Friday Reflection

We have been on our "Pilgrimage" for over a week now, its one week of Lent six more to go to Good Friday.

I just want to reflect on our trip.

We went into Nazareth because we knew that's where Jesus was conceived, not knowing that we would see such wonders and meet such wonderful sites, stay in beautiful places, spiritual and holy places. Eat such delicious exotic food and be that hungry, that hot or that tired.

We left Nazareth for EIN Karem to visit the place of John the Baptists Birth and we discovered such wonders, the beautiful churches, the spring, the mountains everything was such a wonder of colour and beauty.

Then we backtracked to Nazareth, stayed the night at the Rosary Sisters' guest house and then traveled to Jerusalem, the safest way to get to Bethlehem is to take a taxi cab from Jerusalem to Bethlehem expensive but safe. We wanted to walk like Mary and Joseph did and take a donkey, but it's just not safe.

We saw Jesus' birthplace, the Chapel of the Nativity, Palestine in disarray, barriers of protection and of war. Tourists, one side and bombs and bloodshed the other. Afraid to say much about the unsocial unrest we left Bethlehem.

We didn't have to escape for our lives like Mary and Joseph with their baby, we didn't have to travel into Egypt to protect our babe from Herods wrath, we didn't have to divert or skirt around Jerusalem, we were able to travel home, to Nazareth, back to the Rosary Sisters Guest House for much needed sleep and rest and reflection.

So that's how we did it, on a Google map, although we never really left our home for this reflection except for Church on Sunday at Christopher Grange. Although we never really traveled to Israel we feel as if we have been on a journey of discovery.

We discovered so much about our faith and how venerable and adored Christ is.

The rest of our Journey starting on Monday will begin with Cana, and then on towards Galilee to visualise the boats and the gathering of fishermen. "I will make you fishers of Men, " he said and they followed him yes, right up to his death.

Yes from now on we will follow Jesus the Man.