Holy Land Pilgrimage
Greetings St. Alphonsus parishioners:
As I agreed to help out here at St. Al’s back in October, I informed the bishop that I would have to be gone for 10 days in January for a trip to the Holy Land – a trip my wife and I had scheduled two years ago. We just returned from that pilgrimage, and I have been asked to write an article about it.
First, almost any trip to the Holy Land is a pilgrimage, not a vacation. Everything is a challenge there, beginning with the 7-hour time difference. Beyond that, at the physical level, the food is different, the terrain is rugged, the amount of information given is daunting, and the days are long. We were drained at the end of each day. There is also the spiritual side of the pilgrimage.
What impacted me most was the simple spiritual awe of being where Jesus, Joseph, Mary, and the rest of the Twelve, lived. I touched the rocks of Golgotha, put my hand on the place where Jesus’ manger laid, and stood on the Mt. of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. We renewed our marriage vows at the chapel at Cana, ate fish from the Sea of Galilee, and renewed our baptismal vows at the River Jordan.
As a deacon I was blessed to assist at Mass at Mary’s house, the Church of the Visitation, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Basilica of the Transfiguration, and at Jesus’ Tomb. You can begin to see how this could all be a bit overwhelming, and spiritually exhausting.
As I reflect on the experience, I certainly recommend that people go who are able, being mindful that it’s not a trip for the faint of heart, physically or spiritually. At the same time, I recognize that Christianity is not a religion trapped by geography or history. The fullness of faith is not dependent on a physical pilgrimage to Israel. Our faith is fully available to all, regardless of our physical health or ability to travel. Our ultimate goal is not the Holy Land of the Mideast, but the Holy Land of God’s Kingdom, and we find this within us.
Furthermore, much of the Holy Land experience consists of visiting ruins of earthly shrines, palaces and churches. One has to work hard to begin to imagine any past grandeur from piles of rocks. Perhaps the remains of ancient buildings and towers are reminders of the futility of human effort. After all, Jesus tells us that not one rock will remain on another.
I did return to Michigan very grateful for the experience and with a more vivid mental picture of many biblical settings. I am also grateful to St. Alphonsus and all the Saints who watched over me, but I am also mindful that the journey of my spiritual life here at home is still the most important.
God bless you all, Deacon Jim Hessler