On May 27, 2017, Robin L. Murphey pauses in reflection and gratitude at the top of Pacaya, an active Guatemalan volcano. COURTESY OF ROBIN L. MURPHEY
Pilgrims of Hope: Surrendering to Christ
Editor’s note: In celebration of the Jubilee of Hope, The Western Kentucky Catholic has launched Pilgrims of Hope, a yearlong blog series inspired by Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025: “My thoughts turn to all those pilgrims of hope who will travel to Rome in order to experience the Holy Year and to all those others who, though unable to visit the City of the Apostles Peter and Paul, will celebrate it in their local Churches.” Blog reflections will be written by individuals from across the Diocese of Owensboro, sharing their unique perspectives on the virtue of hope in a world that so greatly needs it.
BY ROBIN L. MURPHEY
Life on earth is a continuous pilgrimage, a journey of journeys, toward eternal life in heaven. A life lived in pursuit of authentic happiness and meaning. Earthly life is a pilgrimage of hope, “the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness (CCC 1817).”
But what is that amidst today’s earthly and U.S. world, and the eternal life lived in hope on earth?
Life’s journey always is but has culminating moments that bring enhanced awareness, perspective, and insight to the earthly pilgrimage. In 2014, as I reflected on the earthly struggles in discerning life’s call, I journaled: “I just don’t know where I am called and how I am called… [societal expectations, expectations of others]… fear of the unknown, going alone, stepping out, and making the ultimate sacrifice for Him [are all present.]”
The struggles and challenges of 2014 continue, but, leaning into my faith and seeking to surrender to Jesus Christ, life attempts to be different through living the ways of Christ and not the ways of self and society. This way of living, when embraced, is continuously filled with authentic happiness and an embodied smile of joy (Duchenne smile).*
The intentional seeking to surrender to Christ came in seeking to embark on a second, in six months, mission experience through God’s plan, not mine. “Official” vacation time was limited, having just returned from a Marian pilgrimage, but amidst the circumstances, I asked and was granted the opportunity to go on mission again.
Upon returning to the U.S. after this second mission experience and sharing the stories, my face and soul radiated with a smile never experienced before. What was this smile? Where did it come from?
The radiating smile evolved the meaning of life and the presence of true inner happiness, but is far from the story’s end. We have these amazing encounters on retreats, service and mission experiences, and in our everyday lives, but we quickly fall back into the routine, transactional, consuming ways of earthly life. We step out in moments but struggle to fully surrender our lives to Christ.
On May 27, 2016, my life turned upside down. There was a choice to let the world define me or open my heart fully to God. In seconds, the life I knew no longer existed. I leaned into the virtue of hope, “placing [my] trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on [my] own strength, but on the hope of the grace of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1817).” I was challenged to wake up and explore the inner self fully or to wallow in despair. The opportunity existed to move forward towards a fulfilling life of meaning and happiness outside societal constraints, if I chose. I did choose.
In choosing and walking in hope, on May 27, 2017, as another week in Guatemala concluded, the inner smile radiated in joy and pain. That day was a living encounter with Scripture, as the past year was a current-day walk with the Paschal Mystery (suffering, death, resurrection) of Christ. Friday, a year before, life was buried and died to the world. A year later, on Saturday, I arose again spiritually, emotionally, and physically, opening myself to be resurrected from earthly expectations to eternal life.
A journal entry before the resurrection reads: “It is no coincidence that Saturday brings to culmination the end of a year-long journey that started in suffering and death. When I make it to the top of Pacaya, [an active volcano accompanied by others], it will be a physical resemblance of the resurrection that has occurred in my life after dying a year before… this is where I’m being called. This is where I am to be, loving and accompanying others to a life full of love and hope… It is about finding that smile in life.”
When we open self to God, surrender, and transform, anything is possible. Suffering and death can be born anew. It was not and is not a journey alone; first and foremost, the Holy Trinity – God, our Father; Christ, our Savior; and the Holy Spirit, our companion – is with us; then Mary, our Mother, whose ultimate surrender and “yes” brings us resurrected life through Christ’s humanity and divinity; and also each person on this pilgrimage journeying together, who are present not only as pilgrims but compassionate accompaniers and monks on this earthly pilgrimage and eternal heavenly journey.
Robin L. Murphey is a member of the Body of Christ on pilgrimage, walking in accompaniment with others on the journey. She shares more on the Duchenne smile and the journey as pilgrims, monks, and compassionate accompaniers in the chapter, Personhood: The Duchenne Smile in “Exploring Personhood in Contemporary Times: From Leadership to Philosophy.”
To learn more about the Diocese of Owensboro’s celebration of the Jubilee Year of Hope 2025 visit https://owensborodiocese.org/jubilee-year-pilgrims-of-hope/.
