Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
This year we have chosen for our Lenten theme “Walking Back Home.” The imagery of pilgrims walking has been recurrent in my mind, and I have been considering the ways in which life in general, and the season of Lent in particular, mirrors the experience of a walking pilgrimage. For most of human history walking was the way in which the average person traveled from place to place. It is in relatively modern times that we have developed ways to radically speed up the rate of travel. From horses to railroads to automobiles to airplanes we continually seek to arrive at our destination in the least amount of time possible. Of course, this has allowed for much more extensive travel than our own two feet , but it also loses the sense that the journey is as significant as the destination.
We know the destination of our Lenten journey. We are traveling again to the cross at Calvary to witness unimaginable love, and then to the empty tomb to witness the ultimate triumph of love over fear and death. We know the destination but we make the journey countless times to open our hearts to new understandings of what it means to love and be loved.
We know the ultimate destination of our life’s journey, to be home with God. Our entire lives we are walking back home to the God who created us, who loves us beyond measure, who cannot wait to welcome us to the home He has made just for us. The path home is anything but straight, and in our human rush to arrive as quickly as possible, we may lose sight of the journey as an end unto itself. This Lenten season I encourage you to contemplate your own walk home, who has forged the path ahead of you, who is walking beside you in this moment, and for whom you can shine a light to guide their steps.
I wish you and your loved ones Lenten blessings of good health, renewed hope and great peace,
Fr. Paul
Please take a moment to read our Carmel Mission Weekly Bulletin.