Hope on Your Pilgrimage
“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).
Last year, I journeyed with my dad as we separated our business from the family he began it with 30 years ago. This process was filled with trials and challenges, but it was time. I remember saying over and over to different people, “It is really hard right now, but in about a year, I think it will be really good.”
This hope is similar to the hope we must maintain spiritually as we journey through the different seasons of life.
Pilgrimage
Here on earth, we are pilgrims journeying toward our ultimate home in Heaven. We are blessed to have our faith, which assures us that Heaven is real and the place we are meant to be. As Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” With deep faith, we can walk this pilgrimage, even when things are hard or unknown, because the destination is Heaven.
Sometimes, this perspective can be hard to hear in our trials. Heaven can feel far away and even abstract. When our burdens are heavy and the end is not in sight, how do we hold on to hope?
Pilgrims feel the same when they are walking endlessly and not sure when they will reach the end of their journey. Over the summer, my son climbed to the top of his first 14er with me. This journey became a pilgrimage of sorts. We hit a stretch where he wanted to be done. It was getting hard, and he was tired. We began to pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet. The rule was we had to finish a decade before we took another break. Slowly, one foot after the other (not worrying about what the other hikers thought), we made our way to the saddle, where we could see the top, and his strength was reinvigorated with the realization that he was almost there. A bit longer, and we made it to the top—strengthened by prayer and one another.
Just like that period on the 14er, sometimes we just have to keep moving, say some prayers, and have a friend beside us encouraging us through the challenge. Deep within us, we know God is there, and our hope is eternal life with Him in Heaven. One step at a time, one foot in front of the other.
Lent
Sometimes, we experience challenges that are simply part of life. Sometimes, we are asked to add challenges to our life to help us grow closer to God. One of these times is during Lent, when the Church asks us to focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving more deeply. As you embark on this Lent, I encourage you to think not only about what will help you grow closer to God but also how you can cultivate hope through this journey.
When we opt in to Lenten sacrifices, it can be easy to rely on our own strength to push through. After all, I decided to do or give up these things, so don’t I have to do it on my own? Of course not. God is always with us on these journeys. He does not leave us, and He often sends others to journey with us. Those little moments when we see God at work in our sacrifice, when we find a friend to come along, or when we are inspired to keep going even if we fall, are moments of hope—hope that we can and will make it, with Christ at our side.
After all, Lent ends with Easter, the resurrection, Jesus opening Heaven for all of us to one day join him there. It won’t happen without our striving for holiness and purging ourselves of our unnecessary attachments, but in the end, we hope to meet Jesus in Heaven. As we persevere through whatever challenges God has asked us to take on for Lent, we know the end is in sight. We will feast on Easter morning—and for 50 days after, because the Church wisely knows we need more days of feasting than fasting.
Deserts
Sometimes, we will go through a trial that lasts not just 40 days but months or years. We cannot see the end. We do not know how or if the situation will resolve. But we still know the ultimate end; we can still hope in Heaven. As we train our heart, mind, and soul to have hope, we are able to endure more and more challenges. We can never forget to pray, and we can never try to do it on our own. We must remain firmly rooted in Christ, knowing that we are simply pilgrims on a journey home to Him. We may fall on the trail, get lost, or forget to pack enough food, but Heaven is waiting for us when our time comes. Let all our hope rest in that.
Erica Mathews is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ Professional with Financial Counseling Associates, a family-owned financial planning and investment management firm. She helps relieve financial stress with organization, automation and a plan, helping others manage their finances so they can live as God is calling them to. She lives in Colorado with her husband and four kids; they love CrossFit, rock climbing, gardening, and exploring nature. Erica’s email is erica@fca-inc.com.