Welcome!

Welcome to The Displaced Pilgrim!

The title of the blog carries a few connotations. First, let’s define the two primary terms — “displaced” and “pilgrim.”

• Displaced (adj): 1. lacking a home, country, etc.; 2.moved or put out of the usual or proper place.
• Pilgrim (n): 1. a person who journeys, especially a long distance, to some sacred place as an act of religious devotion; 2. a traveler or wanderer, especially in a foreign place.

The first connotation is more immediate and explicit in the definitions. As many of you know, I will be traveling to the Middle East and Europe this summer to love and serve the displaced community abroad. Along the way, I will be sharing stories at the DP of those who are traveling and wandering — whether they are missionaries, refugees, or locals. Also, as God prepares my heart leading up to the trip, I hope to post thoughts, prayers, reflections, articles, etc. related to the mission.

The second connotation is a little more esoteric. When we look at portions of both definitions, we notice our relationship, even as comfortable westerners, to the concepts of both displacement and pilgrimage. Stretching back to Eden, man has been relegated to a land, a status, which is improper. We have been — by our own faults — banished from our intended home. But through the Cross, we have been reclaiming our proper place within God’s cosmos through the work of the Church and Spirit. While our displacement seems to be overwhelming, the reality is that we are actually pilgrim-ing from one sacred spot to the next until we reach our final destination — the fullness of God’s presence. Therefore, when the summer ends, and I venture back to the states, The Displaced Pilgrim will be the place I muse about my pilgrimage toward and with the Father.

In the meantime, I covet your prayers as God prepares me to join our brothers and sisters from all different faith and cultural backgrounds across the pond.

Peace,

Justin McGee