“HEAR, O ISRAEL…”

People leave their homes, familiar lands, and relatives in order to go out and cleanse themselves from all that hinders their relationship with Christ. A pilgrimage is a means to separate ourselves from our comfort zones by entering into the unknown, into the trustful surrender of God. This trust is at times the only means that we can get through difficulties. Even though we can plan our way ahead of time, have certain places and sights scheduled, it is important to place our lives in the providential hands of God and let Him be the Shepherd of our life.

Nevertheless, there are people who, for various reasons, are unable to make a long-distance pilgrimage. Some have never travelled outside of their place of living. The only trip they can make is between home and work. Moreover, there are the disabled who can only move within the corners of their house. And still, each and every one of us is a pilgrim. It is not so important how far we travel and how we get there, the key point is to do everything with the intention to please God alone by detaching ourselves from all that does not lead to Him in order that we could attach ourselves to Him deeper and deeper to the point where His will becomes our will, His desires become our desires, His actions become our actions, and His words become our words. As St. Paul suggests the only thing we should fear in our life is to offend God.

“Hear, O Israel: You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength…”(Deut. 6:4-7) The test whether we love God is clearly seen in the love we have towards our neighbor, for we cannot love God whom we have not seen and hate our brother whom we have seen (1 John 4:20). To see Christ in each and every person that God’s providence places on our earthly pilgrimage is the task set for us.