“Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No-one knows himself except through trial, or receives a crown, except after victory, or strives, except against an enemy or temptations” (St. Augustine).

Editor’s note: This Lent, the Catholic Women in Business team is exploring the theme “Cultivating Virtue in the Desert.” Learn more here.

One of the first great events of Christ’s life on earth (that we know of) is his finding in the temple in Jerusalem at age 12, on a family pilgrimage to the city for Passover. Many Jews made yearly pilgrimages to the holy city’s temple for the annual celebration of Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt. As the pilgrims were expected to celebrate Passover in a state of purity, many Jews would arrive in Jerusalem up to a week early so that they could cleanse themselves. One of the great joyful mysteries of our faith occurred when the Holy Family was on this pilgrimage.

A Physical March Toward a Spiritual Destination

In Islam, a pilgrimage to Mecca is required of all Muslims once in a lifetime, offering a chance to wipe clean past sins and start anew before God. Hindus similarly journey to the Ganges River every 12 years to wash their sins away in the sacred waters. Called Kumbh Mela, this trek to forgiveness and salvation is the largest pilgrimage in the world.

Pilgrimages have played a vital role in the development and richness of our Catholic faith. There are countless stories of healings at the site of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. It is widely believed that pilgrims of El Camino de Santiago helped to revitalize Christianity in Spain despite threats from the Moors in the Middle Ages. Many theologians even refer to our time here on earth as “the great pilgrimage,” in which we are temporary residents journeying back to our true home: Heaven.

A pilgrimage is a physical journey with a spiritual meaning, and the pilgrim is one who is marching toward a spiritual destination, searching for God’s forgiveness in hopes of reconciliation with him. There is much to be said for making a physical pilgrimage in order to enrich our relationship with the Lord and our understanding of our callings on earth. Major pilgrimage sites include Rome and Assisi, Italy; Jerusalem; Compostela and Ávila, Spain; Lourdes, France; and Fatima, Poland. A less famous one is Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway (known as St. Olav’s Way!). There are also great pilgrimage sites in the United States.

Lent: The Great Annual Pilgrimage

The 40 days of Lent is, itself, a kind of pilgrimage, as we enter into a period of reflection and preparation for reconciliation with Christ at the resurrection. Just as a pilgrim walking 20 miles each day must have courage to reach her destination despite the aches and pains in her feet, the Lenten journey requires courage and discipline through a period of self-mortification. This time is a call for us to test our courage by asking ourselves if we are willing to suffer (or even to die) for our faith? Are we willing to make sacrifices for our Lord as he sacrificed himself for us?

An important aspect of pilgrimage is our willingness to trust in God. Whether it is a physical or spiritual journey, the pilgrim has to believe that God will take care of her along the way. The original idea of El Camino, as an example, was that pilgrims would begin walking toward the remains of St. James in Compostela without any money in the hopes that innkeepers and families would house and feed them along the way. Not knowing where one was sleeping at the end of the day must have required profound trust in the Lord. Jesus himself calls us to trust in him, as he said when he commissioned his apostles:

“Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave” (Matthew 10: 9-11).

Even without leaving our home, we can enter into these 40 days of Lent with the mindset of a pilgrimage to eternal salvation in Heaven. May we take courage when we are tempted to sin or to indulge in that dessert that we promised that we’d give up. Finally, as Pope Benedict XVI said on a 2010 visit to the Cathedral of Santiago (St. James) de Compostela, may we step outside of ourselves to encounter God in a new way this season:

“To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.”

Margo White lives in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania with her husband and two dogs. A lover of the elderly and healthcare, and inspired by St. Catherine of Siena's care of the sick, she works as Healthcare Coordinator for the senior population to help them age-in-place. Margo spends her free time reading, planning travel adventures, and learning new things - her new favorite is skeet shooting! She can be reached at margohwhite@gmail.com.