“The time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:6-7
After breakfast we headed to the Mount of Olives. Our first stop within the Mount of Olives was the Chapel of the Ascension from where it is believed that Jesus ascended into heaven. In the courtyard outside, we heard the Reading of the Ascension from Acts 1:6-11.
Father Willie told us that St. Ignatius visited this same chapel. Inside the chapel, there is a footprint of Jesus which is believed to be the last footprint that Jesus left on earth. When St. Ignatius was about to get into the boat that would take him to Rome, he couldn’t remember which direction the footprint was facing. He ran back to the chapel to take one last look at it, and then he ran to the port. The boat had already left. That particular boat was attacked by pirates three days later and everyone inside the boat was killed. God had a purpose for St. Ignatius and thus He detained him. Thank God because otherwise today we would not have the Society of Jesus nor the Spiritual Exercises.
Just like St. Ignatius, it was difficult to notice in which direction the footprint faces. We had more trouble trying to see the actual footprint on the rock. Finally, Father Willie pointed out the toes and the heel, and then, it became clear. As our group stood around the footprint of Christ, we couldn’t help think that as amazing as the footprint of Jesus is engraved in that rock, the feet that were gathered around it were just as incredible. We may have had trouble distinguishing the actual footprint on the rock, but the message that I have been receiving during this pilgrimage became crystal clear. Jesus ascended into heaven, but His work continues here on earth. His Spirit lives inside each of the pilgrims that were encircling His footprint. His church is alive, and we are called to be His witnesses to all four corners of the earth. We are the feet of Jesus. Christ conquered death and left us the Holy Spirit so we could be empowered to spread His message. So even though, like St. Ignatius, we will need to return to see whether the footprint points to the east or to the west, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter, because He wants us to point our feet in every direction.
After such a moving experience at the Chapel of the Ascension, we did not think this pilgrimage could get any more powerful. That is, until our next stop to the Pater Noster Church from where Jesus taught the Lord’s Prayer to His disciples. There are inscriptions in ceramic tablets all around the courtyard, and inside the church, with the Our Father in all languages and dialects. I was very excited to even find one in “Gallego,” where most of my roots are from since three of my grandparents were originally from Galicia. Inside the little chapel, we prayed the Our Father both in English and Spanish. It’s amazing that twelve humble fishermen were able to spread the Lord’s Prayer to all four corners of the world. Languages that we had never heard of pray the Our Father. It confirmed the message that we heard loud and clear at the Church of the Ascension. When God gives us a mission and He empowers us with the Holy Spirit, we can do anything.
We then took the Palm Sunday road which is the same road that Jesus took on a donkey when He entered Jerusalem through the Golden Gate. Our first stop was the site of the Dominus Flevit Church which means the Lord Wept. Unfortunately, we could not enter because they were giving a mass. But we sat outside with an amazing view of the temple and the Golden Gate.
Shuki gave us a great history and geography lesson of Jerusalem. Ancient Jerusalem from King David is outside the city wall. Mount Moriah was located where the golden dome is now. It was in Mount Moriah where Abraham almost killed Isaac under God’s command. This was also the location of David’s palace.
We then read the Reading of the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem from Matthew 21:1-11. He did it exactly in the way it’s explained in the scriptures because Jesus knew the scriptures. The Messiah had to enter Jerusalem through the Golden Gate. It is sealed now until Jesus returns and unseals it. Jesus wept because He knew that the temple would be destroyed. It was destroyed in the year 70 AD.
We then continued down the road which is very steep until we reached the Garden of Gethsemane. We read the scripture from St Matthew 26:36-46. And then, Ana gave us a great explanation of an olive oil press, and she tied it to Jesus. She said that He was pressed like an olive until there was no oil left in Him.
We then entered the church, known as the Basilica of Agony, which was built around the rock where Jesus wept. It was very special to touch the rock and pray over it. Some of us also felt like weeping for everything that Jesus had to endure because of each one of us.
After visiting all the sites in the Mount of Olives, we took the bus and went to Bethlehem. Father Frank told us that only two types of people were able to get close to Jesus at the time of his Nativity, the shepherds and the wise men. The shepherds knew that they knew nothing and the wise men knew that they did not know everything. He also said that the wise men gave Jesus gifts that represented his divinity, but also his humanity. The stable smelled bad so the incense would have helped to improve the odor. The mirth is like baby oil, so it would have helped to keep baby Jesus from getting sick in those poor conditions. And the gold should have helped them when they had to go into exile into Egypt without any money.
