The Pilgrim Prayer
Guardian of my soul, guide me on my way this day. Keep me safe from harm. Deepen my relationship with you, your Earth, and all your family. Strengthen your love within  me that I may be a presence of your peace in our world. Amen.   -------Tom Pfeffer & Joyce Rupp

Next Sunday we will baptize the grandson of one of our members. As is our custom now, we charge the parents to retell the story of their child's baptism annually on its anniversary. We give them letters from church members, a candle, a certificate, and a baby blanket woven by ladies in the church. I've done this for many years throughout my ministry. I don't know till this day if any parents ever actually follow through with the re-telling.

Yet in this simple act the seeds of faith are sown. Never will the child be able to undo the vows his parents and now church family make on his behalf. He may disown them, neglect them, forget them, or never be told about them, but that will never undo them. We as a community of faith and family of faith set out intentionally to nurture him within a community of love and Godly grace. Some days we do a better job than others. Whether those sown seeds fall on fertile ground or among thickets and thorns isn't our question. Our faithfulness is to offer our hand as he now finds his way in life as a fellow pilgrim.

"Each of us has a camino, a road of life. This road allows us access to the spiritual richness of those who traveled before us and those who travel with us now." (p.32) With each step toward our destinations, we partake of the richness, legacy, inspiration, triumph and tragedy of those who have gone before. With each step we take we can sense the sacred if we are open and attentive. After all God created the Earth we walk upon and last time I checked God pronounced it good! Walking upon it has much to teach us if we open our eyes, our hearts and souls. And it's not just the Earth that teaches us.

The communty of the pilgram nurtures and molds us. The community of fellow pilgrims, whether to Santiago, Spain or among the Epworth UMC members or the church Universal or the neighborhood pub teaches us life lessons of grace or judgmentalism, love or indifference, compassion or cynicism. What kind of learners are we?  At the end of each day, what have learned? What has changed our minds, our hearts, our beliefs about God's action and human nature? Do we have a new understanding of the obstacles between ourselves and God, ourselves and others, or even ourselves with ourselves? Or is our pilgrimage one where these obstacles are being overcome and our relationships with God, others and self are being deepened and boradened? At the of the day, do we personify love in all its forms more and more or do we draw back because the risk of loving and trusting is too great? Are we more vulnerable and trusting with God, others and self or do we still hold up barriers because of an over riding beielf that once burnt twice shy? Each of us has to answer for ourselves.

Our pilgrimage isn't about something that is right or wrong or good or bad. Our pilgrimage is about what is instilled within us to share with others as we summit the moutaintops, traverse the valleys, soar with eagles or dwell in the abyss. Our pilgrimage is a journey not so much of self-discovery as it is an ever growing awareness of our ecology with the Divine and one another. On this good day, may we each walk in a relaxed manner and partake of the lessons readily offered!

Vaya con Dios!