Mundelein Seminary Pilgrimage 2011

Thanks for the Journey

2012-02-14T09:45:00.001-06:00

Yesterday before noon we rode onto the familiar campus of Mundelein Seminary. It is hard to believe that we have been gone since the beginning of December. All of us are excited to be home, and to spend some time relaxing before we begin our next set of classes in March.
Looking back, it is incredible to see all that the Lord has done in and through us in the last 3 months. The people, sites, and experiences resonate in our hearts, reminding us of the encounters with Christ that happened each day, each moment, while we were in the Holy Land. However, in those moments Christ taught us something important. We are blessed to have been in the Holy Land, to encounter Christ there. But we need not be there to see Him, to talk with Him, or to serve Him. We encounter Christ each day when we encounter our neighbors and even when we encounter strangers we have never met before. What each of us brings back from the Holy Land is different, but we all bring an awareness of Christ's presence breaking into our lives each and every moment. God, please give give us eyes to see You.
Thank you for taking this journey with us. You have been in our prayers, and we appreciate the prayers you have said for us. We hope that your experience of the Holy Land through this blog brought Christ into your daily life in a new way. Keep looking for Him, because He is always present to each of us.

What was Pilgrimage?

2012-02-13T00:30:00.000-06:00

Wehad two days of final exams. I have justfinished my last final and feel very relieved. After several weeks of classescombined with so many actual experiences of pilgrimage, I have learned muchabout what it means to be a pilgrim. Through the many places that we havevisited and the adjustments I have had to make in order to adapt to thedifferent structures of this pilgrimage, I can say that a pilgrimage is a walkof faith. When one goes on a pilgrimage, they enter a new path. They come to anew understanding about themselves and the world. We must remember that thispath is not a temporary path. The path of a pilgrim is a lesson that will helpthem grow for the rest of their life.

Seeing pilgrimage as a walk of faithis a common theme in the Bible. In the Old Testament the Israelites made ajourney through the desert, in which they were absolutely dependent on God. Inorder for the Israelites to learn to trust in the Lord, God gave them manysigns and wonders. As we were told in one of our classes: Israel’s departure throughthe sea was a miracle worked by God that would never be forgotten by His people.We also see the walk of faith several times in the New Testament. From thebeginning of His public ministry, Jesus called His disciples to walk in faithby leaving everything behind and following Him. Jesus continued to challenge thefaith of His disciples by relating the conditions of discipleship: “Whoeverwishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”(Matthew 16:28).

Understanding the pilgrimage as awalk of faith is also made visible in many of the sites we have visited. Duringour stay in BethlehemI had the wonderful opportunity to see the spot where our Lord was born. Thisspot reminded me of the faith of our Blessed Mother. By saying “yes” to God,Mary has become the perfect example of what it means to be a pilgrim. Sheabandoned her own will and allowed God to take her to places she would havenever imagined.

While the Blessed Mother and thesaints are good examples of the importance of faith in the life of a pilgrim,the most perfect example of what it means to walk in faith as a pilgrim isJesus Christ. In His life and ministry Jesus totally surrendered Himself to theLord. Through His forty days of fasting on the mountain, Jesus overcametemptations of the devil. Through trust in His Father, Christ was given the graceto endure death on a cross. Walking in the footsteps and example of our Lord isnot easy. In order to make a good pilgrimage one must abandon their preconceptionsand desires and put their trust in the Lord. When one faithfully allows theLord to be the center of their pilgrimage, he or she will grow in selfknowledge. Through continued prayer and reflection, this greater self-knowledgewill help the pilgrim to grow in their relationship with God for the rest oftheir life.

The Answer to the Test

2012-02-12T00:30:00.000-06:00

“As long asthere are tests, there will be prayer in schools,” so reads a bumper sticker Ionce saw back in the States. While prayer is indeed quite encouraged in theseminary, I have a feeling that many prayers were said today for God’sintercession. For today is the first of our two examination days for our scripturecourses here on pilgrimage. It occurred to me, as that bumper sticker passedinto my mind as I poured over details of the intricacies of the Gospel accordingto Mark, that most of us tend to pray much more frequently when we needsomething. Whether it’s last-minute knowledge, a hole in traffic so that we canmake it to work on time, or even the larger things such as guidance on one’svocation in life, a job or even health, it is common to pray for a specificthing. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

It occursto me that we tend to pray for something when we realize that we lack somethingin our lives. All of the things which I mentioned above are good things,important things which help us to live our lives and live them to the full.However, we need more than just those individual things. If we pray because welack some particular thing or cannot get it using only our own power, it can behard to see the bigger picture. All of us, as created beings, are incomplete onour own. Aristotle describes human beings as the social animal, which is to saythat we are made to exist in relationship with one another. This goes beyond ourrelationships with our fellow human beings and extends to our relationship withGod. On our own, we lack the ability to form that perfect relationship with Godthat He desires to have with his people. Indeed, on our own power, we lack arelationship to God who brought us, and indeed the entire created order, intobeing and continues to sustain us.

Therefore our prayer,while interceding for various needs which we have both individually and as thehuman race, also brings us to a deeper communion with God. This requires agrowing awareness of the ways in which God has worked in our lives. Thispilgrimage has allowed each of us to experience, in new and different ways, theway in which God is working in our lives and in the life of the human race. Ourprayer, which St. John Damascene defines as “the raising of the mind and heartto God,” ultimately allows us to draw ever closer to God and grow in our lovefor one another, whom God has made in His image and likeness. In the course ofthis pilgrimage we have learned to see how God has worked in the course of timeand through various different peoples. This has led us to reflect on how Godhas worked in our own lives. Day by day let us grow ever more aware of how Godhas worked in our lives in order that, when we see him at the end of ourpilgrimage, we might know him and his love for us.

"He Ascended into Heaven, and Is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father"

2012-02-11T00:30:00.000-06:00

Some of us pilgrims had a chance ofvisiting the Mosque of the Ascension on top of the Mount of Olives. For us as Christians, this place has a verysignificant role in our lives of faith. Commemorating the Ascension of the Lordbrings joy to us as Christians who believe that, at the end of our pilgrimage,Jesus will be there to welcome us into the heavenly kingdom where we shall seehim face to face. Although it’s unclear if this is the actual spot where Christascended, we believers don’t commemorate the exact place as much as the eventwhich occurred. It doesn’t matter where the ascension exactly took place butwhat matters is that He ascended back to his father and our father.

St. Luke isthe only evangelist who gives a clear description of the ascension, writing “Heled them out as far as toward Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed themand was carried up into heaven” (Lk 24:50). As I mentioned earlier, we don’tknow the exact place but the reality remains that He ascended. One of the most striking details about theascension is the fact that, when Jesus called the twelve, he have them hispower to drive out demons, lay hands on the sick, restore sight to the blindand other gifts. He later gave this same power to the disciples and, after theresurrection; he extended his power to all the believers. Whoever believes inhim and is baptized receives this same power. This shows how Jesus is verygenerous with his grace. Luke is tryingto draw a distinction between the terrestrial mission of Jesus and that of theapostles, which began with the descent of the Holy Spirit. After the Ascensionof our Lord, the Bible tells us that the disciples returned to Jerusalem withgreat joy and spent much of the time in the temple praising God. We Christians, who received the charism, or the power of the Holy Spirit, have received acharism of action. We are encouraged to actively use the gifts of the HolySpirit which we have received in order to build our communities.

The Blessings of Pilgrimage

2012-02-10T00:30:00.000-06:00

We arestill at Notre Dame. Having visited mostof the sites we are now in the final days before we go back to Mundelein at theend of this week. We have been enriching our minds and our souls through ourclasses and prayers. Today we had two classes, The History of Israel and TheSpiritual Pilgrim. These were our last classes here at Holy Land. We are now beginning to prepare ourselves, spiritually andmentally, for exams and for our return.

It has been a blessedmoment for us to be here on pilgrimage. We have enriched our minds with thegeography, culture and traditions in which our Lord was born, lived, died androse. We have been following his footsteps and now it is nearly the time for usto go out and proclaim the good news. In fact, as we are from different partsof the world, we shall bring this news to our different nations (Mt 28:19). Ourunderstanding of the Scriptures has been enriched. When we read the scriptures,they now make more sense than they did before. This is because we now know thegeography of the places mentioned in the Bible and we know the culture intowhich Christ was born. These are just a few of the fruits of pilgrimage. Whatelse can we say? It can be said that ungrateful hearts dry out all graces.Therefore, we remain so grateful to God for this moment and we continue tothank everyone who has contributed to our ability to experience this wonderfulpilgrimage. May God bless you all.

What a Walk Reveals

2012-02-09T00:30:00.000-06:00

Iwent for a walk. Not uncommon, nor in mycase unusual. In fact I find that a nicewalk does a world of good. It relaxes meand helps me decompress. It’s somethingabout exercise and fresh air I’m sure. So, I went for a walk. I wasfeeling a little pent up, being in the same place quite a bit of the time withclasses and what not. I had a vaguedestination in mind, but nothing in particular. I walked through the streets of Jerusalem, and I made some meanderingturns here and there. However, I came tofind that this walk was not helping me relax at all. There is a difference between walking in afamiliar location and a foreign city. You can’t really just walk. Youhave to keep your bearings and try to not get lost. In the end, I returned to our residence alittle physically tired, but not relaxed at all.

ThenI started to try and figure out other ways of letting off some steam. As I ran through all my usual hobbies anddistractions, I quickly realized two things. First, none of my usual hobbies were available to me. Play on my guitar? Nope, it’s inChicago. Watch a movie? No theater close that I know of. Go for a walk? Well we saw how that workedout. When I left on pilgrimage, I leftbehind the things that I used to recharge my batteries.

ThenI realized that there was one thing that I had not thought of. Among the many ways that I had developed totop of my personal fuel tank, prayer had not been first on the list. It hadn’t even made it into the top ten. Only because I was on pilgrimage, because Godhad placed me beyond these normal things I used, did I even think of it.

“That evening,at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons . .. [a]nd he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out manydemons . . . [a]nd in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and wentout to a lonely place, and there he prayed.” Mark 1:32-35

Jesus knew whathe had to do to rest; he had to stay close to his Father. He was surely exhausted by the energy it tookto minister to so many in need. So hewent off by himself and prayed. Prayeris not an important part of our daily lives. It is the most important part. Weturn to so many different things, good things, to try and give us energy:family, hobbies, exercise, food, sex, material possessions, etc. In and of themselves, none of these arebad. However, when we place them at thecenter of our lives, when they become the things we turn to in order to make usfeel better, we have lost our bearings. All these things are goods that God has created for us, but as createdthings they are finite. They disappearand run out. In prayer, be it personalprayer, meditating on scripture, the liturgy, or especially the sacraments, weturn to the source of life itself and receive our rest from Him. Only God can be the fount of life givingrefreshment that will sustain us forever.

Pray. Study. Rest.

2012-02-08T00:30:00.000-06:00

Pray. Study. Rest. These are three very important things, thingsthat are meant to be part of each person’s life. True, for many people it is not easy, andsometimes not possible, to make time each day for all of these, especiallygiven the busyness of life. We have manythings to do, demands from work, activities, family and friends. For us, on days like today, when we have afew hours of time spent in the classroom, the study part seems easier. I went to class. But there’s more to it than that. Study doesn’t mean just showing up, it meansactively seeking the truth. It means anhonest desire to find the truth and an open heart to receive it and be changedby it.

Rest. “My heart is restless until it rests inYou.” Saint Augustine wrote this famousline, and his words written so long ago still resonate today. Our hearts are restless; we bounce from onething to the next to the next. Butwhere, with whom, do they rest secure, rest in the absolute certainty of beingloved and cherished by the other? Thisis why we, especially us Americans, must learn to rest, learn to do nothing andjust be.

But study and rest are by no meansthe end of the story. In fact, takenoutside their proper context, when taken too far, they can become somethingwhich leads not to God but close us in on ourselves. That is why pray is the first task listed. That’s the one that is most important, that’s the one that keeps usrooted firmly in God. Most people arecapable of serious study, and equally capable of working hard at our jobs. But are we intentionally and consciouslymaking sure that spending time with Jesus is right at the top of our prioritylist? This is not easy. As a seminarian, we are asked to do manythings, asked to juggle many things. Weare currently staring down the barrel of a few exams and deadlines for papersquickly approaching. This makes thestudy part seem pretty important right about now. But we cannot let our work, our study, becomean end in itself, it just is not meant for its own sake. The challenge is to remember, and more thanjust to remember, but to make real in our daily lives the fact that all of ourstudy and work and rest are directed toward being with Jesus. Our lives must be directed toward remainingwith Him as He remains with us.

The Last Week

2012-02-07T00:30:00.000-06:00

In these last days of ourpilgrimage it is easy for us to prematurely begin the process of transitioningback to “normal” life. The number ofclass sessions which we have in these final days increase, we must begin ourpreparations for final examinations and we have begun to get emails regardingthe commitments and obligations that will be awaiting us when we arrivehome. While this is the easiest time forus to lose the spirit of a pilgrim, it is also the most important time toremain on this journey.

You see, right now each one ofus has to make a choice. This decisionwill affect the way that this experience forms and shapes our life and ourministry. If we exit the pilgrimage now,if we leave that attitude that we have prayerfully fostered over the last twomonths, we run the risk of weakening how this experience shapes ourrelationship with Christ. If, however,we continue with the spirit of a pilgrim, our return home will not mean the endof our experiences. Rather, we willcontinue to enter into the graces that we received here more deeply and we willcontinue to journey towards Christ within our heart. In short, we will no longer be on apilgrimage, but we will remain pilgrims.

As we said in some of our firstblog entries, the pilgrimage is an outward journey to foster an inward journey– the journey of the heart to Christ. With the grace of God, this experience can be an important step in thatlife-long journey.

