Pilgrimage Companion

Prayers

Mindfulness

This is material you can access while on the pilgrimage. If you are walking with others you may find some of this appropriate for reading aloud together. While these texts may provide structure or inspiration for your time, their use is purely optional. The entries have been grouped into three categories:

Meditations Prayers Songs Mindfulness

Meditations

"And then she thought of how her Lord had gone on pilgrimage when he went from Nazareth to Bethlehem, and from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and how he had walked from place to place, sometimes tired, sometimes hungry... and she wept in joy that she could imitate him in this way, if only a little. And all the way she travelled, she felt her soul lifted toward Him, step by step."

Margery Kempe

“To be a contemplative is to be a pilgrim of the Absolute, one who walks in silence toward the place where God alone can speak to the soul… There is no map for this journey, only the deep hunger to be known and to know. The soul that seeks God must let go of the illusion of arrival. For in every moment, God waits—not ahead, but in the stillness of now.”

Thomas Merton

"Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! And behold, you were within me, and I outside, and I sought you outside... You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you."

St Augustine

"By his Holy Spirit, the Risen Christ transfigures all that is most disconcerting in you. He reaches what was out of reach. All forms of pessimism that you harbour about yourself melt away… An imperceptible inner transformation, the transfiguration of your being, continues your whole life long. It makes each day God’s own today. It is, already on this earth, the beginning of the resurrection, the dawning of a life that has no end."

Brother Roger of Taizé

Prayers

“The Jesus Prayer”

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Psalm 23 - The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

"Christ Canticle"*

Christ, as a light
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak
in the mouth of each who speaks to me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.

Prayers inspired by St Cuthbert*

1. Prayer

Hear my voice when I call, O Lord;
Be merciful to me and answer me.
My heart says of You, “Seek His face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Do not hide Your face from me,
do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
O God my Saviour.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
The Lord will receive me.
Teach me Your way, O Lord;
lead me in a straight path.
Amen

Lord, I have heard Your voice
calling at a distance.
Guide my steps to You, Lord,
guide my steps to You.
Lord, I have heard your voice
calling at a distance.
Guard my way to You, Lord,
Guard my way to You.

Lord, I have heard Your voice
calling at a distance.
Keep my heart for You, Lord,
keep my heart for You.
Lord, I have heard your voice.
Amen

2. Abandonment

Softly as the dew-fall of heaven,
may the Holy Spirit come upon me
to aid me and to raise me,
to bind my prayer firmly
at the throne of the King of life.

God’s will would I do,
my own will bridle;
God’s due would I give,
my own due yield;
God’s path would I travel
my own path refuse.

All whom I love,
into Your safe keeping;
all that I am,
into Your tender care
all that will be,
into Your perfect will.
Amen.

3. Reconciliation

O King of Kings,
O King of the universe,
King who will be, who is,
may You forgive us each and every one.
Accept my prayer, O King of grace.

Anyone who claims to be in the light,
but hates his brother or sister,
is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother or sister
lives in the light;
and there is nothing
to make that person stumble.

Examine your own heart

Lower my vengeance,
my anger and my hatred,
and banish my wicked thoughts from me;
send down a drop from heaven
of Your Holy Spirit
to vanquish this heart of rock of mine.
Amen.

Lord,
let our memory
provide no shelter
for grievance against another.

Lord,
let our heart
provide no harbour
for hatred of another.

Lord,
let our tongue
be no accomplice
in the judgement of a brother.

4. Resisting Evil

Under the protection of the King of life,
a protection that will not betray us.
May the Holy Spirit come upon us;
may Christ deliver us, bless us.

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
do not treat prophecies with contempt.
Test everything.
Hold on to the good.
Resist every kind of evil.

Jesus, great Son of Mary,
I call on Your name,
and on the name of John the Beloved,
and on the names
of all the saints in the wide world,
to shield me in the battle to come.
Amen.

Jesus, only Son of the Father, and Lamb,
who shed Your heart’s true
blood,
dearly to buy us,
protect me, accompany me,
be near me ever.

