From Maintenance To Mission

The Jerusalem Cross is the beautiful symbol of the Holy Land. It can be seen all around Israel and parts of Palestine, marking the places where the Catholic Church, especially the Franciscans, have maintained custody of holy sites for 800 – 1,200 years. The Jerusalem cross is made up of one large cross in the middle, representing Jesus, and four smaller crosses – one in each quadrant – symbolizing the Gospel going out to the the four corners of the world. It is the perfect symbol for us, too, a parish on a mission.

As disciples of Jesus we strive to stay focused on him, keeping him front and center. He leads, guides, loves, forgives, heals, and blesses us; and we love him back with grateful hearts. From this mutual love, this peace and joy that we experience, we are equipped and inspired to share it with others. Just a simple act of kindness, taking time to listen, or telling someone about a time when you felt close to God in your life. That’s what it means to spread the Gospel, to evangelize, to be on a mission.

This weekend as we celebrate Candlemas, let us pray that like the candles we have blessed at Mass, that we can spread the light and love of Christ everywhere we go, with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 










The photo on the left shows Fr. Young and Deacon Paul on their way in to lunch at the Knights Palace in Jerusalem. The Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher are the ancient defenders of the Holy Land. Today the Order exists primarily to provide for the needs of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land and for the preservation of holy sites. The Jerusalem Cross is worn by Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. Sir Frank Page, our church sexton, is a Knight! The photo on the right is from Frank's investiture in November of 2018.

From Maintenance To Mission

Just a few short weeks ago we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord and followed it up with two GIFT sessions (open Faith Formation sessions for people of all ages) about the sacrament of Baptism. Then, in last Sunday’s Gospel, we heard again how John the Baptist pointed people to Jesus. The Gospel today speaks of John once more, so we can be absolutely certain that he was an important person and there is something we are meant to learn from him. But what is it?

“Yalla!”

No, it’s not a word you can find in your Bible, but it has been expressed by every prophet throughout the ages, every disciple who has ever followed Jesus, and all of the pilgrims who recently travelled to the Holy Land. Alex, our tour guide, used it often. “Yalla!” he said every time we got off the bus. “Yalla!” every time we moved from one site to the next. “Yalla!” “Let’s go!”
 
This simple expression conveyed to us that we were on the move, all together, heading in the same direction. With one heart and one mind we followed where Alex led, leaving no one behind. We trusted his guidance, we marveled at what was revealed to us, and we were richly blessed. “Yalla!” is the message John the Baptist has for us. By our baptism we have been united as a family with a mission. It is our Christian duty to live our lives in a way that point others to Jesus. Let’s go!
 
On our last day in the Holy Land we had the wonderful opportunity to go to Ein Kerem, the birthplace of John the Baptist. In his homily at Mass there, Fr. Fisette told us that our pilgrimage would not end when we boarded the plane later in the day to come home. “Our job is to bring our experience to others, and show them the way to Jesus as John the Baptist did,” he said.
 
Whether or not you have visited the Holy Land, this is a message we can all embrace and live.
 
It’s the perfect message for a parish on the move from maintenance to mission.

From Maintenance To Mission

“Welcome home” – these are the words with which our tour guide, Alex, greeted us with when we arrived in the Holy Land. “Israel is a home for all Christians,” he said, “We belong here.”

As Americans we tend to think of Israel as the land of the Jewish people, and Muslims, too; which indeed it is. Only 2% of the population is Christian, but their presence is absolutely undeniable, and it is taken very seriously. This is true in Bethlehem, where most Christians live, but also in Magdala, Capernaum, Tabgha, Cana, Jericho, Jerusalem, Jaffa and Tel Aviv. In all of these places there were large Christmas trees and Santa’s all around, and signs wishing Christians a Merry Christmas (not “Happy Holidays”). Of course, one of the reasons for this is that the locals recognize the impact Christian pilgrims have on the economy. But nevertheless, it was an unexpected pleasure to see people of ALL faiths taking selfie’s in front of Christmas trees and nativity scenes on public display. There was even a group of Muslims (one particular faction) that waited in line in front of us for two hours to go into the tomb of Jesus!

As we begin this new year, let us pray that our parish can be a place of welcome and belonging, as the Holy Land is, and that we will be a people who respect one another’s differences while we grow in faith together, living our Baptismal call, united in our love of Jesus.

From Maintenance To Mission

Our parish pilgrims are still in the Holy Land. They are praying for us, so let us remember them in our prayers, too. They are scheduled to return this Monday, January 6th.

Prayer for Pilgrims in the Holy Land

Jesus, I pray that our pilgrims will be spiritually nourished as they travel to the holy places shared by Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Recognizing the tension and conflict they may encounter, I pray for their safety and well-being, and that they will minister to one another and those they meet with patience, kindness, and compassion. I pray that they will encounter you as they walk in your footsteps, and that they will be freshly inspired to teach, pray, welcome, love, and evangelize as you did. And when they return, I pray that they will share their experiences of faith and understanding, not only within our parish, but with the wider world. Amen.