Day 3: Final Ireland by Ken
A good pilgrimage is rooted in a balance of exploration and spiritual encounters with our living God. With this being the last day for us in Galway, these pilgrims are setting out today to explore that city, giving time to revisit places that were meaningful to them, while still finding other treasures of wonder tucked away in this amazing urban city.
Before they left for their exploration, they were treated in true Irish bard form, to a fascinating story teller who shared Celtic tales steeped in Irish lore. This gave each pilgrim an even deeper view into the culture of the Irish people. Today, as the students explore Galway, they were encouraged to discover for themselves a sacred space in this bustling city where they could create a sanctuary for themselves to connect with God. In our modern, western world, with the distractions of activities, we often find ourselves overcome with the “me-focused”, right-now, agenda-driven demands. Our goal today is to help these pilgrims discover how to create for themselves a sacred space where they can contemplate the wonder of God among the business of our modern day. Jesus himself was profoundly able to find sacred spaces that became sanctuaries for Him to commune with His Heavenly Father. As we learn to walk in the steps of Jesus, in the every day rhythm of this world, if we listen carefully, we can still hear Him say, “Could you tarry with me a moment?” When we learn to create a sanctuary among the ordinary, we will begin to see in ourselves an inward transformation that reflects the nature of Jesus. Tomorrow we set sail for the rough and rugged Aran Island of Inisheer.