Father Martin begins his book with an interesting
confession: initially he did not see the
value of making a pilgrimage to the holy land in order to write his book about
Jesus. As a reader, and as a would be
pilgrim, I find the author’s honesty and transparency refreshing. After all, I am reading this book because I
have yet to make that (literal) pilgrimage to the holy land. I, too, have had my own reservations over the
years.
Father Martin’s reluctance to visit the holy land had to do
with not wanting to spoil the image he had created over the years through
study, prayer and meditation. He writes,
“I already ‘knew’ what Bethlehem , Nazareth ,
Jerusalem and the Sea of
Galilee looked like, because I had imagined those locales so
often. We feared that laying eyes on
locales overrun with tourists would sully our pristine mental pictures” (page
16).
I remember harboring similar fears the first time I made a
pilgrimage to Rome . I approached the trip with a mixture of
excitement and the fear of being disappointed.
To my soul’s delight, I found that my fears were unfounded as I stood in
the scavi, several stories beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, and gazed upon
the first century cemetery where we believe St. Peter is entombed. I had waited years to be there and instead of
being disappointed I was moved beyond measure.
Ultimately, encouraged by a good friend, Father Martin
changes his mind and plans his trip. Wisely, he decides to go in the company of
a friend.
 |
| Fr. Martin at the Sea of Galilee |
How would you define a pilgrimage? Someone I know recently defined a pilgrimage
as “our journey from Earth to Heaven.” Others see it as a kind of
purposeful wandering, a walk, a journey toward a holy place or goal.
I confess, when I was younger, I was more focused on
arriving (quickly) at the destination.
Now, as I’m a bit older, I find that the journey itself is of equal importance.
Questions to Ponder
- Can you relate to Father Martin’s initial reluctance to make his pilgrimage to the holy land?
- Have you ever made a pilgrimage to a holy place? What was the most memorable part of your experience? Did you encounter God there?
- What do you most hope to discover as you journey through this book? How do you hope to encounter Jesus?
Don't forget to return next Sunday as we read Chapter 2, "Yes."
Steven Olson
Here is an interview with Father Martin about the book.
I have not yet been to the Holy Land, as I have always been a bit concerned about my personal safety there given all the violence and unrest. A few years ago I saw the film The Way with Martin Sheen which is about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in Spain. Fascinated with that pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, I hope to make that pilgrimage this year. Father Martin's pilgrimage is also full of insights about Jesus, shedding light on passages in scripture that have been, to date, unclear to me. I am enjoying the book as well.
ReplyDeleteI loved the film, "The Way." It gives you a real sense of what it is to be on a pilgrimage. I'm embarrassed to say that I was not familiar with this well known pilgrimage route until I saw the film. I, too, have considered going to Spain and giving it a try. It's quite a walk, though!
ReplyDeleteI’m listening to the book, and love hearing Father Martins voice, hIs excitement, curiosity and doubt. I never considered the humanity of Jesus. I’ve always believed he was fully human and fully divine, but I just never thought too much about it. I think about it now. I did go back to Father Martin’s book, “A Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything,” just to refresh his stories about Jesuit prayer. I love that he pokes fun at himself…made me want to keep reading. I really want to go to the Holy Land, I know some places to stay now! Beautiful book, and beautiful insights into our Dear Lord.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought of life as a journey, and so I like the idea that it is also a
ReplyDeletepilgrimage -- "our journey from Earth to Heaven" -- when on a pilgrimage, one isn't just a tourist, taking in the sights -- I think a pilgrimage is more purposeful, having a greater impact on one's life. I, too, saw the movie, The Way, and you can see how the people we journey with also have an impact on our lives. Some people come into our lives for a season and some for a reason, and I believe God brings them into our lives to make our "pilgrimage" more meaningful and to keep us on course.