Monday, January 25, 2010

Holy Land Pilgrimage day 13 - going home

New years day-
on new years eve i was in bed by 9:30. 1am wakeup and 2am departure (boo security). 6am flight. the pilgrimage is over now and we are going home. had a nice chat with a Jewish girl in the ticketing line, she thought i was being sarcastic when i said "you're quick", for that early in the morning when she figured out we were all seminarians. i wasn't being sarcastic, but i am re-affirmed in the fact that i apprarently don't know how to "sarcas" correctly.

"unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain" is this not what prayer is? what is prayer if i am just doing it, getting it done, or doing it all myself? You are the Builder and i am the laborer, You do the work through me. You do the work through me? who am i, yet You build through my labor, but nothing is built by my labors alone. Thank You Father, for giving me what i need, though i know not that i need and desire it.

and so ends my Holy Land pilgrimage. as you can probably see, i have only begun to scratch the surface on what God is doing in all this. it is my hope that these reflections edify your spirit besides just letting you know what we did and what i noticed. hopefully you can see yourself in the same situations, praying the same prayers, that i did; that you too were a part of this pilgrimage, i being sent as your representative so to speak.
i may not blog for a while now since this is done, but i intend to give a brief update on my pilgrimage to Ars during the year of the priest, a little reflection on my Grandma Frey, and a quick thought on meeting the Pope- all of which occurred immediately after my return from the Holy Land. thank you for your prayers, your support, and your example. may God bless you richly!

with gratitude,

matt libra

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