An outer and inner journey

Anna and I have come across many walkers and cyclists on the high way, during the last two weeks, who are on their way to the Velankanny Church, from different parts of south India. This is an annual pilgrimage for collective worship, where thousands of believers gather. The traditional belief among many devout  followers of the faith is that, a visit and prayer in the church during the festival time of the church would bring healing to those who are sick, and grant favors from God to those who are waiting for a child or a spouse or a job, etc. 

They make this long journey on foot or bicycle, a time of penitence and preparation for an encounter experience with God. Some make this physical journey with considerable austerity, fasting from non-vegetarian food, abstaining form alcoholic drinks, etc. They sing and join in for communal prayers during this walk. Some of them chant psalms and prayers of the saints to create an attitude of inner prayer, while they walk.

So there is an outer journey which is closely linked with many inner events. In fact, the inner events sustain them during the long and tiring physical journey. The awareness of God, His love and presence in one's life, His forgiveness and promises become so life giving that, most devotees by the time they reach the church are in a state of heightened spiritual awakening. 

The inner journey of confession, prayerful trust in God, surrendering to receive God's grace and visitation are in themselves a resource to experience healing and well being. This is in contrast to drivenness with which we live, where meditating on the scripture, prayer, worship, etc. receive short or transient or no attention in our daily lives. Therefore such pilgrim journeys offer some benefits similar to what we receive during a retreat. 

God is not distant form us that we have to make a long physical journey to find Him. The novelist Paulo Coelho, in his seminal novel, The Alchemist, tells us that the treasure we seek is within ourselves and not far away from us.  The truth is that most of us live reduced lives, having gradually lost the awareness of God's presence with 'other things and cares of the world' choking and crowding the reality of God, like what the weeds do to the seedlings. God is our nearest companion to us, but to lose the sense of His presence is like living in darkness. Such occasions of physical preparations of renunciation and habits of rhythmic prayer spread over a period of time, become necessary for us to regain the consciousness of God's nearness, recognize His soft voice and experience His affirming love.  

An outer journey is symbolic of of the inner journey. It is the inner journey which draws us towards God. We are all seekers after God. Those who 'seek shall find' was the statement of Jesus of Nazareth. May we seek; let it be our daily habit by choice!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)