A Night to Remember

2012-02-06T00:30:00.000-06:00

Five members ofour class took advantage of one of the unique opportunities Jerusalem has tooffer: being locked in the Holy Sepulchre for the night. After being greeting by a Franciscan Friarwho told us the three rules (no sleeping, no singing, and no lighting candles)he said the entire Church would be ours for the following nine hours. The doors were locked, both from the exteriorand interior sides, the monks went their way, and we went to pray. We found ourselves able to pray,unobstructed, at the most important sites in all of Christendom: Calvary andthe Holy Sepulchre (the actual tomb of Christ). Aside from near-freezing temperatures and a few random cats wanderingaround, we had ample time to enter into the mysteries of Christ’s death andResurrection.

After about fourhours the doors were opened and the other Christian Churches (Greek Orthodox,Russian Orthodox, Coptics, and Armenians) which have a claim to the buildingentered to pray their liturgies. In themiddle of the night the holy sites were filled with bells, incense, chanting,and unexpectedly large crowds of people. In the Old City of Jerusalem, the streets were deserted and quiet, yetthe Holy Sepulchre was thriving with actions all praising the Lord! While it was nice to have the last few hoursof the night back in relative solitude, the movements of the entire eveningwere joyful. There was a profound joythroughout the night.

Last night we wentto an empty church to pray at an empty tomb. We did not expect to find the tomb occupied, as Mary Magdalene did onthat first Easter Sunday morning (Lk 24:1-9). So what were we expecting as we ventured into the tomb or as we climbedup Calvary? Ithink we received exactly what we had set out for: a time to pray with Christand rejoice because the tomb was empty. He is Risen! We encounter Him each and every day, whether here in the Holy Land, backhome in the States, or anywhere else we may travel. Let us be reminded of that each and everyday, every time we make the cross. Letus make the saying of John Paul II ring true in our hearts: “We are an Easterpeople, and Alleluia is our song.” Letus be joyful.

A Deeper Look

2012-02-05T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today we had aguest speaker come in and talk to us about Judaism. Judaism is a wide umbrellaof practice including groups such as Secular Jews, Traditional Jews, Orthodox Jewsand Ultra-Orthodox Jews, just to name a few. With such a wide range our speakerknew she couldn’t present all the intricacies of Judaism to us in one shortday. She decided therefore to focus her talks on some of the commonalitiesamongst most Jews. One of those topics was Midrash.

Midrashis kind of like a collection of stories or sayings that have built up aroundthe Bible. They often attempt to clear up confusion or answer questions thatcome up during the reading of the Bible. As examples we looked at threeMidrashim connected to the story of Cain and Abel. In Genesis it says that Caininvited Abel out to the field. The Midrashim attempt to give possibleconversations that they might have had on their way to the field. Theconversations presented are attempts to explain why Cain killed Abel. Withoutgiving the entire stories I will summarize the three Midrashim to say that thefirst said it was a conversation over money, the second over power, and thethird over sex. The Rabbis were basically saying that these are some of thereasons that we as humans fight and kill each other. We fight over money (orpossessions), over power, and over sex. That held true then and it holds truetoday.

TheMidrashim gave insight into human thought and human life. One of our classmatescompared this to our Catholic Lectio Divina. In Lectio we use our ownimagination to place ourselves into events and explore the setting, much likethe Midrash does. By doing so we can also come to know ourselves better andcome to a deeper appreciation of our human condition. The Midrashim and LectioDivina stand as examples for us as to how we can further engage the Biblestories that we know so well in order have a second and deeper look. Sometimeswhen we think we already know something we miss another lesson that is waitingto be discovered.

The Prayer of Christ

2012-02-04T00:30:00.000-06:00

Weare entering the final moments of our pilgrimage. This evening we did a holyhour in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was an incredible experience to spend timewith the Lord at the same spot where He experienced His agony. As a man having both a divine nature and a humannature, Jesus knew that He was going to die an extremely painful death for thesalvation of humanity. But it was at the moment in Gethsemane when He seemed tocome face to face to what He was going to undergo. He knew that his trial wasupon Him, and He knew that He could not face this trial alone. So He went to the garden to pray.

AsI reflected on the Jesus’ agony in the Garden today, I realized that thisgospel passage teaches us the importance of prayer. We are reminded not only ofthe importance to take time out each day to be alone with God, but we arereminded that we should pray with a sense of urgency, of desperation. We livein a world that is filled with urgency for many things. We are desperate forinstant gratification. We want instant e-mail. We want instant communicationthrough cell phones. We seek fast food. Our prayer today at Gethsemane asks usto ponder whether we have the same urgency for God as we do for the things ofthe world. This place reminds us hownecessary it is to put God first in our lives, to depend completely on him.

Inhis urgent plea to the Father, Christ reminds us of the intense battle betweenthe flesh and the spirit. If we don’tpay attention to how God is working in our lives at every moment, we can easilybecome complacent. We can slip into the notion that we can do things on our ownand, like the disciples at the Garden, we can get caught off guard and fallasleep. Therefore, now is the time for us to stay awake. Now is the time to cryout to God and seek his help. May we follow the example of Christ in his urgentplea to the Father so that we might constantly be aware of our own spiritualneeds and the needs of others.

Assumptions

2012-02-03T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today wehad a lecture from a local expert on the topic of Catholic-Jewish relationshipsin the Holy Land. He spoke extensively aboutthe particular challenges which face these relations in this part of the worldas the result of two factors. The first is the unique situation of Israel as aland with a majority Jewish and minority Catholic population. In the situationof Jewish-Catholic dialogue with which we are accustomed in the United States,Judaism is a minority and Catholicism, while not a majority, is a largepercentage of the community. The second is the peculiarities of Israel as anation founded precisely as a Jewish State and the history of this land. It wasan elegant reminder to me that attempts at dialogue and relationships can neverbe discussed in the abstract. Rather, relationships and dialogue take placebetween people; people who live in a particular context and carry a particularhistory. Without understanding and respecting the various unique factors whichaccompany people in a particular time and place, it is impossible to forge anykind of relationship.

Jerusalem, indeed thewhole of the Holy Land, is a place which has seen far too little peace and hasa history of poor relationships among its residents. It was difficult, yetnecessary, to see that some of my more naïve assumptions about thepossibilities of dialogue were not accurate. It reminded me that it is easy tomake assumptions about people in all manner of circumstances. It is only byactually meeting with people and engaging them as they are that our assumptionscan give way to a genuine understanding of the other. It is not only in thecourse of inter-religious dialogue that we make erroneous assumptions, nor dothose assumptions concern only people thousands of miles from home or from amuch different culture. Rather, we also tend to make assumptions about thosepeople closest to us. I hope and pray that we all might learn to engage ingenuine dialogue with other people, rather than simply make assumptions aboutthem. Then and only then will we advance in genuine understanding and build asolid relationship.

God's Grace

2012-02-02T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today we were blessed to have massat the Church of St Anne, built by the Crusaders in AD 1138. There is atradition that the crypt enshrines the home of the Virgin Mary and her parents,Saints Joachim and Anne. In the crypt, we had an opportunity to visit and prayin what is said to be the birthplace of Mary, the virgin mother of God. It wasin this Church that we had today’s Eucharistic celebration. Next to it are theruins of the miraculous healing pool called Bethesda, around which many sickpeople gathered in hope of healing once water stirred up. In the gospel of Johnwe read about Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath, a man who had been ill for 38years and who Jesus found lying next to the pool but had no one to put him inthe pool once the water stirred (Jn 5:1-13).

Reflecting on these two importantsites in the life of our Lord Jesus, one comes to appreciate and to clearlyunderstand the salvation history of humanity. Having Mass at the site where theBlessed Virgin was said to have been born, lived, and grown up as a normalchild bring us to understand the humility of God. The humility of God isvisible as He uses normal and ordinary things in our lives to bring aboutextraordinary things. Anne and Joachim lived a simple but upright life andraised Mary in a life of holiness as they cooperated with the grace of God.Born for a special mission and thus being conceived without original sin, Marybecame the mother of the incarnate Word, bringing forth through God’s grace theSavior. Anne and Joachim cooperated with the grace of God to raise Mary, whofulfilled the divinely ordained mission given to her. We too are called on topray and imitate the humility of Saints Anne and Joachim so as to let God’swill be done in our lives and to fulfill the mission to which we are called.Gazing on the Pool of Bethesda, we realize Jesus’ concern, love, and compassionfor those who are suffering. Jesus initiates the healing process; He gives thegrace and we are to cooperate with His grace to attain the healing we need inour lives. This healing can be physical or psychological, but above all it isspiritual. Like the lame man who believed and was cured, we too are challengedto cooperate with God’s grace.

Friendship with Christ

2012-02-01T00:30:00.000-06:00

Wehad the opportunity to visit the Mount of Olives, where Christ ascended intoheaven, as well as Bethany where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, the friends ofJesus, lived. We saw the tomb wheretradition tells us Lazarus was raised by Jesus Christ. We have also been at the place where JesusChrist taught his disciples how to pray. At this place, called Pater Noster, the prayer that Christ taught them,the ‘Our Father’, is translated into more than 150 languages from differentparts of the world and placed on the walls of the church and courtyard.

Byvisiting, seeing, and entering the tomb where Lazarus laid, then coming out ofthe tomb, we were reminded of our hope of being raised by Jesus from our owntomb of sins through the Sacraments of Baptism and Reconciliation. This was a way of connecting to our Lord bywalking in His steps. It was a moment tocontinue cultivating an abiding friendship with Christ just as Martha, Mary, andLazarus had done during Christ’s earthly ministry. To be with Christ is our first and mostimportant priority, which brings us to fulfill His mission. He calls us first to be with Him, them Hesends us out as long as we stay connected to Him (Mark 3:14). We can only have power and authority to doChrist’s work if we are united with Jesus. Thus visiting these sties allows us to follow Jesus’ steps and renew ourfriendship with Him that He may send us to carry out His mission according toHis will. May the Lord bless all whomade this journey possible and continue to bless us and give us the zeal anddesire to serve Him and His people in love.

The Choice to Love

2012-01-31T00:30:00.000-06:00

Asdarkness deepened in the valley, a small group descends from the city into awell known grove of olive trees. As mostof the group stops, four of them continue a short ways on alone. Then a solitary figure walks on to a rockoutcropping and falls forward in prayer. This is the moment of decision, and in this moment, we see the truedepth of love.

TheGarden of Gethsemane stands a few hundred yards from the eastern gate of theOld City of Jerusalem, which is now called St. Stephen’s Gate. It is here that Jesus asked His Father ifthere was another way, any way, other than the agony of the Passion. Yet in this moment we see Jesus’ resolve todo the will of His Father, for in the same breath He says, “not as I will, butas thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39). This isthe place of complete surrender. Jesus,who is both fully God and fully man, shows us both His humanity in His desireto escape the agony and death that awaits Him and His divinity which iscompletely in line with the will of God. The Cross was not something forced upon Christ from a harsh and judgingGod. The Cross is God coming down andchoosing to place Himself on the Cross for us. By entering into the depths of our humanity, God frees us for new lifein and through Him. The only explanationfor this is complete and utter love, the love of God for us.

Sucha love asks us if we are willing to respond. When someone does a loving act for us, the only appropriate response isan act of love in return. Anything lessis hollow and demonstrates selfishness on our part. But a loving act in return, an act ofreciprocating love, shows our desire to truly be united with the one who lovesus. Gethsemane is for us also a place ofdecision, a place where a choice is made. Jesus loved His Father and us with everything He had, to the end. Will we love Him with the same love, witheverything we have, to the end?

The Beginnings of Peace

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-06:00

Winding streets, narrow waterchannels, underground tunnels, ancient fortresses and wide open spaces in themiddle of a crowded city. The Old Cityof Jerusalem, the City of David, and the Temple Mount, respectively are allplaces which we visited today. By now wehave all been in the Old City plenty of times, exploring its maze-like streets,the innumerable nooks and crannies, and the places that memorialize what Jesusdid here. But the Temple Mount, that wasa new experience for most of us; it was a place we had only seen from adistance. Of course, we have all seenthe Dome of the Rock, or the Golden Dome as it is also called, dominating thelandscape of the Mount, but we hadn’t been up to the place itself to see, upclose, the building that was raised over 1300 years ago by the victorious ArabMuslim leadership.

In the midst of all this there is,somehow, a peace of sorts in Jerusalem. Muslims, Christians, Jews and the ever-present stream of tourists andpilgrims manage to more or less get along here. Which makes me wonder: what does real co-existence look like? What does real tolerance look like? Does it merely consist in saying somethinglike: “I’m okay, you’re okay, let’s be friends”? Or perhaps, “I’m right, you’re wrong, let’sget along”? Or, “I don’t like you, youdon’t like me, let’s do business together”? Is there something more we can say, some firm foundation upon which tobuild lasting peace, enduring co-existence, and authentic tolerance?

To find our firm foundation, maybewe could look to Jerusalem. True, overthe centuries and the millennia many wars have been fought here, much blood hasbeen shed in the name of religion or perhaps to stamp out one group oranother. But yet if we look closely wesee the seeds of peace sown in the hearts of the faithful. Each of us, Jews, Christians, Muslims,believe in a God that we cannot see, who has created the brother and sisterwhom we can see. “For whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love Godwhom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). “You shall love your neighbor asyourself. I am the LORD” (Lev 19:18). "O mankind! We created youfrom a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may knowand honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the mosthonorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous." (Quran,49:13). May this shared belief be our firm foundation, may these shared valuesbe the beginning of a lasting peace.

We are Pilgrims on a Journey

2012-01-29T03:52:00.002-06:00

Today is ourfirst full day back in Jerusalem after our trip to Jordan. Today was actually a free day for us torecover from the Jordanian trip, to catch up on journal writing or homework, or tojust explore the city. One of the thingsmany of us spent time doing today was catching up on email or othercommunications with our friends and family back home. We find ourselves being asked about schedulesand other obligations when we return home in just a few short weeks. While beginning to look to the future, onething is clear: our pilgrimage is rapidly reaching its conclusion. Or is it?

