“Come back to me, the Lord says, and there shall be no frown of mine awaiting 

you; I am merciful, and vengeance shall not last for ever. Wandering hearts, 

the Lord bids you come back to him.” – Jeremiah 3:12,14a

We know that Christ bids us to come home; to return to Him with all our heart. But 

sometimes it is simply easier said than done, isn’t it?

Who wouldn’t want to experience that deep abiding love that He has for us, and who 

wouldn’t want to feel completely safe and secure in His embrace? We all do. So deep is 

our thirst for God’s love that our quest for it has often misguidedly set us off in search for 

it in other people and things. Scripture tells us time and time again of God’s relentless 

and everlasting love, and St. Augustine famously expressed our longing that will only be 

satisfied in Christ, the One we are made for. Yet, many things stop us from taking that 

step forward towards Him. Many things keep us stuck in our rut, seeking for abiding love

in what will never be able to satisfy it.

We wander and wander – and I use the term “wander” with intention. A quick search of 

how the dictionary defines a wanderer versus a pilgrim – what each of us should be – 

puts things into perspective. According to Cambridge dictionary, a wanderer is “someone 

who often travels from place to place, especially without any clear aim or purpose“, 

while a pilgrim is one “who makes a journey, often a long and difficult one, to a special 

place for religious reasons.” One leads the traveller to nowhere, almost as though he 

will be going round in circles, meandering and becoming lost on his way [to nowhere], 

while the other, though being met too with potholes and diversions, journeys towards a 

special place… a special place, like home with the Father. The key difference lies not in 

the kinds of experiences that either traveller would or would not go through, but in the 

end goal that each of them has in mind as he trudges along his journey.

For example, both wanderer and pilgrim might meet a meander on their journey when 

they are ridden with sin together with the guilt and shame that accompanies it, all of 

which make it difficult for them to take a step forward. For a wanderer, he might stumble 

a few steps backwards, spiral in despair, and be caught in a vicious cycle of self 

condemnation. (That’s provided he is even aware of his sinfulness and hasn’t become 

totally numb to sin, of course) For a pilgrim, however, his setback might all the more help 

him recognise his need for God’s mercy in his life and inch closer towards the Father.

Similarly, both wanderer and pilgrim might struggle to move forward when they have 

been too comfortable at a pit stop; the drinks that quench their thirst and food that satisfy 

their hunger. For a wanderer, he would much rather stagnate in that place of comfort or 

attempt to carry a bag full of it as he continues on his journey; a bag full of items that 

might weigh him down. For a pilgrim, he gives thanks for the provision of God and 

continues on his journey, leaving behind the provisions for the Provider.

It begs us to ask ourselves then – “What are some things that could be standing in the 

way of my reunion with the Father, and which type of traveller do I identify most with on 

this journey of faith?”

  • Is it your distorted perception of God that has made it difficult for you to believe that 
  • He is one that is merciful and loving and welcomes you home even though you’ve 
  • faltered time and time again?
  • Could your lack of faith in Him be causing you to cling on to comforts, successes 
  • and what you know, making it difficult for you to let go of these and to allow Him to 
  • provide for your every need?
  • Do you find it difficult to believe that God will be able to deal with all that you are 
  • going through and the mess that you feel like you are?
  • Do you struggle to reconcile God who is said to be good, with one who you believe 
  • is the cause of all your pain?
  • Has your struggle to comprehend and accept some of the Church’s teachings 
  • made it difficult for you to accept Him?
  • Have you allowed your grievances with your neighbour to affect your relationship 
  • with God?
  • Has your perceived irrelevance of the Faith in today’s day and age caused you to 
  • perceive God Himself as irrelevant in your life?
  • Do you live just for today, without any forethought for eternal life?
  • Are you still unconvinced of His love for you?
  • Are you still unconvinced that home is where He is?

Regardless of what is causing disruptions on our journey of faith, we are invited to move 

from the disposition of a wanderer to one of a pilgrim; to move from navigating the journey with no end in mind, to one with a clear destination – Home, in the Father’s house.

Pope Francis echoes St. Augustine’s expression of us being made for Christ, in saying, 

“Always remember this: life is a journey. It is a path, a journey to meet Jesus.” We don’t 

have to be perfect or to have it all together before we can approach Him. The Parable of 

the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32) so beautifully shows our Father’s sole desire for us to 

return to Him when we have wandered from His house. Like the father who ran with 

haste upon his son’s return from squandering his inheritance and living a life of 

debauchery, our Father rushes out to meet us upon seeing our feet pivot towards Him.

 He does not just passively sit on His throne and let His servants open the doors when 

we return. He waits eagerly, constantly yearning for us, and personally rises up from His 

throne to embrace His long lost children. He does not place the same judgement that we 

perhaps place on ourselves, but is quick to call for the best robes and fattened calf to be 

slaughtered for the celebration of our homecoming.

Pope Francis also exhorts us to move past our fears and inhibitions, towards the 

beautiful gift – that is, Christ. “This is the Christian life: to walk, to go forward, united as 

brothers and sisters, loving one another. Encounter Jesus… Take courage, do not be 

afraid! Life is this journey. And the most beautiful gift is to meet Jesus. Go forward, be 

brave!” So let us walk towards Him even if we encounter meanderings and potholes 

along the way, always having the Father’s house as our final destination in mind, and 

ready ourselves to be welcomed in His embrace upon our return.

Let us pray:

God our Father, we thank You for calling us Your own and for always welcoming us 

home no matter how far we’ve wandered off from You. Open our eyes to see and to 

believe that it is only in You that we will find the love, comfort, rest, and security that we 

so long for. Grant us the courage to change our ways and to go home to You. We 

surrender all of our fears, inhibitions, and everything that is holding us back from drawing

closer to You. Teach us to love You with all our hearts so that we can truly live out our 

dignity as Your beloved children. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Written by Sharleen Chia