Shimmering Pilgrimage Advent 2025
This is an account of the “Shimmering Pilgrimage” that ran in Advent 2025 between Saturday 6th and Saturday 20th December 2025.
The aim was to hear God’s prompting by paying attention to things that ‘shimmer’, things noticed that shine or glisten with a tremulous light. They may gently reflect light and seem to move slightly. Have a look at this page for more on “shimmering”.
Participants were encouraged to share images and thoughts on the Pilgrimage of the Word WhatsApp group, though there was no compulsion to do so. Participants shared as they wished.
1. Holy Longing
“Examine yourselves”, 2 Corinthians 13.5
Your pilgrim journey begins with new thoughts or experiences that are in some way challenging, or a desire to examine a specific Scripture.
The pilgrim journey is an opportunity to explore what the Bible reveals to us. Being Advent, there was the suggestion to think about the following verse:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1.5)
However, the choice was up to individual participants.
2. Pilgrim Journey
“Set your heart on pilgrimage”, Psalm 84.5
During your journey, mediate on the Bible verses you are reading as you review and reflect on your thoughts and experiences.
This step is an opportunity to look for anything new or perhaps inconsistent with previous experience and understanding.
For this pilgrimage in particular, everyone was invited to make either a physical journey or a virtual one. Then, whichever it was, all were encouraged to look out for ‘shimmerings’, as described on this page.
Here is a small sample of the numerous WhatsApp posts that were made during the pilgrimage.
Water churned up and murky but still able to reflect the light.
An encouragement to me for difficult days.
Christmas lights in the High Street.
Through a friend, I was introduced to the author Rebecca Stott, who I discovered is “fascinated by the mysterious things that flicker at the edges of our vision.”
Those “flickers” that she describes sound very much “shimmering”.
This is a representation of a statue from Launde Abbey called the Welcoming Christ.
Reflecting today on it; as we prepare to welcome Christ, we too are welcomed.
My shimmering picture features the low sun. It's the door of our garden shed with the sun shining across it.
I am fascinated by the way the sun changes the appearance of walls and doors when it shines across them like this.
A favourite image
On a morning walk, I captured the beauty of light in my neighborhood.
This shimmering pilgrimage has prompted a desire to explore the nature of Christ through his names and his genealogy.
I found this picture of his genealogy to illustrate the thought.
Soaking in the colour of light at Matfen Church, Northumberland
…and then, just a moment later, the shimmer was gone
3. Prayerful Arrival
“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”, Romans 12.2
Your reflections during the journey become formulated into definite thoughts and prayers, forming new ideas or modifying existing concepts.
After your journey, this step is an opportunity to reflect on the images that you have been given to you.
Here is a passage that I found helpful:
Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” (John 12.35-36)
4. Servant Response
”Love one another”, John 13.34
Prompted by what you have learnt on your journey, commit to appropriate areas of service in God’s Kingdom.
Afterwards, participants were invited to share with trusted friends anything that they considered appropriate. It is recognised that it might be some time before that happens, perhaps after reviewing the photographs at a later stage.
If you would like more information about this pilgrimage, or anything else, please email me at davidborrowdale54@hotmail.com
I look forward to hearing from you!
