Up at 4am and out by 4:30 to go to the Holy Sepulcher with Luxama, Keating, and Thai. Morning Prayer before the tomb.
Calvary -
One of the ridiculous things about being a priest is the possibility to celebrate Mass, and it just so happened that I was able to reserve special altars in Jerusalem for Mass with a few people. Today, I get to celebrate the Mass of the Holy Family at Calvary with the guys listed above and a few other people that were there, including a few Missionaries of Charity. I offered Mass today for Mom on her birthday. Sense of gratitude and peace. At most of these places one is allotted only 1/2 hr for Mass so everything has to be concise, but it was still prayerful. Here is the whole of my homily:
The Family is the dwelling place of love.
"The family is the privileged setting where every person learns to give and receive love" (Benedict XVI). Let us learn from the Holy Family: Mary, always pondering on the great mysteries of Christ's life; Joseph, there is no record of any words he ever spoke, but only his acts, decisive acts of Faith; and Jesus, who opened not His mouth as He was led to be crucified. Let us be mindful of where we are. We are at Calvary. The consummation of love happened here.
Breakfast and prayer in the chapel at Notre Dame. Looking forward to some quiet time today. Thank You for looking out for me. I need quiet today. Like You, I want to set my face toward Jerusalem, to soak in the priestly significance of this place; to hear the Gospels anew, to think about Judas and my own betrayal and silence.
Dormition Abbey -
We got to pray with the Monks here in German. After prayer they invited us to coffee and social - very nice and kind of them, but I don't drink coffee or speak German, and I just want to go away by myself and pray. I feel like my day is being taken away and wasted. Every extra instruction/needless delay perturbs me. I am less than charitable. Down in the crypt I remember Fr. Quan's lesson "Make my Magnificat yours". Lord Jesus, fill me, that I might also give Your love to others and not my leftovers, my own sentiments, or seek to win their love or take from them. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done. I can tell it will be easy for me to be sharp, critical, to complain, to do things to make myself feel good or right today. Lord, help me not to fear such a light Cross.
Once we were finally free I went back to Dormition Abbey and found the Blessed Sacrament tucked away in the crypt and prayed, reading Matthew. I prayed for intentions here today, that Mary would intercede for them all since I am not praying well. Here is a place of trust, that even when death came she placed herself in Your hands and You preserved her from corruption.
Notre Dame -
After a quick look at the Last Supper Room and Peter in Gallicantu I came back for a nap. I could go back out, but Jerusalem is all chaos, new stimulus and noise and I crave reflection reflection time. So I stay here to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. I owe prayers for people at Gethsemane, Caiaphas' well, and the upper room.
Adoration -
The fidelity of Jesus - He did not come down from the Cross. "Behold I am with you always, even till the end of the age". Does Jesus love me? Know His love by His faithful presence, His promise of the Eucharist. A priest must not be afraid of silence, especially the silence of God. A priest must be humble, accept humble sufferings, that should he deny Christ as Peter did, he will permit Jesus' love for him, that he will accept again Jesus' faithful love and not deny it. My prayer from the primacy of Peter is answered: How was Peter so confidently able to say "Lord You know I love You?" He had no doubt in Jesus' love for him. Convinced by Jesus faithful love for him on Calvary, he was unafraid to run to that love. Not confidence in himself but confidence in Jesus' love.
 |
| The Beautiful Nativity Scene on the Feast of the Holy Family at Dormition Abbey. I am struck by good wood carvings. |
No comments:
Post a Comment