Does God give us signs to better know the way we are to go?
In proclaiming the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Francis writes:
In addition to finding hope in God’s grace, we are also called to discover hope in the “signs of the times” that the Lord gives us. […] The signs of the times, which include the yearning of human hearts in need of God’s saving presence, ought to become signs of hope (7).
Last month, Deacon Tom and Mary Jane shared how a miracle physical healing reclaimed a hopeful future for the young married couple. We ‘visit’ with them this month as they embark on their first of what will become 65 pilgrimages (so far) to the Holy Land.
1984
Mary Jane: An airline was offering a sales incentive to travel agents. I was motivated to pursue the incentive, and became the winner of a trip for two anywhere in the world. The idea of traveling with Tom for two weeks to some dreamy city was enough motivation for me. When I came home the winner, I was already set on Italy as our destination. I imagined days full of looking at beautiful Vatican art and evenings strolling down the ancient and beautiful streets in romantic Rome. When I came home and told Tom of our good fortune and my idea, he responded, “How about going to the Holy Land?”
Deacon Tom: I do remember saying that, but also remember I was more interested in Egypt. I was attracted by the mysticism of the pyramids. The Scripture study I was taking opened my eyes to the land of the Bible, so when Mary Jane said we could go anywhere in the world, I immediately thought of the Middle East. I asked Mary Jane, “But don’t you want to go where Jesus was born?”
Mary Jane: Well, as he put it that way, of course I responded, “Sure, it sounds interesting, why not? Let’s go visit the Holy Land.”
Deacon Tom: It’s fascinating to see how God works. Mary Jane was set on Italy and I on Egypt, but when we realized it would not be financially possible to visit both Egypt and the Holy Land, we decided to visit only the Holy Land. Looking back, we can see that though Mary Jane dreamed of Rome and I dreamed of the pyramids, God had a dream for us too, and His plan won out.
Mary Jane: We made very little preparations for the trip. All we did other than packing was watch a slide show some friends showed us and take the recommendation of a parish priest on where to stay in Jerusalem. He suggested Casa Nova, which is located inside the walls of Old Jerusalem. He said it was a small and simple place. We liked the idea of staying away from the large tourist hotels and seeing how the locals lived. All he had was the name and address so since we could not phone and there was no internet at that time, we mailed a letter with our dates. We got on the plane for our two weeks in the Holy Land with no plans, no expectations and no idea what we would experience. It was a trip away together from the routine of life and we were open to the adventure.
Deacon Tom: We arrive at Casa Nova and are greeted by Ehab, a young man working the front desk. Ehab cannot find our reservation and calls for help. Help arrives in the form of a short nun wearing a huge smile and dressed in a brown habit that covers her from head to toe. She says, “I am Sister Bernarda. Welcome, Pilgrims!” Ehab explains the problem. Sister Bernarda tells him to check us in; we can be accommodated.
Mary Jane: Sister Bernarda is so warm and inviting. She takes Tom and me by the hands and immediately begins to explain to us that Casa Nova is a Franciscan pilgrim house built in the late 1800s which she and her fellow Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary manage. Tom and I look at each other and smile. Our adventure was starting already; we had left San Antonio as tourists and arrived in Jerusalem as pilgrims!
Deacon Tom: Sister Bernarda asks, “What are you hoping to see during your stay?” Mary Jane and I look at each and shrug our shoulders. Sister Bernarda smiles, escorts us into the dining room, and sits us with other guests at a long table. Large bowls and plates of chicken, vegetables, bread, cheese and fruit are placed in the middle of the table, and we serve ourselves. Bottles of wine are brought out, and we spend the evening enjoying great food and lively conversation on what we later would realize was the first night of our first pilgrimage.
Mary Jane: On the second day of each Holy Land pilgrimage that Tom and I now lead, we gather the pilgrims in a circle and ask them the same question Jesus asked; “What are you looking for?” (John 1:38). We do this at the beginning to encourage the pilgrims to focus their journey for the next ten days and to bring God along as a companion.
Deacon Tom: When Mary Jane and I awoke the second day of our first pilgrimage, we can honestly say we had no idea what we were looking for or even where to start looking. We were not even aware that we were being asked the question. That is why God gave us Sister Bernarda.
Mary Jane: We went to the dining room for breakfast and Sr. Bernarda sat with us. We told her some of our personal story, the recent awakening of our Catholic faith, and our desire to learn more. Sister Bernarda never directly asked us, but in the back and forth of this conversation, we did answer Jesus’ question: ‘We came to see where God lived.’
Deacon Tom: From that moment on, Sr. Bernarda took us under her care and became a spiritual mother to us. She visited with us at meals and suggested holy sites to visit. She showered us with hugs and kisses and would send us off to walk or in a taxi stocked with snacks. When she had free time, Sr. Bernarda traveled with us. We tagged along with her as well on her trips to the market when she needed to buy food. We talked about God, about our faith, about our conversions, Mary Jane’s miracle healing and our dream of having children. Sister Bernarda shared stories about her life and her love of God. She spoke of the history of the Holy Land, including the significance of the holy sites, and about all the Catholic religious orders, especially the Franciscans, who protect and maintain them. We loved just being with her and learning so much about God’s homeland. From tourists to pilgrims, Mary Jane and I were now also spiritual children and students of this petite Franciscan sister who had lived for the past twenty years where God lived.
The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps (Proverbs 16:9).
In telling the story of what became their first pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Deacon Tom realized, “God had a dream for us too, and His plan won out.” This trip was, as the pope said, a “sign of the times” in the lives of Deacon Tom and Mary Jane which they were only able to read in hindsight.
God does indeed give us signs . . . which we often neglect to read. Let this teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church encourage you to begin now to “discover in hope” God’s signs of his saving presence in your life:
With creation, God does not abandon his creatures to themselves. He not only gives them being and existence, but also, and at every moment, upholds and sustains them in being, enables them to act and brings them to their final end. Recognizing this utter dependence with respect to the Creator is a source of wisdom and freedom, of joy and confidence (CCC, no. 301).
And . . . Hope!
