“ARE YOU LOST YET?” asked the foot high letters painted under Spaghetti Junction.

If you pass this way often you might be aware of a space underneath one of the bridges, on which unknown hands have painted this message. Until recently it read “Winning is for Losers” but today’s message was amusingly relevant to us as Perpetual Pilgrims on the St Matthew’s Way. We were not lost, but anxiety about losing both ourselves and the day pilgrims is something most of us have expressed at some point. Leading others is a responsibility, and the fear of leading people astray, who have put their trust in you, is understandable. The reason we haven’t had any serious wanderings from our path is simple; each day there is a group leader, but one of us is also a backmarker. This person checks that we don’t leave anyone behind and also makes sure we are following the map. Occasionally, if the leader is confused, they might consult with the backmarker or with Phil, who is always keeping an eye on the route he has planned. So, disaster has been averted even when I, at one point, set off confidently in the wrong direction. Working together, acknowledging our weaknesses and using our skills to the benefit of the group has been the key. 

There is something frightening about getting lost, but for me there is also an appeal about being far off the beaten track yet finding a way. There have been several points along our journey when we have felt miles from anywhere and our reliance on each other, and on God, has been palpable. Being lost enough to feel vulnerable and to know our need of God is part of the Christian experience. Most of us have had moments when we have been completely ‘at sea’. At its best the Church is the vessel into which we are scooped up in our confusion. However, an unmanned boat is hardly going to help a person who is struggling in the water. Without a person reaching out a hand, throwing a lifeline, calling encouragement, a boat would be more of a hindrance than a help. This is where we come in. In our parish communities and in our daily lives we are uniquely placed to encounter those who are trying to find their way home. We may not always recognize or feel equal to these opportunities, but the Holy Spirit is just waiting to be invited to change that. 

Our personal experiences of being ‘lost’ are vital to how God can reach others through us. Our doubts, disappointments and shameful mistakes often weigh heavily on us, but through the forgiveness and healing of Christ they become the means by which we can understand and help others. Healing moves us from dragging these ‘crosses’ around, to accepting that they are our history, and a history from which we can unearth great treasure. They teach us humility and reliance on God. This can help us to support others who may seem beyond help: “Evangelisation is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread” D T Niles said. So, when we next find ourselves taking a wrong turn and feeling a fool, perhaps we need to open ourselves to learning from the experience, accepting the help of others and embracing the mercy of God. His power is made perfect in our weakness after all!

Appropriately, D T Niles also wrote these words, which speak of the experience of pilgrimage and the lessons it has taught me:

“HURRY means that we gather impressions but have no experiences, that we collect acquaintances but make no friends, that we attend meetings but experience no encounter. We must recover eternity if we are to find time, and eternity is what Jesus came to restore. For without it, there can be no charity.”

Joe Northam is a parishioner of Our Lady of Good Counsel and St Gregory the Great, Bearwood, Birmingham. This article was first published on the website of the Archdiocese of Birmingham