Summary

Tracks and Trails Word on the Week 19th October 2024.
There has been an opening up of Ireland by the inauguration of walkways. These often make use of disused railway lines where the track has been removed and the surface made fit for walking.
It started with the biggest trail opening up the West and appropriately named ‘The Wild Atlantic Way’. It will live up to its name as Storm Ashley is due tomorrow. There will be strong and gusty south to southwest winds, coupled with high spring tides and anticipated local flooding.
Other trails include the ‘Ancient East’ which capitalises on the many ancient ruins, ringed forts, standing stones and castles which create great interest. The popularity for these walkways may well have been triggered by the Spanish Camino de Santiago.
This route follows the one alleged to have been taken by the Apostle James and has been used by pilgrims over the centuries. Today many use it for a holiday in the sun. Last year 200,000 made the journey. The number of people using it has increased by 10% annually over recent years.
Perhaps the best known religious site is Mecca. The Muslims believe that it is mandatory to visit it at least once in your lifetime in order to access paradise. More than 1,300 people died while attempting to complete the sacred Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca this year due to record heat, according to Saudi Arabian authorities.
The Bible has not a lot to say about pilgrimages. Instead it centres on Jesus Christ and his invitation to those who wish to follow him. “Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

It would not have required any explanation at the time the invitation was spoken. Anyone seen carrying a cross was on a one-way journey – he was not coming (or looking) back! Coming to Jesus is not a walk in the park! Jesus recognised the pull of the world and went on to say to those who wanted it both ways: -

“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9 verses 23 to 26).
Not going my way but Jesus first, others second and self last is the Jesus pilgrim path.