The One Year Anniversary of My Trip to Israel

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel from Jesus Our Risen Savior Catholic Church, Spartanburg, SC and St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Lodi, NJ

Hello to all my Fellow Pilgrims!

It's hard to believe a year ago, I was blessed to be with all of you, taken on the most profound experience of my life - to visit the area where Our Lord and Savior lived and died. 

I can't thank my Mother, Rosemary, enough for the great gift of this trip.  I don't know about all of you, but it changed me.  I cannot go a single day without thinking about some event or building or view or place that we visited.  I find I can relate to the Bible like never before, I can picture a lot of the Gospels right where they happened.  It's almost overwhelming - wonderful & awe-inspiring at the same time!

At the time I was told of the trip, I began to try to keep a journal and although I attempted multiple versions, multiple times, I was not able to find a way or the time to write down all that I saw and did, my observations and thoughts, while we were in Israel.  But after I returned home, I finally began to write it down.  Not in chronological order, but liturgically.  

As the Gospels were read in church on Sunday, I would be inspired to write down my thoughts regarding the trip pertaining to that scripture reading.  Not every week, but first thing I knew, I had filled almost an entire book! 

My journaling has not been steady (I could not hardly write a single thing during Lent or the Easter season for some reason!??).  I have lots of memories that are incomplete and have not quite come together to date and which are only half-written.  And I feel like there is a lot more to come. But I have posted my impressions and completed thoughts to date here.  

If you are interested, you are welcome to go scan over them.  I didn't use anyone's real name, except the tour people.  

I would love, love, love for you to post your comments or reply to me regarding your memories of the places I have posted about!  Whether spiritual or not, just your impressions as you experienced it.  I'd love to hear them to see how your experience differed from mine!!!

In any case, I just wanted to let you all know that I think of you all often and will always hold a special place in my heart for all of you!!  As our year approaches Thanksgiving, I am giving thanks that all of you were there with me last year.  The trip was what it was because of each person involved.  It was wonderful and tiring and exciting and scary and happy and sad and profound and spiritual and frustrating and just the best ever in my opinion!  : ) 

I am praying for you all, always!

Love ~ Kathy

Holy Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes

ORDINARY TIME

Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”

View from the top of the Mount of Beatitudes looking down to the Sea of Galilee

Yes, I know. This isn't a Sunday reading, but the daily one for November first.  I loved the Mount of Beatitudes so much though; I will always remember it as so peaceful.

The word beatitude literally means "happiness" or "blessedness". 

Well we were certainly blessed the day we visited.  It was gorgeous, with a wonderful "blue-bird sky" as my husband calls it, and perfect temperatures.  I did take some notes that day....

"Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes - listening to the Gospel story with the breeze on my face and the birds singing, sunshine so bright and flowers blooming - it could not have been more precious.

 The sermon was perfect, but I can't remember the words - oh how I wish I had a better memory. 

 As Fr.  N. held up the host, it was backlit by the sun!  It glowed with light and looked radiant to me.  Bees buzzed and birds chirped and it was p.e.r.f.e.c.t.

I look out now over the altar that we used and can see the Sea of Galilee below me from this mountain, I see banana trees and palms down the mountainside to the water.  It is an amazing place to be, how blessed am I."

Fr. N. delivers a "sermon on the mount"

I just cannot convey how absolutely peaceful it was on the mountain for me that day.  Mass was just beautiful.  It was outside, right on the side of the very mountain where Jesus gave the Beatitudes to all Believers.

Fr. T looks to be deep in the spiritual moment of this beautiful place

We were out in the sunshine, under the trees just as the people might have been that very day so long ago.  Looking around, I wondered if some of the rocks were the very ones the people had rested on as they heard His words!

Rocks on the Mount of Beatitudes

Bougainvillea blooms overhead in the outside chapel area

Birds were singing and when I looked up, the dappled sun shone down on me through the gorgeous Bougainvillea flowers and my heart was just bursting!

I kept picturing Jesus teaching the people on this mountainside and being so glad in the providence of God that allowed us to be outside for Mass rather than inside the chapel.

Sermon of the Beatitudes - James Tissot

I'm guessing that at most of the holy sites we were allowed the great gift of celebrating Mass, our priests attempted to have our services indoors the sacred and famous chapels and churches.  But it didn't always work out, and this was one time when I was glad to be outside to celebrate Mass.