Not wanting toneglect the duties we have at home, it is important to also remember that ourpilgrimage continues. This is not timeto simply check out and look forward to what comes next. God is still working in and through us onthis pilgrimage and is asking us to remain attentive to the here and now. That is one of the principle points of apilgrimage: being open to what is occurring now and seeing how it helps us livea more authentic Christian life. At Massby the banks of the Jordan River, the site of the Baptism of Jesus, thecelebrant reminded us that, as Christians, our life here on earth is nothingbut a pilgrimage. The ultimate goal ofthis pilgrimage is life with God. Danielle Rose, a Christian singer-songwriter, once wrote a song entitled 'See You in the Eucharist.' Towards theend of the song she says:

"We are pilgrims ona journey

We are headed forthe throne

Carried on the wingsof angels

Oh we do not walkalone

All our prayers welay before Him

And His grace willpave the way

To lead us to ourone true home

Where we'll seeeach other face to face."

This pilgrimage should remind all of us that, as Christians, we arealways called to seek God. We are calledto imitate Jesus and be led by the Holy Spirit to see the Father face toface. While our pilgrimage to the HolyLand is drawing to a close, our pilgrimage as Christians will continue longafterwards.

The Temple of the Heart

2012-01-28T00:30:00.000-06:00

As we awoke this morning in Amman, we began our lastday in Jordan. This day was dedicated to visiting the site of theancient Roman city of Jerash. The uniqueness of this site is due toits level of preservation and its massive scale. For two hours we walkedthrough relatively intact arches, temples and markets. It was notdifficult for the imagination to enter into life at the peak of this city.

One fascinating aspect of our experience was seeingthe juxtaposition of paganism and Christianity. While one moment wewere walking through the temple of Zeus or Artemis, in the next we werecaptivated by the mosaic on the floor of one of three Christianbasilicas. This clearly demonstrates the evolution of this city frompaganism to Christianity during the early centuries after Christ. Itwould have been easy to be drawn into the uniqueness of this site from anarcheological or historical perspective. I think, however, there wasan important spiritual lesson here for all of us who walked through these ruins.

Just as in Jerash thereare, within our hearts, pagan temples next to Christian temples. In otherwords, we are all in need of continual conversion. The spiritual life is one of constantattention to tearing down these false temples of self-interest and selfishness,and allowing the great temple of the Holy Spirit to be more and moreglorious. We will never be perfect this side of heaven but, withGod's grace, those pagan temples will eventually fall into ruins. Thespiritual life is a journey, a gradual progression towards God. And,in the end, we will dwell forever in the Lord's temple and He will dwell withinthe temple of our heart.

The Beginning of our Pilgrimage

2012-01-27T00:30:00.000-06:00

This afternoonwe had the opportunity to celebrate Mass near the site of the Baptism of ourLord beside the Jordon River. Our celebrant Abbot Thomas, our in-housespiritual father, did a wonderful job of connecting the meaning of the site toour lives. He connected it both to our lives here on pilgrimage in the HolyLand and also to our lives back home.

We started byrenewing our Baptismal promises, just as we do each Easter. As the group wasfinishing the renewal the sun came out from behind the clouds and shone on usfor the rest of the Mass. Fr. Thomas used his homily to demonstrate how thatrenewal of the Baptismal promises is for us and for every Christian a renewalof our role as pilgrim. We here are physically living out the life of a pilgrim,but that physical manifestation will stop when our plane lands back in Chicagounder a month from now. Yet our spiritual pilgrimage, and that of all those whohave journeyed with us through this blog and in prayer continues past ourreturn. Through Baptism we entered into the life, death, and resurrection ofChrist and became members of his mystical body, the Church. Our life here istherefore not our own. Nor is our life here on Earth meant to be fulfilled andcomplete. We are meant for somethinggreater. In Baptism we were made pilgrimshere on Earth who journey towards the rewards of Heaven. As Vatican Council II taught in Lumen Gentium: we are “[o]n Earth, still as pilgrims in a strange land.”

The Gift of Adventure

2012-01-26T00:30:00.000-06:00

As part of our journey, we went to Petra, Jordan. Thisexperience was one of the most memorable experiences for me during ourpilgrimage. Petra is said to be one of the greatest archaeological treasures inthe world. It is filled with multicolored sandstone mountains in a secludedsite of steep rocky slopes, high cliffs, and soaring mountain tops. Amidstthese beautiful natural wonders is an ancient city carved into solid rock byancient an Arab tribe called the Nabataeans over 2200 years ago. Although theNabataean kingdom was powerful, they were eventually annexed to the RomanEmpire in AD 106.

As we made our way through the gate of Petra I was inawe. The ancient main entrance is a long narrow gorge of magnificent beauty. Itis like walking through a narrow canyon with high rock walls. On the walls areseveral bizarre looking geological formations. After entering the gate we wereshown many caves that decorated the rock walls. These caves had carvedentrances and were used by the Nabateans as tombs. The largest of the royaltombs has a main chamber of 17 X 18.9 m in size. We also saw the tomb ofSextius Florentinus who was the Roman governor of the province of Arabia. Amongother interesting Nabatean structures which were carved into the rock were ahigh place of sacrifice where religious ceremonies took place honoringNabataean gods, an ancient theatre and a colonnaded street.

While we saw many amazing things at Petra, I would saythe most memorable experience was my climb to the Ad-Dier Monastery and therain storm we encountered on the way down. The Ad-Deir Monastery is a largestructure up a mountain that was used by the Nabataeans as a either a tomb ortemple, or possibly both. It was later used as achurch in the Byzantine era. In order to see the structure we had to climb aflight of 800 stairs up a mountain. It looked like it was going to rain and itwas a very cold day. Some of the other seminarians decided to go. Othersdecided not to. I debated whether I should make the pilgrimage up the mountain,but decided to go. It was an amazing experience. I went alone but met some ofthe other seminarians at the top. On the way up I somehow got lost from thestairs that were carved out of the rock. At one point I heard a voice yellingto me, telling me which way to go. I would later find out that this person wasa Bedouin, a person who was born and raised in the caves of the area. I spoketo this person and had tea with a Bedouin family. I soon learned that severalBedouin families live among the caves of the area.

After getting to the top of the mountain and seeingthe monastery, the rain began to come down. The other seminarians and I madeour way down the mountain as fast as we could, but we soon were caught in amassive rain storm. We had about three miles to hike back to the bus. As I mademy way through the canyon I got soaked. The narrow way that we had to walk wasfilling with water, looking like a river! Waterfalls were forming on the sidesof the high rock walls and pouring into the canyon. The wind was soaring throughthe canyon. It was so cold that my brain felt numb. When I finally got back tothe bus with my seminarian brothers, I was very relieved. I was cold andsoaked, but I was on my way back to the warm place where we were staying.

Although our visit to Petra was not explicitlyreligious, it is an event that I will always remember. It was an adventure ofhigh magnitude that taught me new things about our mysterious world. Life isfilled with so much natural beauty, magnificent history, and amazing cultures.May we each come to learn more about our world and be open to the manyadventures we encounter.

Workers, not Builders

2012-01-25T00:40:00.000-06:00

“We may never see the end result.But that is the difference between master builders and workers. We are workers,not master builders; ministers, not messiahs; we are prophets of a future notour own.” – Archbishop Oscar Romero Prophets of a Future not Our Own

Throughoutthis pilgrimage we have visited various sites within the Holy Land. Today webegan our brief journey into Jordan.We visited Mount Nebo, the place across the Jordan River where Moses saw the Promised Land. We wereprivileged to be able to celebrate Mass at the chapel atop the mountain. Theview was quite remarkable, from the top of the mountain one could see thenorthern shore of the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, Jerichoand the hills of Judea near Jerusalem. On a clearer day one can apparentlysee the city of Jerusalemfrom atop of this mountain. During the homily, the celebrant discussed the factthat Moses was brought to Mount Nebo in order to view the promised land, buttold that he would die before he could enter it (Deut 32:48-52, 34:1-6). Thetheme of the homily was that we like Moses, must surrender ourselves to God’splan and remember that we are but an instrument that God uses in order to carryout his plan of creation.

I wasreflecting upon this theme during our Mass on Mount Nebo.It occurred to me, as I had been with the group that celebrated Mass at theHoly Sepulcher yesterday, that our Promised Land is not an earthly city but aheavenly dwelling in the presence of God. This Promised Land is not anything whichcan be imagined in this earthly life. Rather, this earthly life exists in orderto bring about God’s will in creation and to prepare us for the eternalPromised Land which awaits us in heaven. The work of building up this kingdom,which is ultimately God’s work, is a work which has existed before us and willcontinue to be perfected after we depart from this earthly life. Like Moses, weare called to help build up God’s creation, but we will ultimately leave muchundone for it is not our project, but God’s creative action in which we can onlycooperate in.

It is Christ’s life,death and resurrection which have ultimately brought about the redemption ofthe entire created order. The only way in which we can enter into the eternalkingdom which God has promised us is to enter into the mystery of death andresurrection. It is this ultimate surrender to our independence, howeverillusory, and to everything which we have known which allows God to finish thework of perfecting us and bringing us into heaven. It is this eternal mysterywhich we enter into at every Mass.It is this eternal mystery which we have been blessed to enter into at suchplaces as the Holy Sepulcher and Mount Nebo. It is this eternal mystery inwhich we must continue to immerse ourselves until our master builder summons usto himself.

The Meaning of a Tomb

2012-01-24T10:19:00.001-06:00

Half of our pilgrimage group wasblessed to have mass inside the tomb of Jesus in the Church of the HolySepulcher today. The Holy Mass began at 6:30 am and it was an incredibleexperience for us to have such a rare opportunity. This was truly a unique experiencewhich we will carry in our memory for the rest of our lives. Standing in thetomb where Jesus was buried and contemplating the mystery of human salvation,which was fulfilled in this exact spot at the resurrection, is beyond ourimagination. Meditating upon the mystery of our salvation and pondering onGod’s love for us fosters a deeper appreciation of who we are not only aschildren of God but as God’s chosen ones.

Whenreflecting upon the mystery of the tomb, those without faith one comes to believethat it is a symbol of lifelessness, a place of no hope and the end of life.For those who believe in Jesus, however, his resurrection gives death a newmeaning, not as the end of life but its transformation and completion. Ourfaith is clear and our hope is a surety because we are certain of our destinyin Jesus Christ. Gathering around the tomb of Jesus to celebrate Mass made usappreciate in a deeper way the mystery of our salvation. Reflecting and lookingat the empty tomb in which Jesus was buried made us to appreciate the gospelaccount of the resurrection. “Do notbe amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; he isnot here. Behold the place where they laid him” (Mk 16:6).

[Blogmaster's note: Sorry for the delay in posting today's reflection. We were on the road and got back late.]

Our Worst and Our Best

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today,we celebrated Holy mass at St. Peter in Gallicantu. It is located on theeastern slope of Mount Sion. At thissite stood the house of the high priest Caiaphas where Christ was brought afterhis arrest (Mk. 14:53) as well as where Peter denied Jesus (Mk. 14:66-72). There is a truly beautiful church at the topof which sits a rooster.

Peterdenied his master three times, but what is more significant is Peter’sconfession after the denial. Scripturetells us that Peter “broke down and wept” (Mk. 14:72). He realized his sin and confessed it. Before Christ had given Peter the command tocare for His sheep, he asked Peter three times, “Simon Peter, do you love me?”just as Peter had denied Him three times. Being at this site reminded us of our weaknesses. In one way or another, we have all deniedChrist by our words and our deeds. Wehave denied Him far more than three times! Praying the Holy Mass at this site was like re-experiencing our denialof Jesus on one hand, while on the other hand it was a hopeful moment, in thatif we confess our sins, God forgives us.

Itis when we recognize our weakness and sins and confess them that Christ notonly forgives us, but entrusts us to carry out His mission just as He did withPeter. As Bishop Sheen once said, “Sinis not the worst thing in the world, denial of sin is the worst thing in theworld.” We have been blessed today to beat this site in order to remind us of our weaknesses and to be assured of ourhope of being forgiven, that we may carry on Christ’s mission.

We continue to thank God for thisopportunity and we also thank all who have made this pilgrimage possible. With one voice we say, “God bless you all.”

What is Possible?

2012-01-22T00:30:00.000-06:00

Thevalleys and hills surrounding Jerusalem are what the Scriptures refer to as thehill country of Judah. In the beginningof Luke’s Gospel, a young woman makes an arduous journey into these hillsbecause she has been told something, an impossible something. She travels down from a tiny village and upinto the hills surrounding Jerusalem to see her relative because the unexpectedhas happened. This young woman has beenvisited by an angel, and was greeted with words that have echoed throughout theworld ever since: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” (1:28) She enters into the house of her relativesand is greeted with a phrase that has been spoken and cried and praisedthroughout the two thousand years since it was first heard: “Blessed are youamong women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (1:42)

BothMary, a virgin, and Elizabeth, a barren woman, have both been blessed with achild when it was impossible for each of them. But impossible is such a human word, a finite word. Impossible belongs to men and women who seeonly what can be seen with the eyes or touched with a hand. Mary was able to see past that. Even though she knew it was impossible, sheconsented to the angel’s word. Sherecognized that she was small and that God was infinite. She grasped the possibility of God’s presencebreaking into our reality and the way He changes everything in the process. Mary responded to God’s promise to act, andtrusted that His greatness would provide for all the obstacles that were faced.

Weeach face many challenges: the bad economy, the struggles of a family, and thecountless other impossibilities that we all face in our humanity. However, all these pale in comparison to thegreatest impossibility we face, becoming saints. Our own eyes show us that we cannot doit. Our own minds give us a millionreasons why this is impossible. Saintsare someone else. Saints are people likeMother Teresa of Calcutta, John Vianney, or Terese of Lisieux. Surely that can’t be us. However, the reason the angel came to Maryand the reality altering action of God that Mary perceived is just this: thatwe might be saints. God did not becomeman just to teach us rules to live by. Jesus came to transform everything and everyone, if we only let go of ourown limitations and let Him. Jesus cameto make the impossible our reality. Hecame, died, and rose again to unite us to God.

