Travelling on
28th March 2023
You might like to spend some time reflecting back on your retreat so far.
Can you remember how it began for you? How did you find that?
Did you try the prayer exercises on the three sheets? How did they go? Can you think back into the way you felt?
Did you try walking the labyring – or using the finger labyrinth? How was that?
Have you been using the Review of the Day? Did anything speak to you especially, or stay with you?
How has it been, meeting with your prayer guide?
Out of all of this, what has been most life giving? Is there one time, activity, meeting?
Spend time remembering this… savouring it… thanking God.
What during this time has been least life giving? Is there anything to notice, to learn?
After you have reflected, you can turn your attention to where you are now, and the direction forward. You might like to try this prayer exercise as a way of locating yourself in time and place, and within God’s love. You could use your little compass, or one on your phone, to get the directions.
Turn to the East – where the sun rises.
Close your eyes and imagine a sunrise – perhaps in a place you know.
Start with the first movement from darkness into the gentle light of pre dawn. Shapes become clearer. Clouds begin to shine up in the sky.
As the light grows so does the sense of anticipation. The first rays catch high points in the landscape. And then the sun itself begins to rise above the horizon…
You might like to open your hands to the gift of this new day – each new day.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3
Turn to the South. This is where the sun is at midday, when it is warmest. This might be for us a place of rest in our busy days.
Close your eyes and imagine sitting – or lying – in the warm sun – maybe in a favourite place.
Take a few slow breaths and allow yourself to be warmed by God’s love.
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
Isaiah 30
Turn to the West. Where the sun goes down.
The end of the day is a time to let go of the day’s busyness. To let go of our worries and concerns. To place ourselves once again into God’s hands. It can be a time to look back and see what has been most life giving for us. It is a time of trust:
The day is yours, Lord, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
Psalm 74
Turn to the North. At night, we may see the stars – and if we can find it, the Pole Star – the one that points us to the north.
Our compass needles also point north – thanks to the magnetic pull of the earth.
What – or who – is your North star? What is it that sets your direction?
Can you sense the leading of God, drawing you forward?
Make me to know your ways, O Lord.
Teach me your paths.
Psalm 25
Turn back to the front. Close your eyes. Feel your feet on the ground.
You are here – in this place – but you are also on a path, from your past to your future. You may like to say this short prayer:
Bless to me the earth beneath my feet.
Bless to me the path on which I tread.
Bless to me the love in which I live.
Now, as you prepare to move on, read these words about Abraham’s journey:
The Lord said to Abraham, “Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you… And through you I will bless all the nations.”
When Abraham was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the Lord had told him to do; and Lot went with him.
Genesis 12
Abraham had no planned route. He was told that God would show him his destination in due course. He just had to set out. We will not have our whole future mapped out either, although we may have a sense of direction – maybe our compass meditation or thinking about our ‘thread’ has helped us as we reflect on this. You might like to spend a few moments of quiet as you offer ourself to the journey ahead – the journey that begins from this place where you are – the outer journey and the inner journey. We are invited, like Abraham, just to set out, putting our trust in God…..
As we do this, we have God’s promise that he will lead us, and he will be with us on the way. Here is a version of Psalm 23, which offers us this lifelong promise. The pictures are from my pilgrimage along St. Cuthbert’s Way. https://youtu.be/uuE60UXOvAo
You could say our Pilgrimage Prayer, to end your time…
O Lord God,
from whom we come,
in whom we are enfolded,
to whom we shall return:
bless us in our pilgrimage through life;
with the power of the Father protecting,
with the love of Jesus indwelling,
and the light of the Spirit guiding,
until we come to our ending, in life and love eternal. Amen.