Why is it that we continue to take such risks to explore the unknown regions of our world? What drives us to push beyond the barriers of familiarity and seek new horizons?

Our Christian faith tradition is grounded in the stories of seekers and sojourners. Abraham was a "stranger in a strange land." Moses led an enslaved people on a pilgrimage to reclaim their identity and historic homeland. Paul journeyed throughout the Roman world to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our nation's history recounts the saga of pilgrims who came to this New World in search of religious freedom. We do well to honor those who continued the tradition of exploration and leave us a legacy of the courageous pursuit of knowledge.

Prayers of comfort