The Value of a Life

2012-01-21T00:30:00.000-06:00

Fewevents in the history define the history of an entire people the way World WarII and the Holocaust define modernity and the Jewish people. Today our group visited Yad Vashem, thememorial that the Israeli people have created to remember what happened. Today the group visited the memorial to genocide,to an attempt to annihilate an entire race of people. Today the group visited one of the defining moments in the history ofthe Jewish people.

One thingthat stood out, among so many things at this memorial, is the deep sense ofbetrayal that is indelibly fixed in the minds of Jews. As if the program of humiliation andextermination carried out by Nazi Germany wasn't bad enough, there was nowhereto which the Jews at the time could flee. What happens when the whole world turns a blind eye to atrociousevil? What happens when the whole worldsits down and refuses to help those who cannot help themselves? What happens when you and I sit down andallow people to continue to perpetrate evil?

But, onemight ask, what can one person do? Indeed, among seven billion people in the world I am but oneperson. Well, in the case of Hitler, hegalvanized a nation into exterminating twelve million people in the name of thefalse promise of a better future. NelsonMandela galvanized his people and the world into ending apartheid, and thefuture was better because of it. JohnPaul II helped to galvanize people both inside and outside of the USSR to endthe oppressive regime, and the future was better because of it. An unknown priest at a parish you and I havenever heard of lived an authentically priestly life, and his people were betterbecause of him. An unnamed father, anunnamed mother, sacrificed and loved and cared for their children, and theirchildren were better because of it.

Receiving and Giving

2012-01-20T00:30:00.000-06:00

“We adore you, oh Christ, and wepraise you, because by your holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.”

Inthe pre-dawn hours of morning our rather sleep-deprived group made its waythrough the narrow and winding streets of Old Jerusalem to pray the Via Dolorosa,also known as the Stations of the Cross. The entire length of the fourteen Stations amounts to a mere 600 yards;beginning with Jesus’ condemnation by Pontius Pilate and culminating in hisdeath and burial in the Holy Sepulcher. It is truly amazing to think of how much occurred over such a shortdistance. As we made our way through thevirtually empty streets of the city to pray at each station, some of which arecommemorated by no more than a bronze circle attached to a wall with a romannumeral on it, a strong somber quiet remained over the group. Praying where Christ fell three times, orwhere he met his mother, or where he died for all of us truly made the stationscome alive.

Beforewe completed the final two stations, Jesus being taken down from the Cross andbeing laid in the tomb, we were able to celebrate mass at Calvary, the preciseplace where Jesus was crucified. Eachand every time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is celebrated, we participate in are-presentation of Calvary. The Eucharistis the un-bloody sacrifice of Christ. Ifelt that this morning I had a clearer understanding of this than everbefore. The words “This is my body whichwill be given up for you” struck a deep resonance in my heart. At this very spot Christ gave up his life -for you and for me. The experience ofmass at Calvary illuminated my heart in a way that nothing more could be addedto enrich what occurred. It was a celebration of the Eucharist which I will notforget.

Eachand every Sunday, when we are called to the Eucharistic table, we see Christgive us everything, again and again. Heperforms the ultimate act of love by dying on the cross so that we “may havelife, and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). In order to properly receive this entirely unmerited gift, we must beprepared to give ourselves, wholly and entirely, back to Christ. As we prepare to receive the Body and Bloodof Christ into our very selves, we should always meditate on what Christ hasdone for us. Part of this meditationincludes asking of ourselves: “What have I done for Christ?”

A Tale of Two Kings

2012-01-19T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today was ourfirst day on the road since we left the Sea of the Galilee. Our excursion tookus to the tomb of the Prophet Samuel, Abu Gosh – the city the Crusadersconsidered to be Emmaus, and to Bet Guvrin-Maresha. While visiting BetGuvrin-Maresha I must say that I was thoroughly unimpressed. The city wasapparently mentioned in the Bible somewhere but no one could tell me whereexactly, the best answer was “I think it is somehow associated with Joshua.”The apparent reason for our visit was to see a Columbarium Cave. The massiveunderground cave had been carved with thousands of niches. The tour guide saidthat the niches were originally thought to be the places to store the crematedremains of the inhabitants of the city. He went on, however, to say that modernresearchers now no longer think that the cave was for burial. In fact they nowthink that the cave with two-thousand carved niches was built as a pigeon coop.

It was only inpassing that the comment was made that this city, the one we traveled to so asto see a massive pigeon cage, is thought to be the birth place of King Herodthe Great. The great King who rebuilt the Temple and many of the massive fortresseswe have visited, the King who killed his own sons to avoid civil war, the Kingwho was on the throne when Jesus was born and whom we are told in the Bible hadmany children in the Bethlehem area killed, was born in this city. Yet, thisfact is secondary. It apparently pales in comparison to a pigeon coup.

But this speaksvolumes when we think that twenty-one days ago we were celebrating Chirstmas inthe city of Jesus birth. Tradition has not only helped us remember the cityJesus was born in but we can point to the exact spot that has long been held asTHE birth spot. We as pilgrims still come by the bus load just to spend a fewprecious moments in prayer and to reverence the place where our Lord was bornand where he was laid in a manger. Today it seems that Herod, with his massivebuilding projects and powerful armies, is perhaps best remembered for the factthat he was on the throne when our True King was born. His great dreams seem tohave ended in nothing. So why should it be a surprise when a pigeon coup gets topbilling over the fact that the city may have been the birth place to the onceGreat King Herod?

An Unremarkable House

2012-01-18T00:30:00.000-06:00

Our morningwas filled with talks that helped us to more fully incorporate the experienceswe are having on pilgrimage. The firsttalk gave us a deeper appreciation of both the history and theology ofecumenical dialogue, something that has become more real to us since ourexperiences at the Church of the Nativity and the Church of the HolySepulcher. Our second talk focused ondeepening our appreciation of God's movements in our life through prayer. This afternoon, one of our hosts in Jerusalembrought us up to the rooftop of our building. We had a beautiful view of the Old City as the story of Salvationhistory, and centrally the Paschal Mystery, was shown to us, location bylocation.

Lookingover the entirety of the Paschal Mystery from a rooftop made one thing clear -each of the key sites of this mystery of our salvation are marked by ratherunassuming buildings. Even the Church ofthe Holy Sepulcher, the most sacred site in all of Christianity, doesn't standout. It blends into the surrounding buildings and on the inside is mostly darkand dingy. Some say that the most holysite in all of Christianity should be a glorious Church which radiates beautythroughout the city. However, I wonderif this actually is the best representation of our faith.

Thisunassuming Church is the most appropriate place to honor a God who, humblinghimself, assumed an unassuming human nature. Just as the eyes of faith allowed one to see through Christ's humannature to his divinity, so too do the eyes of faith allow one to see theglorious Paschal Mystery through this building. Our faith allows us to see beyond what is simply perceptible by oursenses and peer into the fullness of reality, to peer into the Mystery of God. What is true for this building is true for thelife of every believer. The simplestacts and the most common experiences can be windows through which we gaze uponthe love of God. If, however, we arealways expecting God to manifest himself to our senses in glorious ways, wejust might miss the one who emptied himself, took the form of a slave, and“humbled himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a cross”(Philippians 2:7). The outwardunremarkable appearance of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher reveals an inwardreality that is the transcendent glory of the Paschal Mystery. I just hope that, once I return home, I willcontinue to see the glory of Christ shine through the most mundane ofexperiences.

How We Grow

2012-01-17T00:30:00.000-06:00

Todaywas a day of prayer for us. This day wasmuch needed because we have been on the go for the past eight days. The daybefore yesterday we arrived in Jerusalem. Yesterday was a free day to settlein. Most of us roamed around and explored the area where we are staying. We arestaying in a wonderful spot here in Jerusalem. Our residence is located righton the border of the Old City. We are in walking distance of the Church of theHoly Sepulcher, the spot where Jesus was crucified. Other nearby sites that wehave been encouraged to visit includes the Tomb of Mary, Cave of Gethsemane,Chapel of Condemnation, Chapel of Scourging and the Western Wall. The New Cityis very modern with several stores and restaurants. The Old City is filled withmany individuals walking up and down the small streets. Small shops take upboth sides of the streets. It is like walking through an ancient shopping mall.

Atthe beginning of this day our spiritual leader spoke about the significance of ourlocation in light of our pilgrimage. We began our pilgrimage by visitingBethlehem. Then we moved to areas of Jesus’ ministry. Now we are standing inthe place where Jesus gave his life. We have seen many historic and holy placesand have learned many things from this pilgrimage. Today was a day for us toreflect on how these experiences has affected our lives. It was a time for usto take our outward journey and bring it inward.

Reflectionis necessary for every Christian. In the midst of our busy lives it isimportant for us to pause at times so that we can recognize what the Lord wantsto say to us. In the midst of his busy life, Jesus himself took time to go offalone in prayer and reflection. May each one of us follow this example ofChrist and allow our minds and hearts to be open to how our daily encountersand experiences are shaping the journey of our lives.

Meeting Christ in the Crowds

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-06:00

After amonth and a half of pilgrimage, we have finally experienced our first full dayhere in Jerusalem.As we did not have anything planned on our schedule, many of us took advantageof the opportunity to explore the city. A group of us decided to go to theChurch of the Holy Sepulcher, which has within it the hill of Calvary and thetomb in which Jesus was buried. It is an interesting building. Where one mightexpect a grand church built with the finest architecture with other buildings areasonable distance away, this is not the case. Rather, the building, due tovarious additions through the ages as well as its joint custody by sixChristian Churches, is something of an eclectic mix of styles. Additionally,there are many shops in a marketplace that sits right up against the church.

It occurredto me in my reflections that there is much similarity between this presentdescription of the Holy Sepulcher and what it must have been like in Jesus’day. The city of Jerusalem was in the midst of the holiest time of the Jewishyear when Christ was crucified and rose again. Many pilgrims from all over theJewish world had flooded into Jerusalemfor the Passover celebration. As Jesus walked towards the site of his sufferingand death, merchants were doubtlessly hawking their wares and people wereexploring the city. Where the modern mind often expects a sanitized, separate,and peaceful place to honor such a momentous event, this is simply not thereality of the situation in which the Paschal Mystery occurred. Christsuffered, died, and rose in a world that kept moving. Perhaps this holiest ofchurches continues to teach us something about prayer.

While it isquite important to take time to withdraw from the world for prayer just asChrist did before beginning his public ministry, our prayer can never becompletely removed from the world in which we live. We must learn to find Godin the hustle and bustle of daily life. We must remember that Jesus enteredinto the chaos and confusion that so often defines our life. God is present inour day to day lives, in our struggles as well as our joys. He calls out andspeaks to us even in those moments in which we do not feel much of anything atall and those moments in which we are experiencing the busyness of everydaylife. He is the God who suffered, died and rose again to redeem all of this andto allow it to bring us closer to God. This is the message of the HolySepulcher.

Hearing God's Call

2012-01-15T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today wehave come to an end of our stay in Galilee, the region of much of our Lord’sministry. We concluded our journey in Galilee with the Holy Sacrifice of theMass at Capernaum, in the church built on top of the ruins of the house of StPeter’s mother-in-law. The readings of the day matched with the theme of ourcall to ministry. The first reading was about the call of Samuel by God. Themain celebrant emphasized the message of the readings which call us tocontemplate more deeply during this pilgrimage as we make preparations for ourdeaconate ordinations. After Mass we gathered outside and the tour guide gaveus a lot of important information about the site. He challenged us to thinkabout why of all places, Bethsaida, Tiberius and others, Jesus chose Capernaumas the headquarters of his ministry. The first reason was because the areaaround the Sea of Galilee had a population of at least 20,000 people. We arenot shocked hearing that he fed five thousand men with loaves and fishes.Unlike other small towns like Nazareth, Cana and others, which had a populationless than 200 people, the area surrounding Capernaum was highly populated. Thesecond reason was the fact the Capernaum was the center of business andtaxation. All of the caravans made a stop in Capernaum and these people wouldtake what they had heard and seen in Capernaum to all other places of theirdestiny.

We madeanother stop at Jacob’s Well in Samaria, which is under a Greek OrthodoxChurch. At Jacob’s Well we read from theGospel of St John, 4:4-42. This is thestory of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. The text was expounded upon and laterwe received the historical and archeological information about the place fromthe tour guide. We as pilgrims andfuture priests were challenged with the work that lies ahead of us. The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman atJacob’s Well shows how God’s people are longing to be given the living word ofGod. We can relate this to today’s reading about the call of Samuel; God hascalled us to minister to his people and has given us this time on pilgrimage toprepare ourselves as best we can for the task ahead of us. We are doing this bybeing open to God’s grace, being conscious of our inner movements, anddeepening our understanding of the Scriptures so that when the time comes todeliver the word of God, we are very prepared andconfident.

Jesus Preaches to Us

2012-01-14T00:30:00.000-06:00

Thegroup is staying at Pilgerhaus Tagbha in Galilee. Today we visited the Mount ofBeatitudes. This is the place near LakeGennesaret, also called the Sea of Galilee. Here Jesus gave a long sermon which expresses the principles values oneneeds to cultivate in order to be a follower of Christ. From the sermon we heard, three major themesare clearly expressed; The Beatitudes, the ethical admonitions, and theauthority of Jesus’ teaching.

Jesusgave the Sermon to the crowds two thousand years ago and he is giving the samesermon to us today. The principle valueshe laid down for his followers are ever new and relevant to people of everygeneration. We had enough time to readthe sermon (Matthew 5:1 – 7:29), and the homilist made the point that the Wordof God never expires. The Word surpassestime and space. In the Sermon, Jesus wasnot making impossible demands to his followers; he wants us to take his wordsseriously. The fact that the principlesare difficult does not mean that they are impossible. In fact, Christ never promised us an easylife, rather he said, “Anyone who wants to be my follower must deny himself,take his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:25)

Sowe are blessed to be at this place and hear the Sermon which is being preachedto us. Christ is talking to us as hisfollowers through the Scriptures and in our celebration of Holy Mass. Christ has laid down the principle values forus. Let us embrace them, live them, andfollow him.

