Pope Francis uses the experience of pilgrimage to proclaim the Jubilee Year as a Sign of Hope on our journey of life:
Setting out on a journey is traditionally associated with our human quest for meaning in life. A pilgrimage on foot is a great aid for rediscovering the value of silence, effort and simplicity of life.
Journeying from one country to another [...] and passing from one city to another in contemplating the beauty of creation and masterpieces of art, we learn to treasure the richness of different experiences and cultures, and are inspired to lift up that beauty, in prayer, to God, in thanksgiving for his wondrous works.
This month, we read how Deacon Tom and Mary Jane quite unexpectantly discover this rich treasure Pope Francis writes about while on their first pilgrimage experience to the Holy Land.
1984
Mary Jane: Our daily pace goes from break-neck speed to a stroll. We have no set schedule; every day is its own adventure. We take our time at meals, we walk hand-in-hand, we stay as long as we like at the holy sites, we rest, spend hours talking with each other, with Sr. Bernarda and the other sisters, and our fellow pilgrims.
Deacon Tom: We become familiar as well with many of the locals we meet at Casa Nova and in the shops and restaurants. We learn that Ihab, the Casa Nova front desk clerk, is a Palestinian Christian. It is so interesting to discover how his family can trace their heritage all the way back to the time of Christ. We learn that there are many such Christian families called “Living Stones,” descendants of the first Christians who built the early Church, and whose children remain faithful disciples of Christ to this day.
Mary Jane: In just these first few days, we become part of a new family; a spiritual family whose members may come from San Antonio or live in Jerusalem, who may be sisters, priests, travel agents, hotel managers, shop owners or front desk clerks, but who are brothers and sisters just the same in the family of God.
Deacon Tom: At dinner one evening, we meet Father Matthew, an American priest from Indiana traveling on his own. Like us, he has made no plans and has no idea where to go. Mary Jane and I want to visit holy sites outside of Jerusalem and ask Father Matthew to join us. We rent a car and the three of us venture beyond Jerusalem. We visit Nazareth where Jesus grew up, the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached, and the Sea of Galilee where Jesus performed miracles, healed people, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God. We became good friends with Father Matthew. We share stories, pray, and discover the homeland of our Lord together. Each day, Father Matthew offers Mass with just the three of us. Looking back, we see that this was our first pilgrim group—complete with spiritual director. We heard the Word of God spoken at the actual places the Gospel story happened.
Mary Jane: After several days, we return home to Jerusalem and back to our usual routine at Casa Nova. Sister Bernarda welcomes us back with a big hug. She dotes on us, always smiling and pinching our cheeks. Her joy is contagious! Our busy career lives seem to be a dream, and this place and these people like home. Tom and I grow closer. We spend hours sharing our thoughts and growing more in love with God and with each other.
Deacon Tom: It was here in the Holy Land, visiting the sites where Jesus walked, prayed, preached and healed, that our Lord planted His call—the same call—deep inside Mary Jane and me that one day soon He would ask us to answer.
Pope Francis writes,
The Jubilee Churches along the pilgrimage routes and in the city of Rome can serve as oases of spirituality and places of rest on the pilgrimage of faith, where we can drink from the wellsprings of hope, above all by approaching the sacrament of Reconciliation, the essential starting-point of any true journey of conversion.
Many dioceses around the world are joining the Jubilee Year of Hope by offering pilgrimage routes. Both the US Conference of Bishops and the Archdiocese of San Antonio have pilgrimage routes listing on their websites.
We also encourage you to create your own pilgrimage route. Seek out shrines, holy sites, and churches in your area. Take a day out of your normal schedule, and just go! Discover the treasure that is the richness of different experiences, be inspired to lift up that beauty in prayer to God, in thanksgiving for his wondrous works.
What signs of hope await you!?
