Nothing lasts forever but God. All the gift that we have been given are to be shared. These two thoughts were circulating in my mind as I was walking early in the morning today to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for the last time. I was pushing my time as much as I could to stay there though deep in my heart I knew I will never have enough of this place. I realize how blessed I have been to spend two months in the Holy Land. Most of Catholics will never have an opportunity to come here and even those who do come here do that in a week or so. I have lived here long enough to fall in love with the country but it was also long enough to realize that I will never satisfy my thirst to “drink” the spirit of the Land that has been marked by the events of Salvation we read in the Scriptures. If I am given again a chance to come here I will do two projects: I will stay a couple of weeks in Nazareth as it is the place where Jesus was conceived in the Immaculate womb of Our Lady and where He spend most of his human life. It is such a great and rich mystery that I would like to give myself sufficient time to contemplate it like Blessed Charles de Foucauld, living in poverty and silence as what one can do being faced with the mystery of God becoming man and living an ordinary human life unknown to others. The second project will be spending a couple of weeks around the Sea of Galilee. The area is “soaked” with the saving words of Jesus who preached, cured and shared daily life with his disciples around the Sea. To me the Sea of Galilee is like a church without roof and wall because in the end of the day we need to ask ourselves: Can any space be big enough to contain or close the Word of God. The Word of God will always overflow in abundance as Jesus isn’t stingy but He gives all he has in his Heart. Well at least I am leaving with some dreams and hopes and with unsatisfied taste for more. I think that it is the miracle Jesus has performed for me or better to say in me. I want more……
After saying a goodbye to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion and to my classmate I had to leave earlier than the rest of the group in order to catch my flight to Rome to be able to begin my next course tonight. I was prepared for all sorts of interrogations at the airport but to my surprise there were none. I was processed very smoothly and quickly and in no time I was enjoying my last KFC and coke in Izrael.
I bless you Lord for the time of walking in your footsteps that have marked this country so much that it is called the Holy Land but from now on for me it will be simply home.
After saying a goodbye to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Sion and to my classmate I had to leave earlier than the rest of the group in order to catch my flight to Rome to be able to begin my next course tonight. I was prepared for all sorts of interrogations at the airport but to my surprise there were none. I was processed very smoothly and quickly and in no time I was enjoying my last KFC and coke in Izrael.
I bless you Lord for the time of walking in your footsteps that have marked this country so much that it is called the Holy Land but from now on for me it will be simply home.
Last Look at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Good bye my Jerusalem Home at 41 Via Dolorosa
At Tel Aviv Airport you can even buy "Jesus" in Duty Free ;)
Ready to go? Well there is no way back from here ;)
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