Peering Through the Mist

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000-06:00

Aswe drove through the Golan Heights our guide said, “You can’t see it, but tothe left is Mt. Hermon.” We had startedoff the morning being rained upon at Caesarea Philippi. As we moved up the mountains into the GolanHeights we entered into a thick white cloudbank. In any direction you looked, you could see nomore than ten or fifteen feet. Thedriver of our bus was visibly straining to concentrate on the road ahead of us,looking for any obstacles or hazards that could loom up in front of us with nowarning. After having been told abouthow beautiful the Golan Heights area was, it became difficult not to get upsetthat we could not see it at all.

AsChristians, we have to remember that we don’t always get a clear view of whatis around us. We travel our pilgrim paththrough this world, and at times we find ourselves in a dense fog. We can’t see far in any direction and it canbecome very easy to lose our way. Westrain to peer through the mist in order to catch even a small glimpse thatmight point us in the way that we should go.

Thesefogs can happen for many reasons. Sometimes our sins blind us to the path. Other times it is simply our human nature; we can’t knoweverything. Sometimes it is a darknessthat comes from God who shields our sight so that we can learn to trust andlove Him better. In any case, the answeris always the same: follow in the waysthat God has given to us and trust in the path taught to us by Christ. Psalm 119 sings the praises of God and says,“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (v. 105). God sent His Word to us, Jesus Christ, toshow us the way home. He will lead usthrough valleys and over mountains. Hewill show us great vistas and take our hand to move us through blindingfog. We simply need to trust in Him, andfollow His path: the path of charity towards our neighbors, the path of love ofGod, even the path of the Cross.

Not the Water

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today we visited a place in the northern part of Israelcalled Tel Dan, which is near one of the sources of the Jordan River. One thing that we have noticed about theJordan River, after seeing it both near its source and where it flows into theSea of Galilee, is that it is not as impressive as we had made it out tobe. For some reason it always seems likeit should be this big, impressive river, like the Mississippi, but really itisn’t. It’s not much more than a bigstream and the parts of it that we have seen were too small to even handle muchof a boat. So why then is this river soimportant? It doesn’t impress the eyes,but it certainly is known and recognized all across the world. By way of disclaimer, I feel that I shouldmention that yes; I did fill a bottle of water from the Jordan River.

Perhapswhat is so important about it is neither its physical appearance nor theability to use a boat on it. Rather, itis meaningful because it is the river in which Jesus himself was baptized. These are the waters which the savior of theworld entered, so as to make holy the waters of baptism for all of us. Just as the water in a baptismal fontgenerally is, physically speaking, unimpressive, it is not the physical herethat is of account. The waters aresacramental because Jesus has made them so; they are an outward sign of aninner transformation. As Christians wearen’t called to be outwardly impressive, rather we are called to radiate thestunning and beautiful light which dwells in our hearts, we are called toradiate Christ.

A Question of Love

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-06:00

“Simon, son of John, do you loveme?” (John 21:25). Replace any one ofour own names in that first line. Imagine Jesus asking each one of us, “Do you love me?” What is our honest response? Can we respond with sincere hearts and say,“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you?” Today we visited many of the sites on the shore of the Sea of Galileewhere much of Jesus' earthly ministry was performed. One of those spots is known as the Primacy ofPeter, where the Resurrected Christ gave Peter authority over the Church afterthe triple-confession of his love.

It is unbelievably gorgeoushere. To be able to sit and pray withinfeet of where so many miracles happened is almost mind-boggling. We are here, witnessing the sites where manypeople were healed or had their faith strengthened. We are literally walking in the footsteps ofChrist. So what does that mean? This pilgrimage has taught us to open our eyesand to see with the eyes of faith. Thoseof us here on pilgrimage, and those following along through our blog, have allhopefully noticed a deepening of our faith in Christ. We should be able to respond with a stronger,deeper, wider, and more profound act of love than ever before. Praying in these sacred sites and seeing thebeauty of God's love all around us should always lead us to a more sincereresponse of love when we are asked by the Lord: “Do you love me?”

Saying Yes

2012-01-10T00:30:00.000-06:00

Our entire pilgrimage, everymoment, every prayer, has happened for one single reason: the Word was made flesh,and dwelt among us. Today, as wecontinue to immerse ourselves in Nazareth, we celebrated Mass at the site whereGod took a human nature upon himself. Our Mass at the Basilica of theAnnunciation, only feet from the Grotto where Mary received the angel'smessage, was truly a grace filled moment. The fact that Christ again became present in that place was a powerfulrealization; 2000 years ago Christ was made present in the womb of Mary, now hehas again been present under the appearance of bread and wine.

One of the most beautifulaspects of this particular celebration of the Eucharist was that one of ourpriests was celebrating his 46^th anniversary of ordination. Just like Mary, this man gave his word, hisyes, to God's gentle invitation. Justlike Mary, God took that priest’s passing, finite word and brought forth theinfinite Word of God in his priestly character. As one who is preparing to offer his “yes” to God this year, theAnnunciation serves as a reminder that I must always strive to receive, not tograsp onto, God's presence. At theseminary and in parish ministry, it is easy to believe that the more we do, themore we can bring Christ's presence into situations. The Annunciation serves as a reminder that Godsimply asks us to say yes, to receive what he is offering. Then he will be made present in ways we couldnever imagine. It is that simple, but itis also that difficult.

'Stuck' on the Mountain

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today afterlunch we were stuck at the top of a mountain for almost an hour. The Church wasclosed for lunch so we couldn’t get in and the shuttles needed to take us tothe bottom weren’t running. The entire class was thankful, for we were at thetop of Mt. Tabor, the mountain of the Transfiguration, by ourselves.

The classdispersed into the gardens, terraces and ruins that surrounded the largecentral church. A sense of quiet and peaceful prayer descended onto themountain top. At times all was complete silence apart from the occasional clickof a camera as we tried to hold onto a moment of importance.

Each of us wasgrappling with what the transfiguration means in our own lives. For me I keptreturning to something the guide said about Mt. Tabor. It had long been used bythe Jews as a signal mountain. A fire would be set in Jerusalem and then thoseon Mt. Tabor would light their fires. This was so that the most importantfeasts in Israel could be celebrated simultaneously, as one.

Jesus also usedlight to send a message. However, this time the signal was heading to Jerusalemand from there to the whole world. Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law and theProphets, is the Son of God and revealed his transforming light.

This message isstill being sent today to all the ends of the earth. That transformative lightalso continues to shine. It is ready to change and transform us into signalfires to send out His message if we are willing.

An Ancient City

2012-01-08T00:30:00.000-06:00

Weare now staying in Nazareth. We are staying right next to the place wheretradition tells us that the Angel Gabriel came to Mary and asked her to be themother of Jesus. We will be here for three days. It is such a grace to be ableto walk around the town where Jesus spent the first thirty years of his life!

Todaywe went to a place called Megiddo. Megiddo is the place written about in the OldTestament where King Josiah fought with King Neco, the king of Egypt. Duringthe battle, King Josiah was shot and killed. It was overwhelming to visit thesite of Megiddo because we were standing in an area of ancient history. Wewalked through an actual gate and stood on the same stones that date back to1000 BC. We also went underground into a deep well, and we saw many differentwalls and structures.

AsI reflect on the site of Megiddo, I realize the importance of the message ofBiblical history for our time. Throughout the Old Testament the Israelitesbelieved that by following God’s precepts, they received His blessing. Whenthey didn’t follow his ways, they fell into destruction. God is with us atevery moment of our lives. He wants us to constantly open our hearts to him andlisten to his guidance so that we will avoid pain and destruction and be filledwith his blessings. May we always seek the guidance and protection of our Lord. Let us also pray for God’s blessingsupon our world leaders to stand up for all that is just and that God will blessour country and world and protect us from pain and error.

A Voice Both Great and Small

2012-01-07T00:30:00.000-06:00

Ourpilgrimage group has departed for the northern areas in the Holy Land. Today we were blessed to see three sites which are importantin the Bible and the life of the Church. This morning we went to CaesareaMaritima, an ancient port in the north of Israel. It is a magnificent place:an old hippodrome (horse and chariot racing stadium) and ruins of a bathhouse,as well as an ancient amphitheater that, to all appearances, is still quitefunctional. All this is located along the rocky coast of the Mediterranean,where one sees blue waves and white caps crashing upon the rocks. It is herethat Peter went after receiving a dramatic vision. This vision consisted of asheet which held all manner of animals, some of which were considered uncleanby Jewish purity laws. God told Peter to kill and eat the animals (Peter hadbeen rather hungry before receiving this vision). He later understood it tomean that God was calling him to eat with the Gentiles and minister to them,something verboten to the practicing Jew of the time (Acts 10). God spoke toPeter in a dramatic way, calling him to a great mission to convert theGentiles.

We alsoprayed at and stayed at the Stella Maris monastery of the Carmelite Order.After dinner, one of the priests took a large group of us down to the basilicawhich features the Cave of Elijah. There is a beautifully elaborate basilicabuilt around a humble cave in which there is nothing but an altar, a statue ofElijah and a place for candles. Tradition tells us that it was in this cave thatElijah heard God. In one of the most beautiful passages of the Scriptures, weread:

And he said, “Go forth, and standupon the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a greatand strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before theLord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, butthe Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but theLord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. And when Elijahheard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at theentrance of the cave (1 Kings 19:11-13).

Indeed, I found the simple cave to be one of the most movingplaces to pray. The basilica was a beautiful church. It featured fine frescos,beautiful statues and memorials to some of the most important Carmelite saints.Yet in the midst of these testimonies to the grandeur of God, the humble cavewas featured as the central part of the church, as the quiet place in which Godwhispered to the prophet.

Thisjuxtaposition of two dramatically different places in which God spoke to one ofhis servants was fitting, for it expresses something of the way in which God ispresent to each one of us. Very often we desire to have God speak to us indramatic visions or a loud, thundering voice or a bright flame of light.Indeed, God sometimes speaks in such ways to each one of us. However, God farmore often speaks in the small, still voice. This voice is heard only when weallow ourselves to be silent and simply wait upon the Lord. Even in the midstof the stresses of our day to day life we must take a moment to ignore thefirestorm of work and the thundering of our daily demands to listen – listenfor that small, still voice.

Moving to Galilee

2012-01-06T00:30:00.000-06:00

Today we were preparing to depart for Galilee, where our LordJesus performed much of his public ministry. The first month we have spenttogether as pilgrims from Mundelein has had an incredible spiritual impact inour lives. It is always sad to leave a place you have come to love, but thissadness is turned into joy as we continue on our pilgrimage to other holy sites.The spiritual fruits and experiences which we have experienced at the holysites we have visited so far will never leave us. They will always remainwithin us, as we grow closer to holiness. One can say that our time in has beena time of inner transformation and a better understanding of Scripture.

As future ministers of the Church and disciples of our Lord,it is important that we also spend some time in those areas where he carriedout his ministry. Visiting these sites and contemplating his work in theseareas allows us to see the importance and value of the work ahead of us. Visiting and praying in the different areaswhere our Lord carried out his ministry will enable us to better understand theNew Testament. Visiting the different sites which we often read about in theNew Testament is not only very important, but it is also a prayer in itself. Itis an indirect way of saying to Jesus, “Teach me as you taught those wholistened to you in these places.” Saying this also compels the pilgrim to beopen and willing to be taught. Continuing with the spiritof the pilgrimage and staying focused on Christ will always bring a lot of joywithin each pilgrim.

New Year Greetings

2012-01-05T00:30:00.001-06:00

For most ofus, this has been the first time that we have celebrated Christmas and NewYears not only in a different country, but in the Holy Land, the place whereJesus lived. We welcomed the New Year2012 happily then we went to sleep. Inthe Morning, we woke up; nothing was new! Everything looked just as old as it did last year yet everyone wastelling each other, “Happy New Year!” Where is the newness of the New Year? Maybe it is too early to look for the newness of the year, but if one iscaught up in such an attitude it would be easy to miss many of the blessingsGod has given us in the whole year. Withsuch an attitude it is impossible to be thankful to God.

We countall that we have as a gift from God; our successes, our struggles toward success,and above all our existence is a gift from God. In fact, it is as undeserved gift. It is only when we realize this that our souls can burst into gratitude. Then we can see and appreciate the newness ofthe New Year. It has been a greatblessing to begin the New Year in the Holy Land as we continue our journey andstrive to become real and true disciples of Jesus Christ by learning about hisearthly life.

Dearfriends in Christ, life is primarily sustained by God, secondarily by air,water, and food. Yet our life is alsosupported by people with whom we share happiness, sorrow, jokes, advice, andprayer; all of which helps to give us a comfortable world. Therefore, friends, we would be less thanhonest if we don’t thank you. Thank youfor touching our lives in 2011 and we sincerely invite you to share our livesin 2012. As we continue to keep you inour prayers, we sincerely say to you, “Happy New Year 2012.”

Experiences and Encounters

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-06:00

As one yeardraws to a close and another begins, it is natural to start wondering how muchhas happened in the last year and how we are different because of it. The last year has impacted each of us in largeand small ways. The people we haveencountered have come into our lives and changed us. The places we have visited have altered ourunderstanding and the way in which view the world, as well as the way we livein it.

Thisjourney through the Holy Land is a great blessing that has changed us and continuesto do so. We encounter the people wholive here and because of it we know both them and ourselves better. As we travel to the holy places, we journeynot only to them, but also travel within ourselves to know God and ourselves inrelation to Him in a deeper way. Dayafter day, each of us confronts ourselves anew in relation to the truth thatGod reveals to us in His Son, Jesus.

