Deacon Peter

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I write his final entry from my pilgrimage to the Holy Land on Sunday after assisting at 2 Masses at Holy Family and shaking off the last little bit of jet lag, more about that in a bit.

Our final day in the Holy Land began with Mass on the Mount Beatitudes. I was privileged to preach at this Mass and gained another pearl of wisdom from Msgr. Foynes on humility that I’ll share another time. Our first stop after Mass was the church built on the site of the miracle of the loaves & fishes. Right before I was ordained one of our teachers in formation, Sr. Theresa Betz gave each of us a postcard of the mosaic on the floor in front of the altar of that church with an uplifting note. I still have the post card and now have seen the mosaic for myself. The floor is covered in mosaic art, mostly of birds and is just beautiful in its simplicity. The window, which is pictured predates stained glass and is alabaster that the sun is shining through.

Next we stopped on the shore on the Sea of Galilee that has intense personal meaning for me. After Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked him on this beach three times, “do you love me?” being my name sake, I always choke up thinking of how Jesus gently but firmly helped Peter heal after his awful act of fearful denial. Inside a small church called Mensa Christi or Christ’s table is where Christ cooked breakfast for the group.

We got in the bus and went to Capernaum; there we saw a modern church suspended over the ruins of St. Peter’s house and the local synagogue where the Lord went on the Sabbath. After a lunch of fish from the Sea of Galilee, whole fish, (it’s not often you can look your lunch in the eye) we took a boat trip across the Sea of Galilee and back to our Guest house on the Mount of Beatitudes to pack and begin the long trip home. Many people have asked if I got out of the boat and tried to walk on the sea. That didn’t turn out so well for my name sake and it would undoubtedly go worse for me so, no, I stayed in the boat.

Back to Mass at Holy Family, after the pilgrimage put flesh and blood and bone back on what we do every Sunday, I really had a renewed sense of the sacramental nature of our celebration of the Eucharist. I will attempt not to have the trip be all I talk about the next six months but it certainly was a gift from God for me at a time I really needed it. I thank God for gently but firmly adjusting my course toward him with this gift of a pilgrimage and if you have received any blessing from this attempt to share it then God is extra good.

Finally, thank you to my longtime friend and mentor, Msgr. Aiden Foynes for involving me and teaching me yet again, thank you to all my traveling companions who made the trip extra enjoyable and not least of all thank you to Pat & Mike from Educational Tours Inc. who are consummate professionals as well as enjoyable travel companions. I’m not sure if I’ll ever get back there but I wouldn’t go with anyone else but ETI.

Peace & blessing.



Peter

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Photos

Famous Mosaic
Church of the loaves & fishes

Alabaster Window
Church of the loaves & fishes

Peter's fish
tastier than it looks

Our boat on the Sea of Galilee
A 3 hour tour, a 3 hour tour... well 45 minutes anyhow

Comments

[Laura]

Wonderful photos
Hi Peter, I cannot thank you enough for sharing your photos, and your narrative, from your trip. It was amazing to see the places I've only heard about, and your stories really put me right there. I'm so happy that you had this wonderful opportunity, and you are very kind to share it with the rest of us.

[Deacon Peter]

Thank You.
Thanks for your kind comments, there are a handful of folks I really miss at St C and you are certainly among the most prominent. Peace, Peter