I am often asked the difference between a labyrinth and a maze. Indeed, in literature the terms are interchangeable but not correct. Recently I have found the perfect meaning for a maze: attempting to register for the COVID-19 vaccine! You find a location and fill out the form, including taking a picture of your insurance card. When you get to the end, you find that all the slots are full. You start again. Frustrating. That is a maze, a series of starts and stops, often ending in dead ends.

A labyrinth, however, is one continuous circuit. You can see the goal, and the path takes you there, and leads you back out the same way. Along the way you come close to the center and then the path takes you meandering away again, but you will reach the middle. Walking the labyrinth is a calming experience. No dead ends. It is a metaphor for life.

Walking the labyrinth is not something to learn or memorize, but something to experience. It is a walking meditation, a path to quiet the mind and become more closely in tune with God. The labyrinth walk is a way to nourish the spirit and provide an opportunity to discover your sacred inner space and find insight into life’s journey. Westminster’s brick labyrinth in the south courtyard is open for walking anytime. Come walk when life is confusing or upsetting, or when a problem needs to be sorted.

During Lent you may meditate on the final days of Christ’s journey to the cross. In the center, take time to ponder what Christ’s sacrifice means to you. On the way out of the labyrinth, you might think of ways to incorporate your reflections as you reenter your daily life. Have a blessed Easter season.

– Mary Kay Mitchell