Beautiful Mass in a beautiful place

 

Although we were given time to explore the grounds of the Church of the Beatitudes after mass, I went to a bench beside the altar and looked out over the hillside down to the Sea of Galilee (where we had just been earlier that morning).

I wanted to be alone and I could have stayed there and basked in my own happiness for quite a while.  and I knew I was blessed to be feeling so profoundly effected by this place.

View from the top of the Mount of Beatitudes

I looked down the hillside from my bench and the banana groves and palm trees swayed in the gentle breezes.  The sky and water were almost the same shade of blue, and Mt. Arbel was barely visible in the distance.

I remembered being told once at a retreat to close my eyes and let the sunshine warm my skin like the love of God shining down on me.  I sat in this wonderful place and reveled in trying to absorb the glorious feelings I was experiencing, the spiritual souvenirs I was receiving. 

Although I did explore the inside of the Chapel (and the gift shop too!), I will save that memory for another time.  I wanted to again savor the moment on that day in November 2012 when I was privileged to have spent time on the Mount and so today I will stop here in my reminisces about the blessings I received that day in that special place.

Thank You Lord for that moment on that day in that place.  And if it be your will, please let me one day go back and sit on that bench on the top of the Mount of Beatitudes.  Amen.

From the top of the Mount of the Beatitudes

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 5

Lost Near the Jaffa Gate

ORDINARY TIME

Luke 13:22-30

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”
He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
²⁶ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
²⁷ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
²⁸ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

This is a scary story.  It's all about doing God's will as opposed to my own, or I may not end up at the banquet in the kingdom of God. 

Narrow Zion Gate - Jerusalem

(This car could barely make the turn to come through this gate and
we saw multiple vehicles going back & forth to make it through.
We actually saw one car smack the wall, back up and keep on going!)


My will = the wide gate

Gods will = the narrow gate

But how do we know who's will we are following?  There don't seem to be any maps or road signs.  At least not that my dense-self has seen.  Doing God's will doesn't mean easy or happy, right?  Then again, if trying to do something seems like swimming upstream constantly, doesn't that seem like it goes against God's will?  Doesn't that seem like a "sign"?  Like, if I am doing God's will, God's way, shouldn't the path be easy and straight?  Nope.

I understand "for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough".  That seems to be talking about being strong enough to resist temptation.  Strong enough to do the right thing, strong enough to stand up for what's right, strong enough to say NO to Satan and his ways and the ways of this world.

But "walk the rough road".....now what does that mean?  What makes this road rough?  Boulders to stumble on?  Twists to confuse us?  Holes to turn our ankles or trip us up?  Hills to climb, steep or slippery accents?  Or is it rough in a metaphysical way?  The path is very straight but narrow with many sinful behaviors and enticing  to knock us off?  High winds to make us unsteady and threaten to blow us off the edge?   

Do worldly treasures and ideas and people constantly push or pull at us to knock us off?

Well my ASA - that's my Anonymous Spiritual Adviser - (Have I ever told you I have a spiritual adviser, only she doesn't know it?  She's one of the most spiritual people I know and she surprises and guides me all the time!)  said it's like perspective in art.  God is our focal point. 

perspective drawing with a focal point

We are suppose to make a direct line to Him, no matter where we start or are.  But we fall, we stray, we get lost.  And by the great mercy of God, He adjusts the path so that it again leads straight to Him. 

She said that although He planned a specific path in the beginning, the path of His will is like a constantly turning compass point.  No matter which way we twist and wiggle and backtrack, it's always going to point a straight line to God.  Staying on that line is His Will.

No matter how many times I stray, no matter how far to the left or right or away from his Will I go, no matter how many times I sin, He has infinite mercy and patience with me and he "redraws" my path to heaven, His will for me.  

Every single time I repent or confess or try again, I get a new, straight-line to God!

How beautiful is that?  : )

I love knowing the God will show me the way to him, no matter how lost I am.  

When we were in Jerusalem, we got lost.  

Plaza outside the Jaffa Gate

The entire tour group had exited out the Jaffa Gate after a full day of events in Old Jerusalem.  It was sunset and Mom and I stood with everyone and marveled at the mix of old and new, the ancient wall of the City of David and the modern highway running beside it.  

Besides that, I realized I was very near the same location as Mitch had years ago!  I remembered his photograph when he was a junior in college (and suppose to be in Egypt, not Israel....but that's another story) and was trying to remember just where he had been.  

