Our life is a pilgrimage. On a journey or tour we go to specific sights to see things. On a pilgrimage our focus is to meet a person, specifically God. We are searching for an experience of God. 

The idea of pilgrimage is rooted in the Old Testament. After the Exodus when the Chosen People were settled in the Promise Land, Bethel became a place of pilgrimage. It was the place of Jacob’s vision. Shiloh also was recognized as a holy place. For there the Meeting Tent and the Ark of the Covenant were located for a period of time. Later, Jerusalem under King David became the central place of pilgrimage for the people of the covenant. For it is in Jerusalem that the Ark of the Covenant was eventually located and the Temple built to house it.

In fact, the people were required to make three annual pilgrimages to the Temple for the feasts of Passover or Unleavened Bread, Weeks or Pentecost, and Booths or Tabernacles. It was on these journeys that they would joyfully sing one of the pilgrimage songs, such as found in Psalms 24, as they journeyed with great anticipation. 

Is our life more a pilgrimage or a journey? Are we moving from one sight to the next with photos as souvenirs , or are we growing in our relationship with God?