December 7, 2003
Final Reflection
I am presently on retreat bringing to a fitting conclusion this four month sabbatical. Earlier today I read over my reflections from the Holy Land and I realized that I did not say anything about an important event in the final days in Jerusalem. Allow me to reflect with you for a few moments.
After we returned from Egypt Sunday evening, the 2nd of November, we had the next few days to finish some final tasks before flying out on the 6th. However , there was one more jewel for us to experience: the Passion Walk.
The Passion Walk was not the Stations of the Cross, but rather a visit to each of the sites that commemorates the last day of Jesus before his death. Specifically, this included : the site of the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, the site of the trial before the Sanhendrin, the condemnation site before Pilate, his crucifixion and burial site.
We started at the place of the Last Supper which is honor just south of the present walls close to the Church of the Dormition. The Franciscans have a simple chapel here and I was able to lead our group in the Eucharist. While the structure has more ritual today and the Word of God is more formalized, we still took bread and wine , blessed, shared and believed that we were sharing in the very Body and Blood of the Lord. As Catholics, this is where we always come “home” to.
We then walked to the Garden of Gesthsemane. This was a good walk, leaving the south side of the city and walking to the east side, then down the Kendron Valley and part of the way up the Mount of Olives. In the garden we sat by olive trees that are ancient , and we listened to Mark’s account of Jesus’ agony in the garden . We sat in the silence. The place felt sacred. Here our Savior struggled with his fears; here he hoped for another conclusion; here he surrendered to is Father ’s will. There is a small carving in the rock of Jesus both praying and anguishing.
Then we walked back across the Kendron Valley, back up to the Old City, only staying outside and going to the Church of St. Peter Gallicantu. This is where Jesus was on trial before the Sanhendrin and where Peter denied him. Gallicantu, literally means, “crowing chicken”! We again read the story from Mark’ s Gospel and sat quietly in the church. I remember the beautiful flowers just outside the church. This place hopelessness, suffering and denial; yet it is also a place of tremendous hope and profound love. Jesus made the difference.
We followed Fr. Leslie, our guide, to the Citadel inside the Old City, on the western side of city. This is where King Herod had his palace. Since Pontius Pilate did not live in Jerusalem (he lived in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea) he probably stayed with Herod when he came to the city. This is different from the Antonio Garrison which is located north of the Temple and on the east side of the Old City. The Antonio Garrison is where the Stations of the Cross begin. Most scholars today believe Pilate would have stayed with Herod and therefore, the trial of Jesus would have occurred there.
We again read the Scriptures and sat in silence. The meaning of the moment is hard to fully grasp. Maybe only those who have lost loved ones in tragedy, or have received the diagnosis of a terminal illness, can truly understand what Jesus experienced at that moment. Yet, we can all know the sense of abandonment and aloneness that he must have felt.
Our final destination was the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where both the crucifixion and the burial are honored. It is inside the walls today, but in Jesus’ day it was outside the wall. It is an old limestone quarry and scholars believe that crucifixions occurred here. Since old quarries were frequently used for burials , it is reasonable to believe that the tomb of Jesus was in the same quarry, perhaps not far away. In the church the too events are honored only about 100 feet apart , with the crucifixion being about 12 feet higher.
We read; we pray. Fr. Leslie ends with a prayer from the heart…his voice is filled with emotion. Our whole faith revolves around this journey, one Friday 2000 years ago. Jesus lived all the human emotions of sadness, anguish, betrayal, denial, fear, pain, abandonment. Out of this day, in the light of Easter, we can know hope , life, bonding, salvation, promise. We can rejoice, even has we are asked to walk journeys that can also include the suffering that Jesus knew.
This may have been the best part of the trip. It brought it together in many ways.
FINAL WORDS
The rest of my time off has been spent with family and visiting a few friends. My niece, Carrie, was married on November 22nd and the family enjoyed the time together . I was home for 10 days, perhaps the longest visit since I was in my early twenties !! I also got to spend a week vacation in Italy, Switzerland and Germany with my brother, Bernie, and my sister, Mary Ann. We had a great time and saw so much beauty, both natural and constructed.
I begin in the parish later this week. I feel rested and ready to return. The impact of these four months will continue to be discovered, both within me and by those around me!
I want to thank so many people who worked especially hard to help these months be possible . In particular I want to thank, Fr. Bob Robeson, who handled the responsibility with grace and dedication. A special thanks to the people in the office who had to keep things together and made decisions. Thank you. And also, a thank you to Lilly Endowment who funded my four months and allowed me to experience this time without a financial burden to the parish or myself. I am humbled by their kindness and it is very appreciated.
Fr. Paul
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