Mitch in Jerusalem, 2004

There was a gorgeous sunset which made a perfect backdrop to the beautiful spot.  Mom & and were happily taking photos and enjoying ourselves on the plaza/bridge. 

Jerusalem is a constant mix of ancient & modern

When all of a sudden we realized we were alone!

It's a sickening feeling to look around and know your group is gone and you have no idea which way they went.  We looked around and saw a very glittery and modern-looking shopping mall leading off the plaza - they must have gone in there for more shopping!  

Mamilla Mall in Jerusalem

We took off quickly down the wide, tiled walkway between the very expensive shops.  Everywhere were lights and people and beautiful clothes, jewelry, keepsakes and gifts mixed between outdoor cafe tables and musicians and artistic statues!  It was lovely and such a contrast to the ancient shops we had just come from on the other side of the Jaffa Gate!

Well, no matter how hurriedly we walked, we didn't see a soul we knew.  No one from our group was to be seen in the wide promenade, nor at the cute cafe tables, nor through any of the enticing windows to the very high-end stores we were passing.  
 
Uh Oh.

I could feel my stomach sinking and my stress rising.  In fact, very quickly I was beginning to panic.  It was getting dark and what if they didn't realize we weren't with the group???

Ah ha - modern technology to the rescue!  I grabbed my phone and began to text Di!

"We are lost!  Where are you guys!?!?!?"

And she texted me right back with a location - they were on the bus parked along a lower street down the stairs from the Jaffa Gate.  I ran ahead to the next break in the stores, ran out onto the wide steps and looked - there were more than a dozen buses parked up and down the street and after a minute I spotted ours about 2 from the end!

THANK GOD!

Looking off of the Mamilla Mall to the street below - full of tour buses

Mom and I made our way to them as fast as we could and jumped on the bus.  Hillel and Mickey were talking outside the door and Hillel looked at me with that exasperated, you-are-always-last-on-the-bus look.  I smiled and we went to our seats.  What a relief!!  Whew!

What a lesson that was.  Pay attention.  Stay alert.  And when you are lost:  Phone A Friend!

It's a lesson for my spiritual life too:  Stay on track, pray for guidance, and when I feel lost, call someone spiritual and get some advise to help me find my way back to God's path!

Dear Lord, Thank You for placing people in my life that can help guide me to you.  Thank you for the Holy Priests, my holy friends, my holy family members who help me on my path to heaven!  Amen.

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 8

Honoring Mary in her Assumption

HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION - THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY

On our last day in Israel (Day 9), we visited Dormition Abbey.

Basilica of the Dormition, Jerusalem, Israel

This is where Mary fell asleep.

When we entered the upper church, we were in a huge room with 3-4 story ceiling.  The entire church is loaded with symbolism!

Inside the Basilica of the Dormition

Every step I took was over a huge mosaic of the zodiac, which surprised/shocked me at first.  Guess I've been living in the protestant bible belt too long!  LOL!  But that's another story for another time.  The brochure says the floor is designed to show God's love for us.

Mosaic floor in the Basilica's ground floor

The main altar was a dome filled with a gorgeous gold mosaic of the Virgin Mary holding Baby Jesus.

Surrounding the room were 6 smaller altars, each one domed and most dominated by a lovely mosaic.

Each one was just gorgeous!  Think of all the work and love that went into placing each tile to honor our Lord!  It was spectacular!

Several of them also had these beautiful copper plates below them, I wonder if some of them were tabernacles?  Not sure.

Next we proceeded down a circular staircase into the crypt.  We entered another large, circular room with a gazebo-type structure in the middle which held a sarcophagus-looking statue of Mary looking like she was asleep.  It looked like she was lying in state.

The outside of the low wall had a kneeler around it and entire area was surrounded by praying pilgrims.  There were prayer candles and a giant single vase of white lilies.

Mary's hands were folded over her heart and the artist had captured a very restful and peaceful look on her face with the slightest hint of a Mona Lisa smile.

I knelt for a moment and although I don't remember what my prayers were, I hope I said a word of thanksgiving to Our Lady for leading me back to my faith.  Her intercession to me was like a nuclear blast to the luke-warm Catholic I was at the time, and I will always be indebted to her for waking me up and setting my heart on fire for the Lord.

