They say that “all roads lead to Rome”. This famous saying originated in ancient times with the extensive network of roads built by the Romans to facilitate communication and travel throughout their empire.
Over time, the phrase has also taken on a religious connotation, becoming associated with pilgrimages to Rome, a city perceived as the spiritual centre of Christianity. Today, the phrase evokes the idea that regardless of the path chosen, all roads ultimately lead to the same destination.
The history of humanity can also be seen as a series of journeys that have shaped the destiny of mankind and civilisations. Historic journeys such as Christopher Columbus’s crossing of the Atlantic, Martin Luther’s pilgrimage to Wittenberg, the Mayflower voyage to America, and Neil Armstrong’s moon landing are major expressions of human courage, faith, and vision. These journeys illustrate how seemingly individual and risky initiatives can reshape the world: from the discovery of a continent and the reformation of a spiritual world, to the founding of a nation and the conquest of a cosmic realm, each step simultaneously becomes a personal journey and a universal landmark of progress and freedom.
The journey of faith begins, both symbolically and existentially, with a step into the unknown. It is the step of Abraham’s faith, when he left the safety and comfort of Ur to respond to the divine call to go to the land that God would show him (Genesis 12:1). Some journeys mark not only the liberation of an individual. They also mark the birth of a community. One example is the journey of the Israelites through the Red Sea and the desert. This was the itinerary of the formation of the spiritual identity of a chosen people. Jonah’s journey to Nineveh—or, first, away from Nineveh—can be understood as the symbolic journey of resistance transformed into obedience. It illustrates that sometimes it is necessary to retrace the path of flight in order to submit completely to the divine will.
My journey to the manger naturally fits into this lineage of spiritual journeys: Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem, the shepherds’ journey to the manger, and the Magi’s journey from the East to the Christ child each reveal an essential dimension of the mystery of the Incarnation. They reflect the fulfilment of prophecy, the passage from darkness to light and the sincere search for the Truth. Seemingly ordinary human journeys thus become sacred itineraries of revelation and salvation. The journeys of Jesus to Golgotha and of the disciples to Emmaus illustrate the paradox of redemptive suffering and the transformation of disappointment into revelation. Even itineraries that seem short or meaningless can acquire eternal significance, and Christ silently accompanies every human journey, even when His presence remains unseen.
