Pilgrimage to the Holy Land - day 7

28 December 2012 - Holy Innocents

Dalmanutha - 
Mass at sunrise on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, another of Jesus' "lonely places".  I offered Mass here for Msgr. Powers.  Consecration and sunrise coincide.  Fr. Hurley - "a carpenter's son tells a fisherman how to fish, but Peter doesn't take offense.  Instead he submits and makes an act of Faith" (Cast out into the deep).  My retreat ends today, but not my pilgrimage.  We start on our way down to Jerusalem.

Baptismal Site of Jesus at Jordan - 
renewed our Baptismal promises.  Prayed for all those who have forgotten their Baptisms (struck by how someone else's prayer, someone else's insight can affect me and change my prayer).

Jericho - 
Site of the temptation of Jesus, where he went out into the desert to be tempted by satan.  He was tempted and He resisted.  Blind Bartimaeus and Zaccheus were from here.

Qumran - 
where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.  Hiked up the hill to a little cave and sat in the shade away from the hot sun.  Prayed for intentions here that we all might live out our vocation to holiness to the full, in whatever state of life or challenges we may face; for a renewal of fervor, integrity, for the light of Christ in our life.

Dead Sea - 
when its all about me, no life can live.  We must have an outlet to love.

Jerusalem - 
settle into our rooms, there is adoration going on right as I walk into the chapel.  Pray the stations.  Death.  You died.  A priest must die, fall, suffer.  Help me not to flee from suffering, not to fear Your silence.  Continue to teach me to be Your priest.  Thank you.  Read Matthew and Mark where Jesus heads toward Jerusalem.  Pray Psalms of ascent as we come up to Jerusalem.

Fr. Hurley - Jesus is going from Jericho to Jerusalem.  He doesn't presume to do something to Bartimaeus but asks him, "what do you want Me to do for you?"  Now we are here in Jerusalem.  Believe the Lord is doing something in your life; pay attention to what your reactions are.  What do you want to ask of Him as He comes near you?

Fr. Gaffney - surrender.