Pilgrim Road: A Benedictine Journey Through Lent

by Albert Holtz

In the view of  St. Benedict of Nursia, the lenten journey is an inner pilgrimage with Christ into the deepest parts of ourselves, to be marked not so much by external observances such as fasting and self-denial as by a deepening of our relationship with God.

Benedictine Monk Albert Holtz develops that journey theme through meditations written during a fifteen-country pilgrimage during a sabbatical year.  At the heart of each reflection is the lesson it teaches about our inner spiritual journey.

By applying Benedict's monastic wisdom to the everyday concerns and aspirations of modern Christians, Pilgrim Road helps contemporary spiritual seekers keep Lent as a positive, meaningful, and fruitful experience.

Genres: Spirituality, Christianity

178 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Billie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the places described more than anything. I liked the connection of lessons to the places but found many of them to be a stretch. I found some of the other messaging to come across as “perfection isn’t possible but we must strive for it.” I prefer stronger messages of grace, mercy, and embracing and learning from our imperfection.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Women's Study Group at my church, St. Mary's Episcopal (Crystal Lake, IL), is using this as our Lenten focus. Love, love, love it. There is a chapter for each day in Lent, except the Sundays, which gives you a mini-travelogue to some spiritual site, a scripture passage, a reflection on that day's message, and an excerpt from the Benedectine Rule. Each morning I wake up excited to see where we are 'going' that day. Holtz's descriptions of his journey are captivating.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book by Albert Holtz which I've read in the last few months. Holtz, a Benedictine priest based in Newark, is a master of the short reflections and this volume is no less a demonstration of that mastery. It is intended as a devotional guide to Lent and features reflections for six days in the week and a group reflection for the seventh day. I didn't read this book as part of a group activity, so I found the seventh day a bit tricky. But that awkwardness was more than made up by the quality of the reflections on the other six days.

The premise of the reflections is a year-long sabbactical that HOltz took, on the suggestion of his abbot, which saw him travel to Europe and South America. Each reflection is based in a different place. Holtz jumps around a lot because he has grouped his reflections thematically, as appropriate to Lent. This makes for some interesting combinations, but somehow this works. Each reflections gives a chance reflect on aspects of one's spiritual life during Lent and I found them helpful as we journeyed through that time.

This is a very useful aid to Lenten study and I can hardly wait to try is Advent reflections.

[Trey Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn’t the best book to use as a Lenten discipline, but it is a decent one. Great for people who want to talk about places to travel to.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful devotional. It is written as a "spiritual travelogue." Each day's reading relates a specific experience that Br. Albert Holtz has had in a place of Christian pilgrimage. He weaves his narratives of personal experiences of exotic travel locales into deeper lessons of Lenten reflections, which I thought were amazing poignant considering he managed to wrap up each "parable" in three pages or less. Single verses from the Rule of St. Benedict are included for each day as well. While I did not finish this book during the 40 days of Lent (too much traveling and time away from the book at home), I would actually read this priceless gem year-round and reflect on its messages without being bound by the liturgical year. I heartily recommend it!

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albert Holtz is a Benedictine monk and high school teacher, who took a year's sabbatical visiting monastaries around the world. He then wrote this Lenten devotional with each day focusing on one of the cities he visited, pairing his physical journey with a spiritual one.

Sadly, I didn't get to read all the daily reflections since I left home on a family emergency several weeks before Easter and didn't bring the book (oops), but the ones I did read I very much enjoyed. I'm planning on traveling through Lent with it again next year.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a summer reading group, and really got a lot out of it. Even though the title indicates that these meditations are for Lent, they work just fine for any 40 (or so) days a person chooses to be a bit more contemplative. The reflection questions were relevant and challenging, and the "spiritual travelogue" format was very interesting.

[Anne Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book throughout the Lenten Season, reading the passage set aside for each day of Lent. Albert Holtz, a Benedictine monk, writes about his various travels and pilgrimages and how each one relates to Lent and the scriptures. They were a great addition to my spiritual reading. I am definitely going to re-read these again in the future!

[Peg · Rating 5 out of 5]

very down to earth and helpful guide through the Lenten season.