Feast of
St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor
Today has been another very long, full
day. However, in light of my very long
and full edition yesterday for Day 2 of my travel-Blog, I intend to make this
one briefer. However, there is so much
that could be written---that should be written---but not for right now.
The day began bright and early with breakfast,
and then we left at 7:30 a.m. to travel by bus to the Old City of Jerusalem, to
the Church of the Flagellation (the Church near the Second Station along the
Via Dolorosa where Jesus received His merciless scourging at the pillar,
beginning His ignominious and inhumane passion and suffering along the Way of
the Cross leading to His Crucifixion on Calvary ).
I was privileged to be the
Homilist for today's Mass which prayed in general for all victims of violence
and Inhumane treatment.
After Mass, we walked (and walked and
walked) through the Old City to the Patriarchate of the Armenian Orthodox
Church in Jerusalem.
We participated in
part of the Divine Liturgy at St. James' Cathedral. They spell the name of the Church in the
plural (St. James') because they have the distinction of having the head of St.
James the Greater buried in this Church, as well as the entire body of St. James
the Minor buried in this Church as well---thus, two St. James'.
After the Divine Liturgy, we were escorted
into the central offices of the Patriarchate where we were received by the
Patriarch (whose name, unfortunately escapes me) for dialogue.
We then traveled by bus back to the Mount of
Olives to the Convent of the Bridgentine Sisters to meet with the Patriarch
Emeritus of the Latin Rite Church in Jerusalem, Patriarch Emeritus Sabbah.
Both of these dialogues were quite
stimulating, enlightening, and in many ways surprising. I am surprised by the response that is
becoming somewhat normal: when we say
that we are here on a Pilgrimage for Peace, the response is almost dismissive,
in the sense that they are living in this impossible and long-lasting complex
situation, praying all the while for peace, which has not come. They seem almost cynical about the
possibility that peace may ever come about.
That is quite sad indeed.
We returned to the Hotel for a lunch
meeting with Father David Neuhaus, a priest of the Latin Patriarchate who is
working with the serious migrant population in Jerusalem, people who come from
the Philippines and Africa and elsewhere, trying to get away from their bad
living situations, only to find even worse living situations here in
Israel. We are very familiar with our
own immigrant problems in the United States, made very difficult and
heart-breaking by the ways that families can be divided, and that people live
in fear on so many levels due to their legal status (or illegal status); the
situation here in Israel appears to be all of that, and much worse.
At 3:00 p.m. we met with a Muslim Arab,
Chairperson Abadalquader Husseini (yes, of the famous family of the same name),
who spoke with us about the plight of the Palestinian Moslems living as
residents (not citizens) in Israel.
Again a very enlightening discussion.
Finally, following dinner, we met with
representatives/staff members of our own C.R.S. (Catholic Relief Services)
working on the ground here in Gaza, to give us a briefing on the conditions in
Gaza. Let me just say that it was quite
disturbing indeed.
So, as another long day concludes,
there is much for me/us to ponder. Much
of this is new insights, and I know I, and all the Bishops, are grateful for
that first-hand information. On the
other hand, much of this is distressing because it is becoming clearer about
the immense suffering, persecution, and inhumane treatment that is being
experienced in this Holy Land. It is not
restricted to one group; sadly, this reality is being experienced by all the
participants. I find it a blessed act of
providence that today is the Feast of St. John Chrysostom who lived not far
from here in Antioch/Constantinople in the 300's, when there was a good bit of
turmoil and terrible things taking place in his world at that time. As I pointed out in my homily today, St. John
Chrysostom, a Bishop and gifted preacher, as quoted in today's Office of
Readings, wrote: "The waters have
risen and severe storms are upon us, but we stand firmly upon a Rock....What
are we to fear?
Death?.....Exile?......Confiscation of goods?.....If Christ is with me,
whom shall I fear?....He is my strong tower, my immovable rock, my staff that
never gives way.....Let the world be in upheaval. I hold to His promise...:
'Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world'".
As difficult, sad, and upsetting as
situations are, whether that be here in the Holy Land, or back home in the
United States, Diocese of Kalamazoo, we must first, last, and always make sure
that we have built our house on the strong foundation of our faith (as we heard
in today's Gospel reading) because as Jesus Himself tells us: "When the flood came, the river burst
against that house but could not shake it because it had been well
built." May we remain firmly built
on the Rock of our Faith---the Church; and may all those who suffer from
violence and inhumane treatment anywhere in the world this day find relief and
consolation in the Love of Jesus Christ.
May we continue to pray and work for
Peace, and never lose Hope.
[NOTE: If you're interested in hearing/seeing what others on the trip are saying check out USCCB's Storify page here for a collection of "Tweets" and other photos.]
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