I did light a candle for my own prayer intentions.  I love doing that.  I know it might seem silly to some, but I like doing something tangible and thinking of my prayer rising to heaven with the invisible heat.

As I then wandered around the Crypt, I saw that there were multiple small domed altars surrounding this room also.  Again, they were just beautiful.

I was here that I came across my most favorite artwork of Mary & Elizabeth embracing, which I call the Mystery Painting of Dormition Abbey.

The brochure states "The first two altars on the northern wall have no particular design so far -".   I guess that is a matter of opinion!

I have always had a special love for Mary (but then again, don't we all?).

My first name is Kathleen, which does not have a patron saint at all, so I have always claimed St. Catherine Labouré as my own, who received the Miraculous Medal from Our Lady.  My middle name is Marie, a derivative of Mary.  And to top it all off, as a 5th grader making my Confirmation (don't even get me started about how I don't agree with that young age!), I took the name Bernadette and made her my patron after watching the movie Song of Bernadette.   Additionally, I made my First Holy Communion at St. Mary's Catholic School, another indication in my young mind that I was a special child of Our Lady.  I have never doubted that she was my mother or considered any other possibility other than I had a special connection to her.  To this day I still have the little plastic statue of Our Lacy of Peace which I won in 3rd grade for reciting the Hail Mary for Sister Bernadette beside my bed.

Don't be alarmed at Mary's burnt face, that is just the result of my 12-year-old-self burning incense to honor Mary at my small bedroom altar.  (really just the statue on top of the beautiful, shiny, jet-black Japanese jewelry box with beautiful inlay my parents gave me when I was in 4th grade, which I have passed on to one of my kids).

Mary always stood on top, with a little vase of flowers now and then, and when incense got so popular in the early 70's I did enjoy choosing the various "flavors" and burning it at my little altar.  I obviously didn't have a proper holder, and standing the little stick up in a bottle didn't work since it fell over and burned poor Mary's face.  After that I started buying the cone-shaped kind!  Haha!  She has stood in my bedroom ever since I won her in 3rd grade.

Nowadays my little statue is still in my bedroom, but my little altar has grown just a little from the days of standing on a jewelry box (and looks a bit busy!).  I'm sure Mary is much happier now to be in her rightful place beside her son and not in the center any longer.  You can always count of Mary to humbly stand at any crossroads in your life and point the way to her son.

As I walked around the crypt it didn't really sink in that this was the place that Mary left this Earth. God had to take her, body and soul, as she was the most blessed vessel by which his son had entered into this world.  It would have been disrespectful to allow her boy to be corrupt.  And so she is the first of us to be in heaven as we all will be one day.  She is fully there in every way.  It is a wonderful gift that God allows her to appear and give us messages of hope and love for humankind.  And it is a true miracle that he allowed her to send a sign (wake-up!) directly to me!

I found this beautiful artwork on the internet and thought it was just wonderful and reminded me so much of the Crypt of the Basilica of the Dormition!

 

Oh Mary, Mother of God, how we honor you today!  How we love you and want to be like you!  Please  continue to pray for us and guide us each and every day!

2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 9

Capernaum - Where Jesus Walked

Capernaum.

There are a lot of sites in Israel that are "iffy".  There are disputes as to if this place or that was the exact "spot" that such-and-such happened.  After all, it's been over 2000 years.  But not Capernaum.  Here there is no dispute.  Everyone agrees to the authenticity of the ruins of Capernaum.

"Leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum" (Matt 4:13).

Jesus lived here.  Jesus LIVED here!

Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen living in the village.  Matthew the tax collector also stayed here.

It's just an amazing thought. 

We started out in a marvelous garden.  There were benches under a large grove of trees (I found out later they were olive).  It was so peaceful.  So happily peaceful.

Quiet.  People spoke in hushed voices.  I remember there was a breeze.  It was so nice.

We all sat on the benches and Fr. T read to us from the Bible.  I wish I could remember which verse he read.  Capernaum is mentioned in the Gospels 16 times so I have no idea which one it was. But I remember it was wonderful.  I closed my eyes and was basking in it....until Hillel (our Jewish guide) jumped in and started giving us a detailed history lesson.  I think Fr. T was not happy about it, I know I sure wasn't.



On and on about the archeological significance of the place, the history of the Jewish people and how they lived 2000 years ago.  It was interesting, but it wasn't spiritual.  Hillel droned on and on with facts and to tell the truth, I was annoyed.  When some tour helicopters flew over and drowned him out, I was guiltily glad!