Our first stop in Bethlehem was a shop that is run by Christians. Unfortunately, Bethlehem is now ruled by the Palestines. Only 1% of the population is Christian. This shop helps to keep their community vibrant. They first took us down to the workshop where they carve the olive wood to make beautiful figures that they sell in the shop. Some are carved by hand, while others are carved by a machine in quantity. Of course, there is a huge difference in price between the two. The shop had a lot of items but very expensive. However, most of us bought something to help them out. I only bought the Jerusalem cross which I thought would be a good reminder of this pilgrimage, and of the message that I have received. Jesus needs each and every one of us to spread His Word to the four corners of the world.
After shopping, we went to eat. The food was similar but also different. The appetizers were the same: hummus, salads, etc. The main course was BarBQ: chicken and veal. They were both great, served with french fries. For dessert, baklava, and to end, coffee, which they truly don’t know how to do it.
After lunch, we met our Bethlehem guide who took us to the Church of the Nativity. This church was quite an experience, a mixture of disappointment and amazement. The disappointment came in the fact that the church is so ornate that it looked like a huge Christmas tree that was over decorated. This church is managed by three different religious groups, and it seemed like they were competing to outdo each other, and thus they have created what looks like an overcrowded shop.
The amazement came in the little cave where Jesus was supposedly born. Of course, the cave is below, but there is a star with a hole, and that marks the spot where He was born. We were able to place our hands through the hole and touch the rock below.
Afterwards, we proceeded to the Catholic side of the church, and we had mass in a tiny little chapel that also looks like a cave. It was so special. Every day, we get an even better experience. This has been such a special ten-day retreat.
Father Willie gave the mass, and our readings were those that are normally read on the Christmas Eve midnight mass. How special to celebrate the birth of Jesus where it all took place. Once again, Father Willie included a beautiful and touching story in his homily. When he was in Brazil, he used to work at a favela giving mass and CCD classes to the poor people that lived there. The masses were held in their houses because they did not have a church. They kept telling him how amazing it would be if they could build a chapel. He called Miami, asked his friends for help, and they were able to raise enough money to buy all the materials to build the chapel. The idea was that Father Willie would provide the materials, and the community would build the chapel. He said it was an amazing experience of community work. Everyone in the town helped out. When it came time to build the roof, the builder that was helping them out, told them that they had to pour the concrete all at once. So sixty men climbed on top of the roof to pour the concrete. The women helped out by mixing the cement with the water, bringing the buckets of water, etc. When they finally finished, everyone went inside the chapel to give thanks for the chapel. When they were inside, Father Willie heard a crack in the distance, but he kept talking. Then he heard another crack, he looked up, didn’t see anything, so he kept talking. Then he heard a man scream in Portuguese: “Everyone, get out!!!” It was an stampede. People running out, jumping out of windows. Father Willie was the last one to get out, and when he looked back, the whole roof collapsed. All the cement poured inside the church. He felt such anger at all the work they had put into building the chapel, and all the money they had spent. How could he possibly go back and ask for more? He felt such despair, that He looked up to heaven and asked God, “How could You allow this to happen to these people?” And then he turned around, and an old lady, about 90 years old, who lived in the favela, was standing in front of him. She had been serving lemonade to all the workers. She said to him: “Father, aren’t you going to give thanks?” He looked at her dumbfounded, and asked her: “Give thanks? For what happened?” “No, Father,” she responded. “Give thanks because everyone got out. No one was hurt.” Father Willie said that it was definitely a teaching moment.
He told us that God always picks the most humble people, the poorest of the poor, to teach us lessons. He picked twelve uneducated fishermen to spread His mission to all the world. We can learn a lot from those that we think are lesser than us. If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven, we must become poor in spirit.
Next to this little chapel, there is a bigger Catholic Church, St. Catherine, from where they celebrate Christmas Eve mass every year, and they broadcast it to the entire world. It’s a beautiful church, but we were glad that we celebrated our mass in the little chapel inside the cave. It resembled more what it must have been like on that night long ago in Bethlehem. There is an inscription in the door of St. Catherine: “We are hoping that: If you enter here as a tourist, you would exit as a pilgrim. If you enter here as a pilgrim, you would exit as a holier one.” We will definitely be a little holier after this experience.
At night, we decided to skip the hotel buffet, and we walked a few blocks in search of a restaurant that some members from our group had been to last night. We got a bit lost, but eventually we found “Happy Fish.” It was on a rooftop, overlooking a pedestrian street full of stores. It wasn’t great but at least it was better than the hotel food. Some of us had sea bream, a type of white fish, with french fries, a pumpkin soup that was pretty good, and hot chocolate at the end.
At night, we decided to skip the hotel buffet, and we walked a few blocks in search of a restaurant that some members from our group had been to last night. We got a bit lost, but eventually we found “Happy Fish.” It was on a rooftop, overlooking a pedestrian street full of stores. It wasn’t great but at least it was better than the hotel food. Some of us had sea bream, a type of white fish, with french fries, a pumpkin soup that was pretty good, and hot chocolate at the end.
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