Pilgrims to the Holy Land Seek God in the Land of Jesus

Pilgrims to the Holy Land Seek God in the Land of Jesus

On Wednesday, February 4, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin and a group of pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, including this writer, departed for the Holy Land. Like generations of pilgrims throughout history, these pilgrims are on a spiritual journey whose ultimate destination is God himself.

What can pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis expect to find in the Holy Land? Beauty, history and deep religious significance are in abundance there. So are poverty, religious animosity and political intrigue.

Guidelines issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) urge pilgrims to the Holy Land not to be discouraged by “reports on the ongoing political instability in the region.” The Holy Spirit guides–and protects–spiritual journeys such as this one, but that does not guarantee there will be no incidents sparked by the tensions that exist in this part of the world. With this in mind, all pilgrims to the Holy Land must draw strength from the generations of Christians who have made this spiritual journey before them. (When St. Francis of Assisi traveled to the Holy Land during the Crusades, it was an equally dangerous place. He was spared because of his trust in God’s providence and because he carried with him the peace of Christ.) The USCCB guidelines also urge pilgrims to recognize that they “have a special calming gift to bring to the Holy Land in the mission of repentance, conversion and renewal.”

Pilgrimages traditionally combine visits to sacred places with opportunities for prayer, worship and reflection. Celebration of the sacraments is a key element in Catholic pilgrimages. So is the chance to express solidarity with people who are poor, oppressed or refugees from their homeland. A pilgrimage to the Holy Land inevitably confronts travelers with roadblocks, checkpoints and the walls that separate Palestinians and Jews. In this land, the three great monotheistic religions coexist uneasily so that prayers for unity, solidarity and peace take on a special urgency.

When Archbishop Tobin announced this spiritual journey for pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, he noted his special reverence for the Word of God which was made flesh in Jesus of Nazareth 2000 years ago. The opportunity to follow in his footsteps–literally to walk where Jesus walked–is one of the main reasons for this archdiocesan pilgrimage.  Pilgrims who have visited the Holy Land frequently say that the places named in the Bible come to life for them in ways they never imagined!

Ever since Pope Paul VI first visited the Holy Land fifty years ago, all popes have made this spiritual journey during their pontificates. Just last year, Pope Francis joined his predecessors in giving witness to the faith of this sacred land and the struggles of its peoples.  At the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of the tomb where the crucified Christ was laid to rest, Pope Francis said:

Let us receive the special grace of this moment. We pause in reverent silence before this empty tomb in order to rediscover the grandeur of our Christian vocation: we are men and women of resurrection, and not of death. From this place we learn how to live our lives, the trials of our Churches and of the whole world, in the light of Easter morning. Every injury, every one of our pains and sorrows, has been borne on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd who offered himself in sacrifice and thereby opened the way to eternal life. His open wounds are like the cleft through which the torrent of his mercy is poured out upon the world. Let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of the basis of our hope, which is thisChristòs anesti (Christ is risen)!

Pray for Archbishop Tobin and all of us pilgrims who have traveled to the Holy Land on behalf of the Church in central and southern Indiana. May our spiritual journey be a moment of grace for us and for the Church. May the pains and sorrows which we witness in the land of Jesus not discourage us from rejoicing in the open wounds of Christ whose mercy is poured out upon the whole world. And may we return to our homes inspired by our Holy Land experiences and eager to share with others the basis of our hope: Christ is risen!

GrahamPelton

 

Sponsored by Graham-Pelton Consulting, Inc.

Copyright © 2015, Daniel Conway   Permission is given to copy and distribute this Good Steward Newsletter for use in religious or educational settings provided that proper attribution is given to the author. This publication may not be sold or distributed to the general public without the express permission of the author.

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