It is baking hot by 7.30am in Nazareth, and the Golden Crown Hotel teems with life at breakfast time as pilgrims get ready to move away. We are about to move to the sea of Galilee, Capernaum and other places where Jesus made his home for his public ministry.
Before going any further, however, today is already coloured by email news that Norman Jones, the husband of Jean, the Archbishop’s trusty and quite wonderful secretary, was killed in a road accident. He was the chauffeur for the Archbishop on many occasions, and has often been to Leyland; he was a friend to me and, I suspect, to many priests and others in the Archdiocese. So, the shadow of the cross is already there, as it is every day, for all of us. I feel sad at the thought of not being able to see the smiling and cheerful face of Norman again. May he rest in peace, and may God’s peace be with his family and the Archbishop; Norman, Jean and family are a part of his life.
Our pilgrimage already has the feel of something very special. There are 76 of us, from Scotland, Wales, Ireland and England, also people from Australia, USA, Canada and Jerusalem. Religiously, the majority are Catholic, but we have two URC ministers, two Salvation Army leaders, some Anglicans, one who is a non-believer, and others. Consequently, we are a “community” pilgrimage of some diversity. There is a great and rather wonderful spirit among us: we are entering into, and living, the meaning of the Gospel, which at the end of the day is summed up by the words: “May they all be One”. Jesus did not specify “Catholic Christians” but ‘ALL’, and our diverse group fits his prayer.
For some of us, to be here in Nazareth and read the story of the Annunciation, (Luke 1:26-38) and to be present in the streets where the events took place is quite magical. One feels so close to the story.
Yesterday, We ‘climbed’ Mount Tabor and had Mass of the Transfiguration at the summit. Parishioners may be interested to know that the ‘Holy, Holy, (No. 553 in our Hymn Book) was sung with greet feeling by the whole group of us Catholics, as we felt, deep inside, the holiness of God, on top of that mountain. Our ‘climb’ was by means of mini-bus – a good job, too, as it was quite an ascent. Jesus, with Peter, James and John must have had a hard task as they climbed – no mini-bus then – and they must have felt the heat! In reality, these ‘foundation stones’ of our Church were just like ordinary workmen, physically. Most of the workmen I know are the same, sprightly, well and physically fit
We have been so welcomed and well-looked after. There are two guides with a fund of knowledge at their fingertips. Yesterday was a long day, (arising at 6.00am, – 4.00am English time) and sight-seeing around Cana of Galilee (where there was a Franciscan friend of mine, one of the friends I meet as Religious each year, although I have not seen Fr. Casimiro for a few years, as his life is now here in the Holy Land). Before that was Mount Tabor, and later Nazareth.
I told the people that, before leaving Leyland, many parishioners asked me to remember them in my prayers. Well, that is happening for everyone.
Today, Sunday, it is now evening and we must get up at 6.00 am tomorrow to visit Jericho, the Dead Sea, and other things, ending up in Bethlehem. This morning we went for a sail on the Lake of Galilee and saw the hills that Jesus saw. The sea was choppy and at one point the boat, a big one, listed quite seriously. One lady felt very poorly, though she has now recovered. The rest of us were fine, and the setting was magical. Jesus calmed the storm on that lake, and that reminds me that there are plenty of storms in life for many of us. Again, reading the story in the Gospel, describing what Jesus did on the Lake was very meaningful.
Every place one visits makes an enormous impression in its own right. To have Mass where Jesus recited the Beatitudes was magical, too, and the Church on the site is quite beautiful. It is octagonal in design, reflecting each of the eight beatitudes, and is very peaceful.
Then also, the place where Jesus affirmed St. Peter, with the question, “Do you love me more than the others?” Jesus asked Peter three times, and said “Feed my lambs, feed my sheep!” You can see the (possible) rock on which Jesus grilled the fish the disciples ate on that occasion. Followed by Capernaum, where Jesus performed so many miracles, and preached in the synagogue, that has been excavated. Praying in the Church, above Peter’s mother-in-law’s house was so good. When we left there, hungry, we had what is called St. Peter’s fish for lunch!
At the Jordan we bathed in the waters, by twilight, as the light starts to fail by 5pm. People, in queues, were going right into the water in white ‘alb-like’ over-garments to be completely immersed, by a Greek Orthodox priest. We didn’t go that far, but bathed our feet and renewed our Baptismal vows. That was truly amazing, as each minister, two Anglicans, two URC and myself the Catholic, led the short ceremony, punctuated by all of us singing “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est” (Where there is love and charity, there is God). It was very moving as we felt so ‘at one’.
Perhaps the crowning of the day, however, was to meet a Jew and a Palestinian family in the evening, together with others of the Focolare Movement, all of whom are working for a united world. It was really touching to hear the little boy talking; he has now got Jewish and Muslim friends, he has learnt to love. And the same thing applies to his parents and elder sister, all of whom are Christian. They have all had many adventures learning to know and grow closer to the Muslims and Jews. What made the biggest impression, however, was the beauty of each person. The Jew was also amazing. He didn’t need a translator, as he had worked with the British during the time of the British Mandate (1917-1947), in the Holy Land. He pointed out that divisions existed as much between the different groups, in his case between Jews themselves, as between the different religions. Peace, he also said, was not just political peace, not the absence of war, but rather the peace where ordinary life is lived. If you have it in your heart, then in ordinary life it can spread far and wide; it is contagious.
We had chosen a ‘Word’ from the scriptures for the day. “Blessed are the peace-makers, theirs is the Kingdom of God”. We had tried to live it all that day. It was in a sense fulfilled. I felt that the fruit of all that Jesus did was coming to life in these small experiences, and so hope springs eternal.