Actually, it turned out that Hillel is an expert on Capernaum and a premier archaeologist in Israel.  We were blessed to have had someone so knowledgeable for our guide.  Unfortunately, none of us realized that at the time.  He was trying to give us the rich history and archeological significance of the Jews in this place, and I was interested in connecting spiritually with Jesus in his hometown.  sigh.

We saw lots of cool things, in the court yard there is a display of industrial stone tools that were used at ancient times for farming, such as several olive oil presses, stone jugs, etc.

As we walked along, we could see the foundations of buildings built from the local (black) basalt rock.

As we walked down the path, we came to The Synagogue.

the Synagogue where Jesus preached in Capernaum, Israel

This was THE spot where Jesus preached.

the Synagogue of Capernaum

Actually, this is the "White Synagogue" which was built of white limestone at the end of the 4th century A.D. over the Temple Jesus knew in his day.

You can see the black, basalt rocks common to Capernaum under the beautiful white stones of the later synagogue. 

Jesus taught here. 

"Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught."   Mark 1:21

"Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath,

and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority."    Luke 4:31-32

"These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum."    John 6:59

 

 "When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home."  Mark 2:1

"After this, he and his mother, (his) brothers, and his disciples went down to Capernaum and stayed there only a few days."  John 2:12

Jesus made his home here. He lived his daily life here. They knew him, he was their "Teacher". He preached and he healed. He cast out demons.  He went to synagogue here.  He shopped and worked and lived day to day there! He walked all those streets.

This is where the Gospel of Luke says Jesus healed the centurion's servant and raised from the dead the daughter of this synagogue’s leader.

This is where the Gospel of Mark says Jesus healed a man possessed by an evil spirit.

the excavations in Capernaum, Israel

I couldn't.  I just stared out at the ruins and could not comprehend what I was looking at.  I was in complete awe of where I was!

Still to this day I cannot attend Mass without thinking of the black stones of Capernaum.  They come to my mind each time I say,

"Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the words and my soul shall be healed."

Capernaum with the Sea of Galilee in the background

"Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”"  Matthew 9:1-2

Christ Heals a Man Paralyzed by the Gout. Mark 2:4. Engraving by Bernhard Rode, 1780.

 "A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”"  Mark 2:1-5

 

Wow.  I mean seriously - WOW. 

Across the ruins from the Synagogue is St. Peter's house.

Although it would have been a simple dwelling 2000 years ago since Peter was just a fisherman, now there is a very odd-shaped church built over it.

This is where the story from both the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark tell us that Jesus left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon (Peter) where his mother-in-law was sick with a fever.  Jesus grasped her hand and helped her up.  The fever left her and she waited on them.  And this was the place!!!

Under the Church in Capernaum is the House of St. Peter

There is archaeological evidence that shows pilgrims have been coming to this spot for centuries, leaving behind carvings of crosses, names, blessings and inscriptions on the walls.  Excavations have revealed pottery and lamps dating back to the end of the first century!!

The weird-looking church has a glass floor in the middle which looks down into St. Peter's house.

Under the glass floor of the Church and House of St. Peter

St. Peter's house is mentioned in the diaries of ancient pilgrims.  Egeria made her pilgrimage in 381, which she said included the original walls: "In Capernaum the house of the prince of the apostles has been made into a church, with its original walls still standing."  and in 570, the Piacenza pilgrim reported that "the house of St. Peter is now a basilica."

To the right of St. Peter's house are some areas for outside prayers services, mass or private meditation.

 
There is also a tiny bit of shoreline in this area, which a determined pilgrim can get to.

I was mesmerized. 

Time had marched on in Capernaum.  Civilizations had come and gone, buildings had risen and fallen...but that shoreline across the sea could not be much different than when Jesus gazed upon it 2000 years ago. 

 

I felt so at peace.

Too soon, as is always the case on a tour, the group was moving on and I had to leave.  Before I did, I pulled out a bottle I had been carrying for just such an occasion and scooped up some of the precious water.  Water that Jesus had swam in....fished in....walked on.

As we made our way back to the entrance of the archaeological park, we stopped before a statue of St. Peter.

 

I was sad to leave and wished I could have spent many more hours in Capernaum, contemplating all the events that had taken place there.  Maybe some day I will get to finish my meditations and again bask in the peace of Jesus' hometown.