Rev Canon Dr Rob Marshall - 03/10/2026

Available for over a year

Later this afternoon, just before the Rugby League Grand Final, Sir Kevin Sinfield will enter Old Trafford at the end of an extraordinary journey. For the past week, he and his team have been taking on his latest ‘7 in 7’ challenge — seven ultramarathons in seven days taking in all 12 English Super League grounds along the way. They’ve been joined for what they call “the extra mile” by members of the motor neurone community (MND) — people living with the disease, together with their families and friends. Along the route, people have come out of their homes, schools and rugby clubs to meet and support them. What matters is that they’ve made the journey together. In that sense, this has become something of a pilgrimage. It is not only about reaching a particular destination. Such journeys are often memorable for the simplest, yet most profound, of reasons: walking together, having conversations, eating and drinking, sharing experiences, supporting one another. And somewhere along the way, strangers become friends. One of the great pilgrimage routes in the Holy Land is the road to a place called Emmaus.[1] After Jesus’ resurrection, many of his followers felt bereft and bewildered. Where was he? Would they see him again? St Luke recounts how two of them, walking along this road, are joined by a complete stranger. As they walk and talk, they don’t recognise Jesus. Instead, he listens to their sadness and shattered hopes. Only later do they realise who their companion has been. For Christians, Emmaus has come to speak of hope appearing when it is least expected, often against the odds. It is a story of companionship and friendship in the face of suffering, even despair. During his visit to France this week, Pope Leo spoke beautifully of what can happen when we make life’s journey alongside others. Beyond our differences, he said, “it is always possible to meet one another, forge friendships, and seek peace.”1 The MND association has stressed that “the finish line may be Old Trafford [this afternoon], but the fight against MND continues.”2 Sir Kevin has performed an extraordinary feat in memory of his late friend Rob Burrow. But . I’m sure he would be the first to acknowledge that the lasting legacy of his journey lies in the dedication and courage of his fellow travellers – testimony that the deepest hope is often found in burdens shared and in the unexpected discovery that we do not walk alone.