This is true not only for pilgrimsfar from home, but for all Christian pilgrims as we travel through this worldin hope of the world to come. All of ourdaily activities and encounters are tools which God uses to mold and shape theway that we understand Him and ourselves. As God refines and polishes the lenses of our souls through ourexperiences and encounters, we continue to see ourselves better. Upon seeing ourselves better we come to seeand know ourselves more and more as God sees us, as God knows us, as God lovesus. By knowing God and ourselves better,we can share more deeply in God’s love. Then we can come to love God and even love ourselves as God does.

Holy Families

2012-01-03T00:30:00.000-06:00

The feast day of the Holy Family comes around each year andserves as a beautiful reminder to us all of just how important families reallyare. Yes, there is the Holy Family, but there are also many holy families who aretruly striving to live a good Christian life and love God and each other asbest they can. For this reason, we take this opportunity to pray for families,to pray for parents and children everywhere that we all may learn to imitate the Holy Family. On this day we also take a moment to rememberin a special way our own families; we want all of you to know that we love youvery much and that you are in our hearts and our prayers during thispilgrimage.

Whatbetter way to celebrate the feast day of theHoly Family than to spend some time with a family here in the HolyLand? A local family had invited some ofus over to have dinner with them and so of course we happily agreed. When we arrived at their house, the wholefamily was there to welcome us and make us feel at home. Feeling at home when you are in a foreignland that speaks a foreign language is a very good feeling to have. There are always those places in our livesthat are a little home away from home, and this particular family seems to havea gift for making their home one of those places. The food was excellent, a veritable feast,but the company was really what made it a special evening. No, we didn’t eat with the Holy Family, but I’m pretty sure that we just spent this feastday with one of those holy families; with one of those holy families thatreminds us that, yes, trying to live like Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived is notonly possible, but a truly beautiful thing. Thank you, God, for all the holy families that you have put into ourlives. Thank you for showing us your lovethrough the love of a holy family.

Looking Forward

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe that exactly four weeks ago weboarded the bus at Mundelein to begin this pilgrimage. We left with high hopes and expectations, aswell as some fears and doubts. So whereare we now? I think one thing many ofthe pilgrims are coming to appreciate is the longevity of this particularpilgrimage. While we are excited to soonbe heading up North to Galilee, Nazareth, and eventually over to Jordan in theEast, many of us are rather grateful for the duration of our trip already. What we have been learning is that even onpilgrimage, we can get "settled in.". There are some dangers ofbecoming too settled, too familiar, too comfortable. Every day is an opportunity to renew ourcommitment to receive the graces from this pilgrimage. That is what Christ calls us to. To live the life of a Christian is to dailyrenew our Baptismal promises and seek to be drawn ever-closer to the love ofChrist. Let us not become too stagnantwith our lives, but let us always be ready to journey, be it interiorly orexteriorly, on the path of holiness.

Stillness

2012-01-01T00:30:00.000-06:00

After spending almost a fullmonth in the Holy Land, it has become clear that God has blessed our group withsome extraordinary experiences. Today wehad one such experience as our group was welcomed into the Grotto of theNativity, after the Church had closed to the public, for a private holyhour. Although I have spent severalholy hours praying in the Grotto, none of them have been like this. There was no parade of pilgrims and touristsvenerating the spot of Christ's birth, there were no flash bulbs going off,there were no tour guides with booming voices there were only the 27 of us inthat holy place. There was a stillnessthe pervaded that place, the quietness in which one encounters the Risen Lord.

I couldn't help thinking,however, that the outward stillness was not ultimately important. Rather, what is most important is thatinterior quiet where we can hear the gentle whisper of Love Himself. Even in the midst of pilgrims, cameras andtour guides, one can have an interior stillness that is undisturbed by theflurry of external activity. Granted,the exterior silence helps, but the more we foster a quiet of the heart themore we encounter Christ in even the most chaotic of situations.

It is not easy and it requires alife-long struggle with patience and trust, but the more we grow in thisinterior stillness, the more we can hear the quiet invitation of that baby.

A Free Day Adventure

2011-12-31T00:27:00.001-06:00

What do you do when you have a free day in the Holy Land?You go on a short, leisurely six mile walk of course! Well, at least that iswhat one small group of us did. Earlier, during one of our excursions, we wereable to visit the Shepherds’ Field run by the Franciscans. There are, however,apparently two others. One is operated by the YMCA and the other is lookedafter by the Greek Orthodox. Having read in our guidebook about Orthodox fieldsand its connection to a church built by St. Helen, the mother of Constantine,our group decided to walk to the Orthodox field.

Uponarrival at the fields we found the gate closed. It was only with the assistanceof a local that we discovered the call button on the side of the gate. Afterpressing the button, the gate slid open to reveal a neatly manicured gardenarea and the Orthodox church. Before entering the main church, we explored alittle and came across the remains of the older basilicas, of which theoriginal underground portion is still maintained. We were able to go in andlook around the small chapel’s side room. One of the things that struck me wasa set of skulls on the right side of the chapel, which had belonged to monksfrom the monastery who had been martyred during a Persian invasion in theseventh century.

Fromthe small underground chapel we went to the main church. When we entered, wewere amazed by the beauty of the icons that covered every inch of the interior.The brightness of the colors and the imagery used helped to remind us that, inthat sacred space, one encounters God.

Skulls and icons. These spokeeloquently of the faith of that place and those that served there. The iconsrevealed their belief in the glory and majesty of God. They were able to usesimple human tools such as pigments and brushes to reveal an inner beauty and abelief in the transformation that God can work. The skulls also spoke of theirreliance on God. The former monks of that place faced death rather than denytheir belief in God. May our belief and trust in God be as visible in our workand our lives as it is the lives and deaths of the monks who lived at theShepherds’ Field Monastery.

A Mother Holds Her Son

2011-12-30T00:32:00.000-06:00

Onthe day after Christmas, the sun began to shine after much rain for a couple ofdays. The fresh, clean air is a reminder that rain always brings new life. We had Mass at the Milk Grotto. The MilkGrotto is in Bethlehem, not far from the Church of the Nativity where Jesus wasborn. It is the place where tradition tells us that Mary first fed her son andthat some of her milk was spilled there. The title “Milk Grotto” comes from theapocryphal gospels and highlights the sincere devotion that pilgrims have forthe mother of Jesus. This place has been a place of veneration for bothChristians and Muslims for centuries, and the Grotto contains relics from theseventh century that are conserved in fragments of rock.

Ifelt that the experience of being at the Milk Grotto the day after Christmaswas very appropriate for us. We know from the Gospel of Matthew that that theMagi set out and followed the star until it came and stopped over the placewhere Jesus was staying. “And on entering the house they saw the child withMary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. (Matthew2:11).” As we continue in this Christmas season, may we each reflect on the joyand simplicity that Mary had for her newborn son, and may we hold the babyJesus in our hearts so that our lives can be renewed each day. Let us also prayfor all mothers, especially our own.

Knowing Him Better

2011-12-29T00:10:00.000-06:00

Throughout the pilgrimage, we have heard the constantrefrain, “A pilgrimage is an outward journey to stimulate an inner journey.”Some of the men who have gone before us have told us that, after thepilgrimage, one never reads the Bible in the same way again. This Christmas wasproof positive that we are further on the interior journey and can, almostliterally, see the Bible in a new light. As a pilgrimage group we attendedMidnight Mass at Bethlehem University. One of ourdeacons chanted the gospel, which is the story of the birth of Christ as foundin the Gospel of Luke (Lk 2:1-14). It was amazing and powerful to hear thisstory proclaimed in the very town in which the events occurred. As the Gospelwas being proclaimed, many of us could vividly see in our mind the story takingplace. We have prayed in the grotto in which Christ was born. We have heard thestory of the shepherds in the fields in which they tended their sheep andlearned that their shepherd had been born. After the mass, one of the facultymembers remarked, “This is why we came here.” Indeed, this is why we came tothe Holy Land, to see those places whereChrist walked in order to be able to more closely follow in his footsteps.

Whensomeone desires to get to know another better and to grow in a relationshipwith him or her, it is important to see the actual places that are significantto the other. In this pilgrimage, we have been seeing various places that wereimportant to many of those who have gone before us in faith, people such as Abrahamand Sarah, David, Mary and Joseph and most importantly Jesus. In doing so, wehave been able to more deeply reflect on their lives and have been furtherinspired to live out the best virtues that they have shown. We are able to growin our understanding of who Jesus was and is, and are thus able to grow in ourrelationship with him. While Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem are a profoundly beautiful way togrow closer to our Savior, it is not the only way to grow closer to Christ.Rather, we must continue to come to know Christ as he is made present in ourworld today. We are called to continue to make room for Christ to dwell in eachof our hearts. In a sense, every day should be an image of Christmas in Bethlehem. In order tolive with Christ in the life to come, we must receive him into our hearts, ashe was received by Mary and Joseph into the world, every day of our lives.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-28T00:18:00.004-06:00

Our pilgrims joined tens ofthousands of other pilgrims from around the world in Bethlehem to celebrate thebirth of our Savior. The day began witha grand march, featuring many different bands, through the street believed tobe the one which Mary and Joseph walked on their way to the place of thenativity. The march lasted for more than two hours. People of different ages,cultures and religions together joyfully participated in the festive march; allof whom were filled with great joy. Theday was crowned with a midnight Mass in which some seminarians served at theMass, while other shared the gift of their voices in the Choir to make theliturgy very colorful, inspirational and transformative. The liturgy ended at1:30 A.M., followed by a social prepared by the hosts.

Celebrating our first Christmasaway from our families was a sacrifice, but it was a worthwhile one in order tobe in the birthplace of our savior. Joining our voices with the heavenly hostin praising God with the heavenly song of the Gloria, in the land where it wassung first by the multitude of angels on our Lord’s birth, permanentlytransformed many of us. The experienceof sharing the joy of Christmas from Christ’s birthplace can’t be explained. Inmeditating upon what was taking place, it was clear that God’s love that dweltamong men. The unity of people of different religions who came to Bethlehem forChristmas was a clear sign that no merely human celebration can bring allpeople together in joy; this was a symbol of unity and a grace of God forinter-religious dialogue. Just as the shepherds went out to give witness toMary and Joseph from what they heard from the angel, allare commissioned to do the same.

Reflecting on Christmas

2011-12-27T00:45:00.000-06:00

(Written the day before Christmas)

Todayis a day of recollection for our group. It is an interior pilgrimage to rediscover God’s love for us as we comecloser to Christmas day. It is also achance to examine our relationship with the Lord. It is, therefore, a time for prayer,thanksgiving, fasting, and reconciling ourselves to God. This is a moment to recognize and acknowledgeour sinfulness and to give thanks to God for his great love in giving hisbeloved Son to reconcile us to himself.

Weall know that many people are busy preparing for Christmas. Some are buying. Others are selling. Some are sending Christmas cards while othersare receiving. Some are sending gifts totheir friends, siblings, and their loved ones. All these are preparations for Christmas! These are all well and good, but these seemto be only external preparations. Whatabout our spiritual pilgrimage? AsChristian pilgrims, we see this as very important and our first priority. We spend this day to prepare our souls toreceive Jesus Christ, who is a gift as well as a giver. As the Gospel proclaims, he is “God with us”(Matthew 1:23). It is he who enables usto do what we do.

Infact, God is closer to us than we know, “for ‘in him we live, and move, andare’” (Acts 17:28). That being said,when we pray, it is the Spirit who prays in us and with us. Thus our recollection aims at allowing theSpirit to work in us, to pray in us, and create a conducive environment in oursouls for Christ to be born. Since thisis a noble and good thing, we gladly invite you to join us wherever you are; inyour prayer and acts of charity to make Christmas a joyful and peacefulevent. Just as food is necessary for thebody, so is prayer for the soul! Wouldyou pray with us for peace?

The Light.

2011-12-26T01:40:00.002-06:00

Livingin the Holy Land makes you appreciate thingsyou may have missed before. One suchthing is the warmth and comfort of sunlight. Ever since we arrived here, wehave noticed the difference between standing in the sunlight and standing in theshade. When you are in the sun you feelthe warmth pour over you giving you energy and comfort. However, when you move out of the sun or thesun is hidden by clouds you immediately feel cold. You can almost feel your body growing moretired as it uses its own energy to try and keep itself warm. The difference is so striking that you can gofrom shivering to comfortable in just a few short steps.

Thereis a lesson here for our spiritual life. In the beginning of the Gospel According toJohn we are told that the Baptist “came as a witness to testify to the light,so that all might believe . . . the truelight, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (John 1:7 &9). Jesus Christ is our Light. And here in the land in which both John theBaptist and John the Evangelist lived, we seehow important light can be. It not onlyilluminates everything for us to see, but it also nourishes us and gives usenergy and strength to engage in our activities for the day. Just as the sun helps us to live each day tothe fullest, so too does the Son give us the grace we need to live ourChristian walk to the fullest. Duringthis Christmas season and all year long He gives us everything we need, if wejust stay in His Light.

Extraordinary Day.

2011-12-25T01:29:00.001-06:00

If you have been paying close attention, you have probably realized that our posts are actually just a couple of days behind our actual schedule. Below is the regularly scheduled blog reflection from a couple of days ago. However, today we decided we needed to make an additional post. Why is today different than any other day?

Today is Christmas day.

Over two thousand years ago, on this day of days, Our Lord and Savior was born in a cave in Bethlehem. We know this is true, we've been there. Two thousand years ago, on this most special day, Our Creator was born to a virgin and was a newborn infant. We know this is true, we've seen the place she laid Him. Two thousand years ago, on this most holy of days, a great multitude of the heavenly hosts appeared in the sky singing praise and glory to God because He became one of us. We know this is true, because we have seen the cave the shepherds stayed in and walked the roads they walked in order to behold the Miracle of Miracles.

Today we not only realize the reality of the Incarnation in a new way, but we also appreciate in a very small way the price that Jesus paid in coming to us. Because Jesus left His Father, who is All in All, to become a man in order that we might know His Father. Jesus left everything behind and became a pilgrim for us. We, who are pilgrims now in this land, feel our share of sorrow and loss because we are not with you this Christmas Day, this Day of Days. But we reach out to you in our thoughts and minds, we lift you up in our prayers, and we hold you close to us in our hearts as we celebrate this Christmas Day in this Holy Land, the land of Jesus' pilgrimage. May His pilgrimage bring us all home to Him, and may our pilgrimage bring us home to you with Christ Jesus in our hearts.

