Pilgrimage: A moment of Grace

When I got the invitation to once again be the chaplain for a scheduled pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Turkey, I did not hesitate to accept the privilege. What a way to culminate the celebration of the “Year of Faith”! With 22 of us pilgrims, the group met in Amman, Jordan as a jump off point. Two week-tracks were designated: October 28 – November 3, 2013 for Jordan, Israel and Palestine and November 4-12, 2013 for Turkey.

The first track was intended to contemplate in the very sites where our Lord Jesus was born (Bethlehem), baptized (Jordan), lived (Nazareth), made his first miracle (Cana); taught (Tiberias), suffered, died and glorified (Jerusalem). We embrace the holiness of these sites as touched by the Holy One. All these have become so real. The second track traced places reached by the apostles and where early Christian communities learned the faith. We feel the presences of St. John the Beloved who preached in Ephesus and cared for our Blessed Mother; St. Paul who preached in Antioch-Pisidia; the Cappadocian Fathers defending the doctrine of the Trinity, Bishop Polycarp caring of the Christian community in Izmir, the nostalgic visit to the Byzantine Cathedral of Haggia Sophia in Constantinople (now Istanbul), and many more.
This privileged pilgrimage is a moment of grace. To see, hear, taste, smell, and feel these places truly affirm me of my faith in the historical (human) and glorified (Divine) Jesus. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: “Should you be disposed to doubt it (the crucifixion), the very place which everyone can see proves youa wrong, this blessed Golgotha… on which we are now assembled. Deny not the crucified… Gethsemane bears him witness, where the betrayal took place.”

The journey changed all of us. What a miracle! Strangers from the start, we ended our journey of faith as close friends. This was aided by our daily prayers and recitation of the rosary climaxed by the celebration of the Eucharist and reconciliation. The sharing of our personal life and faith experiences bonded us into one. A spiritual community emerged among us with much fun and care for each other. Our faith built us up into the Body of Christ, His Church. Our hope and joy is affirmed by the witnesses of saints and martyrs who have achieved the reward of glory in heaven led by our Blessed Mother Mary.

The pilgrimage also made me conscious of my fragile humanity. While we are on this earth, sickness and fatigue, pain and suffering, the inconveniences of space and time, the insecurity of being a stranger in a foreign land, not bring a second tunic or extra baggage (cf. Mk 6:7ff). All these were symbolic of carrying our crosses like Jesus. We feel the sorrow of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane. He must be scared being put by the dungeon of Caiaphas’ house. As we meditated on the stations of the cross crossing the Arab quarter-bazaars, we felt the indifference of all. Most of all, I am pained to see the desecration of the Basilica of Hagia Sophia (now a museum) in Constantinople with the destruction of mosaics and icons. I can picture the glorious days of the Eastern Church in Asia now overtaken by Moslems world. What more can I do but pray for our persecuted brethren in places where Christians are a minority. We pray unity of Christians and of all religions.

In behalf of the group, I sincerely thank Ate Linda Gonzales of Rosces Journey Services, Ms. Arlina Onglao and Luigi of the Journeys of Faith, Inc. who facilitated the trip and provided us with excellent guides and cozy lodgings beyond expectations. Everyone was truly blessed and fulfilled! With our faith assured, let us proclaim Christ our King, the victorious Paschal Lamb who accompanies the Church until His return. We may experience many hardships, sufferings, calamities, trials, but let the words of St. Paul echo constantly in our ears: “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ”. Thank you Lord for those moments of grace! Thank you for the faith!