Jesus, only Son of the Father and High King,
Your name is above every name,
In the name of Jesus
let no evil be welcome in our hearts,
or in this place.

5. Prayer of the Heart

My eyes, my eyes
have seen the King.
The vision of His beauty
has pierced me deep within.
To whom else can I go?

My heart, my heart
desires Him.
He’s touched something inside of me
that’s now reaching out for Him.
And I know that I must go.

My God is my love,
my guard, my healing one;
my bright love
is my merciful Lord;
my sweet love is Christ;
His heart is my delight;
all my love are You,
O King of glory.
Amen.

6. Commitment

In the true faith may we remain;
in Jesus may we find hope;
against exploitation of the poor may we help;
against our faults may we fight,
our bad habits abandon;
the name of our neighbour may we defend;
in the work of mercy may we advance;
those in misery may we help;
every danger of sin may we avoid;
in holy charity may we grow strong;
in the well of grace in confession may we wash;
may we deserve the help of the saints,
the friendship of our brother Cuthbert win.
Amen.

Midday Prayer*

Said or sung all together.
+ indicates that you may make the sign of the cross.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
Establish Thou the work of our hands;
establish Thou the work of our hands.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory forever.
Amen

We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One.

Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;
that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,
that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us;
and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen

Setting Out Together, A Pilgrimage Prayer

Dear Lord,
Bless this our journey with you,
Bless the steps of our walking,
Bless our quiet,
Bless our distraction,
Bless the tiredness of our limbs,
Bless our weariness of spirit,
Bless our need,
Bless our longing,
Bless those walking with us,
Bless those we have left behind,
Bless those meeting us on the way.
Bless our departure and our return.
Amen.

* Taken from Celtic Daily Prayer by the Northumbrian Community

Songs

Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord
Holy is the Lord God Almighty (repeat)

Who was, and is, and is to come,
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord

Oh Lord, hear my prayer;
Oh Lord, hear my prayer;
When I call, answer me.

Oh Lord, hear my prayer;

Oh Lord, hear my pryaer;

Come and listen to me.

Mindfulness Practices

This approach invites you to slow down, become present, and open your heart—wherever you are in your journey of faith or life. These gentle practices, although inspired by Christian tradition and contemplative wisdom, are open to anyone.

You may wish to try one practice for the whole walk, or shift between them.

1. Breath & Step

Practice: Walk slowly. Breathe deeply. Match your breath to your steps. Inhale for 3 steps, exhale for 3 steps.

As you walk you can begin to contemplate a verse, repeating it with each series of steps. A suggestion: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Another option is to repeat a simple phrase such as: “Christ with me,” “Oh Lord, my Shepherd.”

2. Sacred Seeing

Practice: Pause and notice something small along the path. Truly see it in its surprising uniqueness. Observe it with simple wonder and gratitude.

3. Silent Listening

Practice: Walk in silence for a while. Tune in to the sounds around you. Tune in to the silence around the sounds. Imagine the silence as a companion. Pause for a few moments and listen while completely still.

4. Touchstone Pause

Practice: Carry a small stone or other object. When you feel distracted, anxious, or lost in thought, touch it gently and come back to this moment. One breath. One step. A practice of returning, again and again, to being present.

5. Threshold Moments

Practice: At each gate, stile, or waymarker, pause and recognise the moment.
Say quietly: “I leave behind...” or “I step into…”

6. Compassion with Each Step

Practice: As you walk, bring people to mind (those you know or don’t know) who are suffering or struggling. With each step, silently offer a blessing such as: “May they be safe,” “May they know peace,” “May they know kindness.”

7. Reflective Questioning

Pause at various times through your walk. Focus on your breath. Place one or both hands gently on your belly. Breathe slowly. Consider asking yourself one question at every stop. Some suggestions: “What am I longing for today?” “Where do I feel worn thin or weary?” “Where am I hurting?” “What am I looking for?”

Meditations