God bless you and keep you. Merry Christmas.

Ordinary Day.

2011-12-25T01:05:00.003-06:00

Todaywas an ordinary day. We had a couple oflectures in the morning and then much of the rest of the day was left open forus to do as we pleased. So today we allused our time in different ways: taking a nap, playing cards, visiting the holysites, or catching up on some reading we had wanted to do. It was much like a day would have been likewere we still in the United States, perhaps just a bit warmer. We haven’t had too many days like today,ordinary days that is, and perhaps that’s what makes today unique in its ownway. We have spent a great deal of ourtime here going to visit the many places and people that make this landholy. For this great blessing that hasbeen to all of us, we give thanks to God. But today was a little different; today didn’t include a visit to a holysite or Mass at a special place. Today didn’t include any of the usualpilgrimage activities. Today was anordinary day.

Ican’t help but reflect on the fact that an ordinary day here is much like anordinary day when we are home in the United States. All of the same spiritual dynamics are inplay: we find a million and one ways to keep ourselves busy, prayer cansometimes be the last thing on the priority list for the day and idle chattercomes more readily than something that people really need to hear. Even here in the Holy Land, perhapsespecially here in the Holy Land, it can be a challenge for us to actually makeprayer a priority, to actually set aside some time aside for God. It’s the same spiritual dynamic that we findon an ordinary day back at seminary, the same dynamic that we find on anordinary day back in our respective homes; Jesus is always there to draw us toHimself, to wait for our response to His love. On any ordinary day, real growth in the spiritual life, authenticallyliving out the Christian life, involves letting Jesus be a priority in ourlives amidst the busyness and challenges of life. Today was an ordinary day.

Concert for Peace

2011-12-24T02:26:00.000-06:00

Beethoven, Bacharach, Brahms, TheBeatles, and …Boy Scouts? Alliterationaside, one may be wondering what exactly these things have to do with apilgrimage to the Holy Land. On Tuesdaynight several of the pilgrims ventured down to St. Catherine’s for the 11^thAnnual Christmas Concert for Life and Peace from Bethlehem. A local Boy Scout Troop ushered in hundredsof people for a night of classical music, along with some contemporary music,performed by the Palestinian Youth Orchestra and a few world-classmusicians. For two hours the church wasconverted into a concert hall that resonated with beautifully performedmusic. The Franciscan superior in chargeof the Custody of the Holy Land wrote in the program that “when music becomesan instrument of Peace, it changes your perspective as a listener.”

Theprogram is meant to convey a message of hope; a message very fitting as we drawcloser to Christmas. Part of thepilgrimage experience has been immersing ourselves in the local culture throughfood, marketplaces, prayer and general interactions with others. This concert showed that certain things canand will transcend any culture and beall-encompassing. Music, played from theheart as a sign of hope, can speak to all of us. As Advent comes to a close, let us all bereminded of the joyful hope that comes with the birth of our Savior on Sundaymorning.

An Individual Journey

2011-12-23T01:38:00.002-06:00

Afterbeing in the Holy Land for over two weeks and as we begin our prayerfulpreparations for Christmas, this week presents to us an opportunity to reflecton the movements of God throughout our pilgrimage experience. One of the most fascinating aspects of thisexperience is to see how each man is having a unique experience, one that God haspersonally tailored for him. While avisit to the Mount of Temptation may have been a particularly powerfulexperience of God's love to one of us, another might have felt dry anddetached. While one can look across theJudean desert and see his own deserts and yearn for God to lead him to greenpasture, another simply sees sand and a monotonous landscape. While we are journeying together during thispilgrimage, each of us is having a different response to the sameexperiences. In other words, the HolySpirit is acting uniquely on each one of us.

Thepersonal nature of the pilgrimage is but a smaller aspect of the personal faithjourney that each one of us takes. Whileour destination is the same - complete immersion into Trinitarian life and love- the road the each of us walks is beautifully unique. We can sometimes make the mistake ofbelieving that growing in holiness can only occur in a specific way. We hear that we are to use the great saintsas models of lives of holiness and we can think that we must exactly reproducetheir actions. Rather, what we arecalled to do is to imitate their passion, their desire for God and theirresponsiveness to the movements of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's guidance is unique and personalbecause each of us is unique. What is the same, however, is the gentleinvitation into the Father's loving embrace. The hardest part, at least for me, is to trust that God is always leadingme to himself, knowing that all I must do is follow.

Holinesscan look like many things but, in the end, it always looks like our trueself. The sooner we let go of the ideaof what our holiness is “supposed to” look like, the sooner the Spirit can leadus down the personal path that God has lovingly prepared.

Rest

2011-12-22T00:14:00.001-06:00

“And on the seventh day Godfinished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from allhis work which he had done.” Gen. 2:2.

Wehave had an amazing two weeks of visiting holy places and archeological sites.We have seen the ruins of palaces and the resting places of patriarchs. We haveclimbed up the Mountain of Temptation and looked down into the Valley of theShadow of Death from Psalm 23. It has been two action packed weeks of memoriesto never be forgotten and opportunities for prayer that only come once in alifetime. The schedule has, however, been a wearying one. Today was thereforedesignated as a day of rest.

Genesistells us that, when God created the world, he looked and saw that it was good.He then took the seventh day and rested. The fact that something is good doesnot mean that it is effortless. Our experiences here have helped to show usthat. Looking back at the time we have already spent in the Holy Land I can saythat for me it has been good and yet when the opportunity for rest came, Irealized that I needed it. Just a day or two before and I would have told youthat a day off was unnecessary. Yet by today I realized just how tired I hadbecome. Taking today and making it void of formal activities allowed for plentyof opportunities to pray and simply be with our Lord while here in the HolyLand. Back home it is easy to get into the swing of things and, like here,forget the importance of rest. However, it is not just rest from the physicalthat is needed. We need to remember to rest in the Lord. We must take time outof our hectic schedules so as to embrace silence and come to a deeperappreciation of the actions of God in our lives. It is by resting in the Lordthat we will be energized so as to go forth into the world and experience whatGod has in store for us.

The Gift of Giving.

2011-12-21T00:09:00.000-06:00

I believe that this past week has been a great blessing for uspilgrims. We have had the chance to visit many different sites and we havelearned much about the history and culture of Israel and Palestine. I have beenamazed at the ways that God is present in the individuals who have shared theirtime and experiences with us and I am astonished at the amazing sites we havebeen blessed to visit. God’s presence is here!

Today we had the opportunity to visit an orphanage. Many of thechildren at the orphanage have been abandoned. I learned that this area doesnot have an adoption program. Therefore, these children will never have a homewith parents and a family. Yet, I saw that these children received much lovethrough the sisters and others who donate their time at the orphanage.

The pilgrims from Mundelein visit this orphanage every year. Thechildren who live at the orphanage range from newborn to six years old. We tooka collection from the seminary prior to our pilgrimage so that we could helpsupport the children financially and we also bought them toys for Christmas.The children sang some songs and performed some dances for us, and oneof our seminarians dressed as Santa Claus and gave them the toys. Seeing thejoy on the children’s faces as they unwrapped their gifts was wonderful.

Through our visit of the orphanage I am remindedof the true meaning of the word home. It is good for us to have shelterand a place to live. Yet we know that what really makes a home special is thelove that we share. As we celebrate Christmas, may we share the love of Christwith one another so that we can allow God to build his home in our hearts, ahome that is everlasting. May we also be mindful of those who do not haveshelter or anyone with whom to spend Christmas.

College. It's the same everywhere.

2011-12-20T00:17:00.000-06:00

Today wevisited Bethlehem University, a smalluniversity run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. The university, which wasfounded in 1973, boasts an enrollment of a little over 3,000 students. This wasmore than a simple visit, rather it was a chance to see a part of life in thisarea; a life both very similar to our own and remarkably different. When wespoke to the students, many of the questions focused on the distinctionsbetween attending college studies in the United States and in Bethlehem. Throughtheir answers, however, we both began to see similarities emerge. As 70 percentof the students attending Bethlehem University are Muslims, it was an excellentopportunity to see how the Christian and Muslim students interacted. To thesurprise of many, the four students who participated in our discussion reportedthat the Christian and Muslim students interact quite well with one another.While many of the cultural norms are different from those to which we areaccustomed, the nature of the university promoted strong interactions betweenstudents of both faiths. More than that, there was a common bond establishedamong the seminarians from the U.S.and the students from the Holy Land. We wereall able to sympathize over the stress of examinations and the occasionalboredom of a lecture. We were able to express a common gratitude for the giftof education as well. Indeed, students are students wherever they may be found.

I hope and praythat, when we return to the United States, that we might remember this lesson.Despite that which divides us, whether race, language, location or culture,that we share a common humanity. It is often by encountering that which isslightly different and taking those differences seriously that we are able tosee where those differences end. By understanding what is different, one beginsto engage in genuine dialogue by sharing various perspectives. Through thisdialogue and an examination of our differences, we can discover those areas inour own lives which we may have been neglecting. By meeting one another, we donot learn only about the life of the other. Rather, we fundamentally learnsomething of ourselves, as human beings are fundamentally relational and social.

Catholic Relief Services in Action

2011-12-19T00:11:00.002-06:00

Today wasa great day as we observed the humanitarian work of Catholic Relief Services. Weattended a presentation from two of the coordinators who discussed the widespectrum on the work done by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Besidesproviding food and shelter to the vulnerable of the community in some of the refugeecamps, they have done much to empower women and the youth. We visited one ofthe women centers that makes and sells crafts. CatholicRelief Services brought them together, having chosen those who are mothersand who were experiencing the greatest financial difficulty. After making theircrafts, CRS helps them find a market; we are told that they are soonestablishing for them a website to widen their market.

Later we visited a cultureand arts center which has a special wing working with the youth. Their primarygoal is to work with the youth to enhance community building. Due to the factthat there is a lot of conflict in the region, this group educates the youth onother, nonviolent means of problem solving. They educated some of the youth whonow act as ambassadors to their villages. During our interaction with them, oneof them told us that, two years prior to getting involved in the program, shehad never considered any non-violent method of solving problems. This wasbecause they are brought up in a society that practiced eye-for-an-eye justice.This struck many of us as a non-violent approach is one which is necessary inour world today. I pray that we all might learn to resolve conflicts as Christwould, by giving of ourselves and being strong enough to resist the temptationtowards violence.

Temptation

2011-12-18T01:49:00.001-06:00

Welcome again dear readers,

Todaywe have visited three different historical places: Qumran, the Dead Sea, andthe mountain in Jericho at which Jesus was tempted. However, I will limit this brief reflectionon Qumran and the Mount of Temptation.

Qumranis located west of the Kaliah-Sodom road on the western shore of the DeadSea. It is in the Judeanwilderness. In the second century BC, aJewish sect, the Essenes, separated itself from Jerusalem and went to live atQumran. The reason for their departurefrom Jerusalem was that they wanted to separate themselves from the ‘corrupt’Temple of Jerusalem. They thought theTemple had been corrupted by the influence of Hellenistic culture. At Qumran they lived a life in which theyshared everything in common. Theyinvested time in studying the law and purifying themselves in order to hastenthe coming of the Messiah. We arechallenged by the Essenes to read the Scriptures, and to purify ourselves forthe second coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

The Mount of Temptation, like other sights, affected me more than I can explain. Every one of us seemed to be in a deep reflection in the great silence. We learned many things at this place. One of the important themes from this experience is that we can overcome temptations. We cannot escape from being tempted, but we can always, by the help of Christ, overcome temptations. In themselves, temptations are not sins, but if we consent to them then we do sin.

Dear readers, let us give ourselves in service to Jesus Christ. He is always with us to help us. If we commit ourselves to Him, we will overcome all temptations. Let us pray for ourselves and for each other, and for all who most need our prayers.

A Fortress Built by Man

2011-12-16T23:08:00.000-06:00

Toweringover the western shore of the Dead Sea standsthe mountain fortress of Masada. It was built by Herod between 37 and 4BC. It is a magnificent structure,and was built to be a final refuge in case Herod’s enemies got the upper handon him. It contained store houses andcisterns that could keep the occupants supplied for years. There was even a swimming pool, as well asthe customary bath houses and two palaces. In short, a community of people besieged at Masadacould hold out for many years with all the customary comforts.

Lookingout over the wall of Masada, a series ofancient camps all connected by a wall that encircled the fortress could beseen. These are the remains of the Romanarmy that besieged the Jewish rebels here for over two years, until thefortress at last fell to the Romans. This was the last holdout of the Jewish rebels in the revolt thatbrought about the destruction of the Templein Jerusalem. The Romans, knowing the futility of attackingthe fortress on the paths leading up to the fortress, built a giant ramp thatallowed them to attack the Western Gate of Masada. The fortress fell, and the revolt in Judea was ended.

Staringout over the besieging armies camps, it came to mind how like our own lives Masada can seem. We build up a palace of comforts, ideals, and beliefs that seemsindomitable. However, the trials andtemptations of life lay siege to us. They can surround us and test out our weaknesses, until finally theybreak through our defenses and overthrow us. Worst of all, our own wants and desires can undermine our strongholdfrom within, demonstrating to all that the foundations we had built up ourfortress on were faulty from the beginning. On our own, our fortresses will always fall just as Masadadid.

However,Psalm 127 reminds us:

“Unlessthe Lord build the house,

theylabor in vain who build.

Unlessthe Lord guard the city,

invain does the guard keep watch.”

