Labyrinths have historically been
used for private meditation as well
as group ritual. The labyrinth
symbolizes a twisting path with one
entrance (birth) and one destination
(God). For those who could not
afford to travel to holy sites and
lands, the labyrinth came to be
thought of as a symbolic form of
pilgrimage where one can walk the
path in prayer, ascending to
salvation and enlightenment.
Labyrinths may also be used to achieve a contemplative state. Walking among the turns, ones loses track of direction and the outside world, thus quieting the mind.
A
few years ago, twelve miners lost their lives in a
cave-in just a short time before a mission group
from Our Lady of the Lake arrived in Santa Maria.
The group brought back a piece of coal as a reminder
of the lives these fellow Christians lead and of the
love and generosity they showed our parishioners.
