6). Imagine yourself in the role of different characters in this story: the boy with the lunch, the disciples, the hungry crowd. Which character resonates with you today? How might the world look different if we followed Jesus’ example and intentionally moved away from a framework of scarcity and fear and embraced a framework of abundance and generosity? How might this change of attitude affect the conflict in the Holy Land over resources like space and water?
CHAPTER 16: CHEEK TO CHEEK
Ephp
hatha! Be opened! (Mark 7:34)
In Mark 7, Jesus heals a man who is deaf and mute. When have you experienced a “release” like this man did when his tongue was loosened? Have you ever experienced being closed down, or sealed? “I was blind but now I see.” If you were to be healed, what would change?
CHAPTER 17: TRANSFORM
We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:18)
In the first chapter of Second Peter, the apostle Peter reflects on his experience at the Transfiguration, which is recounted in the Gospels (Matthew 17, Mark 9, Luke 9). In what ways do you connect — or fail to connect — with Peter’s experience of glory, and the way it shaped his life? As a pilgrim, how receptive are you to glory? Why?
CHAPTER 18: WEEP
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! (Matthew 23:37)
In Matthew 23, Jesus laments over Jerusalem before he enters it at the beginning of Holy Week. In what way is Jesus’ lamentation specific to his time and place? In what way does Jesus show us how to bring laments of all types before God? What beliefs or actions cause Jesus to weep today?
CHAPTER 19: THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)
Chasing the Divine in the Holy Land Page 17