Ourfortresses should be built on the foundation of the Lord and His ways. He alone can preserve us from the trials ofthis world. What the Lord builds theworld cannot undo. If we allow Him todirect our lives and to build them in Him, our fortress will glorify God andnever fall to the attacks of anyone or anything that may try to destroyus. We, “like living stones . . . (canbe) built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood . . . acceptable toGod through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

Nuestra Señora

2011-12-16T00:22:00.000-06:00

Iknow that you will be reading this after the celebration of Our Lady ofGuadalupe, but Happy Feast Day of Nuestra Señora de Gudalupe. Her appearance to Juan Diego 450 years agowas an event that changed the course of history; it was in many ways the beginningof Catholicism for the peoples of the Americas. We celebrated her feast day in our small way today by singing a fewMarian hymns during Mass and having a small celebration (which included somereally good Middle Eastern pastries by the way) after dinner. While yes, we are here in the land whereJesus walked and are preparing to celebrate his birth, it is a blessing toremember and celebrate the faith as we have received it.

This celebration reminds us of two veryimportant things, which are particularly significant for us on pilgrimage. The first is that some things in life areconstantly changing. The castles andpalaces and fortresses that we visit are all in ruins, and the empires thatbuilt them are all gone. The monuments to once great civilizations and leadershave faded. And yet, the reallyimportant people in life are not changing. This is my second point. Goodfriends, family members, brothers and sisters in Christ, the people that meanthe most to us are the people that are always there for us. Our Lady of Guadalupe is always here for us,no matter where here happens to be,and she is always leading us closer to her Son, Jesus.

Finding the Inner Room

2011-12-15T00:13:00.002-06:00

Beforetoday even started I had everything planned out on what I was going to writeabout. I was going to share something soprofound, beautiful and scriptural that it was going to perfectly reflecteverything that has been going on thus far. Then, however, God came into the picture in a typical God-like fashionand completely disrupted all the plans I had laid out so perfectly. He provided something much more profound forreflection than I could ever have come up with on my own.

As Isat praying at one of the holy sites this afternoon I witnessed a blind pilgrimbeing led to the altar by another pilgrim. Initially I thought of St. Angela Merici (1474-1540) who oncewent on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and was struck with temporary blindnessfor the duration of her pilgrimage. Evenwhen some of our senses are deprived, God will still work wonders in ourlives. After the pilgrim was told by herguide where she was, she knelt down to pray and did the last thing I hadanticipated: she prayerfully closed her eyes. I thought to myself: “Why on earth is she bothering to close hereyes?” We often close our eyes to escapethe scene going on around us and to enter into our own thoughts andimagination. So why did she need toclose her eyes on something she could not even see? Upon reflection I thought of how we oftenclose our eyes when we feel safe, secure, and comfortable. This pilgrim was blind, yet she felt safe andsecurely enveloped in God’s love. Shedid not need to see the site to feel the presence of God.

This reminds me ofthe passage from Matthew’s gospel: "But you, when you pray, go into yourinner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and yourFather who sees what is done in secret will reward you.” Seeing these holy sites is indeed a blessingand has proven to be quite fruitful. Today, however, I was humbled by this simple pilgrim who truly showed methat is not about seeing and praying at the sites. Rather this pilgrimage is about being able toenter into our own “inner rooms,” our own hearts, where we can feel the comfortand presence and God. Regardless ofwhere we may physically be located, God calls each one of us to turn interiorlyto see and hear his message for each one of us.

Don't consume. Be consumed.

2011-12-13T22:28:00.000-06:00

On aguided tour of Bethlehem, including the Church of the Nativity, our guidewalked us through the busy streets detailing the history of the town andoffering us insights into the Bethlehem of the first century and beyond. In the Church of the Nativity we learnedabout the long history of the Church and the many treasures that itcontains. We concluded with a prayerservice and then were free to explore as we wished.

Theseexperiences lead to the opportunity for me to spend a Holy Hour in the Grottowhere Christ was born. While sometimes it was overflowing with pilgrims andtourists and other times almost empty, one thing I noticed was how some peoplemissed the presence of God in that moment. They came to take pictures (sometimes even of the seminarian quietlypraying in the corner), they came to hear a talk from their tour guide, andmost came to reverence the spot where Christ was born – but few, it seemed fromafar, paused and entered into the stillness that permeates that place, thestillness that is the presence of God. What struck me was how frequently we can go through life like this,moving from one experience to another, grasping for this or that, only to findourselves always unfulfilled. Yet, whatwe truly seek is present here and now – it is God who is always yearning forus. It is when we pause and call to mindChrist's presence within our hearts that we will no longer consume everyexperience, but be consumed by His great Love.

Getting Lost

2011-12-12T22:20:00.001-06:00

Whilevisiting Bethlehem today, we were free to explore a little. Many of us took the opportunity to discover avariety of restaurants, coffee houses, shops, and vendors. I had set out with friends to do just that,explore the souvenir shops selling hand crafted olive wood and maybe buy asweet or two. God, however, haddifferent plans. After passing throughManger Square we came to Nativity Street. Instead of turning up the store lined road, we turned the otherdirection, intending to circle around the Church of the Nativity to a street wehad been on before.

Aftersome time walking on a winding and hilly street, we realized this was not thedirect ‘short cut’ we expected. Ourshort cut quickly turned into the scenic route. After a twenty minute walk up some steep inclines we arrived at afamiliar location, the opposite side of Manger Square about fifty feet fromwhere we had started! Relieved to be onfamiliar ground we took the road we had been looking for but instead ofstopping at our intended destination of a shop, we continued up to the MilkGrotto Church. Upon entering the emptygrotto, the porter directed us to some seats and told us a procession was aboutto start. It was then that we heard thebeautiful singing of the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the BlessedSacrament. Their simple procession tookthem up to the altar where they sand a beautiful prayer before leaving. Before the procession I had begun a rosary,but during the procession I seemed almost unable to continue as I was so movedby the prayer of the sisters. The peaceand clam that this gave me was deep and profound. As I sat there after the procession Irealized that this would not have happened if we had not taken the ‘short cut’and gotten momentarily lost. But perhapsthat is the purpose of a pilgrimage, to take the opportunity to get lost withthe Lord so as to enjoy those unexpected moment of grace that you will comeacross. One does not, however, need tobe in the Holy Land to experience this. Just setting aside our daily plans and taking the opportunity to getlost with the Lord in prayer can open us up to recognizing God’s graces as theycome into our lives.

An Example of a Pilgrim

2011-12-11T23:05:00.001-06:00

Today was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We are used thisday as a day of reflection and prayer. I see this as very important. We havebeen experiencing many things on this pilgrimage during this first week andtoday gives us a chance to reflect deeper on the meaning and significance ofwhat we are doing and why we are in the Holy Land. We can take all the outwardgifts that we have been receiving and allow God to bring them inward, into thedepths of our hearts and souls.

This morning we heard a talk by one of our priests on thesignificance of the Immaculate Conception in our lives as pilgrims. As I heardhim speak, I was reminded that Mary is our model for this journey. I amlearning that being on a pilgrimage is not easy. It takes much faith and trustin our Lord. Since our departure on this pilgrimage, I have had to leave behindmany of my attachments and comforts, but I am seeing that God is blessing mewith something new. He has taken me out of my regular routine and has opened upnew horizons.

As I reflect on our pilgrimage in light of the Immaculate Conception,I realize that the life of Mary is the perfect example of a pilgrim. In sayingyes to becoming the Mother of Jesus, Mary abandoned her own will and allowedGod to take her to places where she would have never imagined. She was taken toa stable in Bethlehem,where we had Mass the other day, to have a child, and she was later taken to Jerusalem to watch her childdie on a cross. Mary’s pilgrimage was not easy, but in allowing God to guideher in a new direction her life was filled with joy, purpose, and meaning. Each one of us is on a pilgrimage to theheavenly Jerusalem. Through the example of Mary, may we beopen to the Holy Spirit and allow God to take us to new places, places that wewould have never dreamed or imagined, so that our lives will be filed with asense of renewed joy, purpose, and meaning.

The Unity of Brothers

2011-12-11T08:20:00.001-06:00

The highpoint of today’s activity was in the gathering of seminarians at the LatinPatriarchate Seminary. The Latin Patriarchate, the diocese which serves LatinRite or Roman Catholics in the Holy Land, hosted the local Franciscan, Silesian,and Missionaries of Africa seminarians as well as thepilgrims from Mundelein Seminary this evening. We played in a soccertournament, prayed evening prayer, and ate dinner together. Our gracious hoststook care to ensure that everyone present was included in the variousactivities. The seminarians were greeted in both English and Italian. Vesperswas celebrated in the beautiful church at the seminary using a variety oflanguages: Italian, French, Arabic, English and Latin. After our prayer, all ofthe seminarians ate dinner on the top floor of the seminary, overlooking thetown of Bethlehemas night fell across the sky. Truly, this evening showed us what it means to bea member of a truly universal or Catholic Church.

“Behold, how good andpleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” So the psalmist writes in Psalm133. This evening we truly experienced what it means to dwell with our brothersin unity. The soccer tournament embodied the best spirit of the Olympics, theyouth of the nations coming together to share in the common joy of sport. Asgood as any universal expressions of humanity may be, whether it be the exuberance of sport, the structures ofmathematics, or the sublime majesty of inspiring music, none of these cancompare with the richness of being able to pray to our God as one and to sharein the nourishment of body and soul. The opportunity to share games, prayer,and fellowship with others studying to be priests after the heart of Christ inthe very land where Christ was born was a profoundly moving moment. Our churchis blessed to cross many lands, cultures and languages in order to worship ourGod. On the eve of the celebration of the Immaculate Conception, I realizedeven more that we cross the boundaries of time as we pray with the saints inheaven to the one God who, as creator and redeemer of all, unites peoplesacross all those boundaries which divide us.

The Gift of Joy

2011-12-09T23:00:00.001-06:00

Today the pilgrims visited theShepherds’ Field, the place where the Angel appeared to the shepherds who weretending to their sheep and proclaimed to them the good news of the birth ofJesus. We had Mass in the cave where theshepherds kept their sheep in the night. We were told that the cave kept atleast 200 sheep. The place is under the custody of the Franciscans. On top ofthe cave is a beautiful Church with holds drawings of shepherds before, duringand after receiving the good news from the Angel.

During the homily, the celebrantsaid that the joy of contemplation is the dancing of the heart. The joy, whichthe shepherds received, impelled them to hasten to Bethlehem to see the newborn king. They gavethe first witness to Mary and Joseph about what the Angel had told them. Theshepherds, being the first pilgrims to Bethlehem, aroused a greater joy withinus and made scripture clearer and more real in our minds. The experience ofthis place comes from the reaction of the shepherds to the good news. They left their sheep immediately and went to Bethlehem to give witnessto the good news which they received. This is what is kindled within us, thezeal to go out to give witness to the good news.

We Are Here . . .

2011-12-08T22:32:00.001-06:00

Today wehad Holy Mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. This is the place where Jesus Christ was bornabout 2000 years ago. Inside the Churchof the Nativity we celebrated Holy Mass down at the site of the manger in whichChrist was born.

It was oneof the most touching moments where the group was deeply touched and felt thepresence of God. Everyone seemed to bedeeply embraced by the mystery of the incarnation and the presence of God amongus. It is hard to explain how each onewas immersed into this divine mystery. We just felt that his presence was actual and real at that moment. Personally, I felt a great peace of soul andmind. More interestingly, the homilist‘pointed to’ the spot and said: “We arehere, what else can I say? Near by us isthe manger in which Jesus was born. So, we are in the presence of the Word.” This was the homily of today! In other words, the homilist was saying that“I am not worthy to give a homily,” the place and the presence of the Word isthe homily itself.

This wasimportant for us because it was a transformative moment; a moment ofreconnecting to the Lord who humbled himself and took on human nature. I personally did not want to leave the place,but I had no choice because others were waiting outside to come in. In fact, as one of the pilgrims of last yearsaid, “Go to the Holy Land, you will never come back the samespiritually.” This was the experience ofmany of us today: more connected to the Lord, peaceful, and not wanting toleave the place. At St. Paul says, “Whatwill separate us from the love of Christ . . . ?” As future priests, we can only connect peopleto Christ if we are connected to him ourselves.

Walking Bethlehem.

2011-12-07T23:20:00.001-06:00

Today,while we were visiting Bethlehem, we spent some time walking through the citystreets. It was amazing how thedifferences jumped out. The marketstreet was filled with the people of the city, buying fresh fruits and spicesfor their meals. Shop owners called outfrom their stores inviting passersby to come into their shops for tea orcoffee. They then showed off their goodswhile the strongly sweet Turkish coffee enlivened both the tongue and themind. During the day, the cry of themuezzin rang out from the minarets across the city, calling faithful Muslims toprayer. Everything seen, heard, tasted,and smelled exclaimed that you were in a totally different place than the onepreviously known.

Differencesmake things stand out. Our lives oftenseem to be a repetition of the same events. Day in and day out we go to work or school, run errands, and do the samethings. Many times these are good thingsthat we need to do, such as the work we are called to perform or the things weneed to accomplish to live a healthy life. However, if we are not careful, the busyness can consume all our timeand leave us wondering if we weren’t meant for something more. God is in the daily tasks we do, but it canbe hard to see Him if we live our lives just checking off boxes on our to-dolists. The difference of being apilgrim, either in the Holy Land or at home in our daily lives, is that we liveour life for something more than just accomplishing our daily tasks. A pilgrim lives life looking for God in everythingthey see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and do. When we live our lives that way, then we will notice that everything isdifferent through God’s amazing grace.

Safe and Sound

2011-12-04T13:29:00.001-06:00

We made it to the Holy Land safe and sound. Stay tuned for regular blog entries to begin starting Thursday. Prayers from the Holy Land!

Out of the Wilderness in search of our Home.

2011-11-30T22:27:00.001-06:00

"Here is no home,
Here is but wilderness,
Forth pilgrim, forth!

Know thy country, look up
Thank God for all."
- Chaucer

We are leaving for Israel. We go to seek not the experiences but the Person to Whom the experiences lead us.
Come with us as we go.

Coming Soon!

2011-11-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

In the beginning of December 2011, the Mundelein Seminary Class of 2013 will travel to the Holy Land on a spiritual pilgrimage. Please join us in our journey as we blog about our experiences.