Pilgrimage to the Holy Land - day 3

24 December 2012 - Christmas Eve day

Slept in until 5:30, it was light already when I got to the lake.  Time just to be quiet and pray morning prayer as a white sun rose in the fog and haze, looking like a host being elevated at Mass.  My my offering of my wants permit You to touch my needs.

Mount of Beatitudes
Mass.  I was the principle celebrant.  Yesterday I offered Mass for my Goddaughter Genevieve Elise, today I offered Mass for Joey, Samantha and Emily, other Godchildren of mine, for their Christmas present.  The sister welcomed us with such kindness and calm, giving us freedom to prepare and start at our leisure - totally changes how I can enter in to the moment by her welcome.  Below is a synthesis of my homily, because I know you all love to read homilies :)

   Going to Fr. Giertych after class one day I told him:  Fr., thank you for your class.  I really enjoy it and you teach us a lot.  Its just that every time I leave your class I feel like I need to change my whole life - could you stop exploding my head!  Without missing a beat, he responds in all sincerity:  "I'm not trying to explode your head, I'm trying to explode your heart".  Stuck to the core I retorted, see, thats exactly what I'm talking about! 
   That's what the beatitudes are, Jesus' way of exploding our hearts.  St. Ambrose says that in Luke 6 we have the sermon on the plain, where Jesus comes down to teach the crowds; but in Matthew 5-7 we have the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus comes to the crowds and to those who followed Him up the mountain He gives a deeper teaching as to disciples.  That's us.  For we who are trying to follow Jesus in our lives, this message is for  us.  Paul's words come on strongly now.  If any pride pops up at the thought of being a "special" disciple of Jesus ask Him to crush your pride.  For its not because we are so great, "not many of us are wise, influential, or well born" but we are nevertheless "called" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27).  St. Ambrose calls the beatitudes Jesus' "self portrait".  Why?  So we will recognize Him when He comes to us.  Just like a picture of your family, so you don't forget, so that they are present to you somehow through the picture.
   Consider where we are:  the Mount.  And from this vantage point Jesus can see another Mount where His face will be poor in spirit, sorrowing, lowly, hungry, thirsty, doling out mercy and peace even though persecuted and insulted.  From the Mount of Beatitudes we see Mount Calvary.
   Brothers, it is Christmas Eve day.  Our Lord is coming near to us to reveal His glory.  Here He gives us His self-portrait so that we might recognize Him as He comes to us today.  Don't understand Him only in your mind, but receive Him as He wishes to reveal Himself to you; and let your hearts be exploded.

Jack - "Nice sermon on the mount on the mount where Jesus preached this sermon".

Intentions - I prayed for intentions here today, what do You want to teach those I'm praying for?

Loaves and Fishes Monastery -
Where the feeding of the 5,000 took place (Matthew 14:13-21).  Superabundance is the sign that the Kingdom is already in our midst.  This is a place of Thanksgiving.  The disciples just returned from their mission  and Jesus says "come away to a lonely place by yourselves" (Mark 6:30-44).  The crowds showed up.  If it were me, I'd be jealous of my time.  I would be happy for having been sent on mission, I would have stories I wanted to tell, I would have wanted to be alone and reflect with Jesus.  Having got to my lonely place I would be perturbed that the crowds came.  Though there was not much bread I would be happy to have a little and share this time with the other apostles and Jesus, but to share it with an impossible amount of people would dishearten me.  Yet, Jesus is unbegrudged.  He is ready to welcome the other.  He is quick to allow pity to stir in His Heart for them, quick to respond with openness and quick to call forth gift from others, particularly us, His disciples.  He is not sorry to ask us to spend ourselves.  "Give them some bread yourselves".  This is the life of Your disciple, to give what we have.  Connected to the Vine we will always have something to give.  "Non mea sed Tua volunta"  The priest is not his own.


Lunch of beef jerky and visit with Bentz, Lebsock, Keating and Nelson.  Good conversation.  Good men.

Eremos Cave - 
Trying to recollect the day a little, praying with more of Matthew's Gospel.  3pm Stations of the Cross up the Mount of Beatitudes, rosary on the way back down.

Waterfall - 
Need to pray and reflect.  "I desire mercy and not sacrifice".  What do You wish to teach me?  No answer.

Adoration - 
What do You want to teach me?  As I was praying a scripture struck me in a personal way: "What did you come to the Holy Land to see?  A reed blowing in the wind?  Then what did you come here to see?  A man clothed in fine garments?  What did you come to see?  A priest?  Yes, I tell you and more than a priest.  If you are willing to accept it, I am the High Priest, the King, and the Messiah.  You have come to follow in my steps, follow closely, I will teach you how to be a priest".

In silent, simple adoration, quite unexpectedly, just coming to offer a prayer, You already come to meet me.  A heart exploded.  Joy, peace, Trust, freedom, Hope.

Christmas Eve Mass.  Christmas party until 11:30pm.  Eating a hot pepper at dinner is a mistake.

Introducing Seamus Bear!  Seamus is a bear a third grade girl from Scio, OR is sending around to see how far he can go.  I kinda saw him as getting to be with you, going to these places together.  Whenever you see him in a pic, just imagine yourself there with me.  (pic 1 - sunrise at my spot on the sea of Galilee.  pic 2 - lunch with the guys at loaves and fishes)