Journey: Archetype & Metaphor of the Human Story

Holy Scripture is full of people on the road. God intervenes in the Story of Salvation by telling the person He has chosen to set out on a journey, "Leave your country and set off..." God told Abraham. Thus begins the long pilgrimage of a man who leaves the security of what he has and goes to an unknown land, to people of a different race, religion and culture.

The Gospel shows us Jesus, always on the move, from town to town, region to region, not letting himself be shackled by the limited interests of a small group. He traveled up to Jerusalem, where he offers himself as a sacrifice for "all". And he sends his disciples into the world. Ever since that first sending, generations of disciples have set out, crossing frontiers and tying bonds between peoples, as bearers of a message of forgiveness and universal love.

Starting out is an essential element of what will become our story. It demands a constant leaving of what is "ours" and of our very selves, to go to the "other" who is not within our horizons, our patterns, our perceptions. It requires a permanent openness, the seeking of an encounter, so as to offer to the other in a welcoming atmosphere, the treasures of the love of God that one has discovered personally.