A Trip to the Holy Land
Through the Eyes of the Pilgrims
In the Spring 2013 newsletter, we told you of the journey of
33
prayer partners from the Cypress Springs Mercedarian Prayer
Center who traveled with Jeff and Emily Cavins to the Holy Land
in January of this year. Three pilgrims recounted their journey in
that newsletter and if you missed it, you can read it online at our
website
In this edition, you
will again be given the opportunity to visit
the Holy Land through the eyes of three of
these pilgrims: Liz Pierroti and Linda &
Eddie Rispone. Here are a few of shared
experiences from this trip:
....
it can transform your life and
instill the thirst to learn.....
In January of this year my husband
Eddie and I had the opportunity to join a
pilgrimage to the Holy Land along with friends and prayer partners
from the Sister Dulce’ Ministry. With many apprehensions beforehand,
this trip turned out to be the best decision we have ever made.
Walking the Via Dolorosa and retracing the footsteps of Jesus
carrying the cross and going to His obvious death was probably the
most moving and emotional part of the entire pilgrimage; there were
many.
As Catholics we are familiar with the Stations of the Cross and
the meaning of each station, but to be there and actually follow the
path that Christ took before the final moments of His life stirred up
tangible feelings and truths that couldn’t be denied. I felt His torment,
His disappointments and finally His acceptance of His Father’s will. It
was heart wrenching.
Everyone asks about our favorite part of the trip which is a tough
question because, first everything was equally overwhelming and we
would not have wanted to miss any of it. Though secondly, I’d have
to say that it was the Church of the Holy Sepulchere. Being in
this beautiful Basilica was indescribable. This church is the site of
the Crucifixion and burial site of Jesus. In it also is the Stone of
the Anointing where the body of Jesus was laid after being removed
from the cross. We were allowed to kneel and pray and kiss the stone.
Another emotional moment! In the heart of the Holy Sepulchre is the
Tomb of Jesus where a marble lid covers the tomb. There was so much
to see inside the church that we visited it again on our own where we
took our time and searched every nook and cranny inside. It was so
amazing.
We left the Holy Land with bittersweet feelings, but it is undeniable
that it can transform your life and instill the thirst to learn everything
there is to know about Jesus’ actual life while here on earth.
Reading the Bible and Scripture now makes me feel more
connected to Jesus. We feel so blessed that we were able to make this
trip and share it with loved ones.
Eddie & Linda Rispone
It has been five months since I
went to the Holy Land and still I
cannot go to Mass, look at pictures,
or reminisce without shedding a
tear or getting a lump in my throat.
I had been on many vacations, but
this was my first pilgrimage. I was
extremely excited and not a bit worried about my safety or about
leaving my children and husband at home. I knew this was going to
change my relationship with Christ and I yearned for that. Jesus had
already given me the privilege of being part of Sister Dulce’s Ministry
Center, allowed me to participate in Jeff Cavin’s Bible Timeline Study
and now I was getting the chance to visit the places I had just learned
so much about. I was seizing the opportunity.
My time there was so inspiring, sacred, prayerful, emotional, and
fun. I was with a group of special people who were united by our love
for each other and by our love for Christ. We were told on the first
night to be careful not to have our own expectations for the trip but
to instead let God decide what His gift to us would be. What a gift it
was! There were so many beautiful moments along the Sea of Galilee
where I rediscovered the bible stories and applied them to my life. I was
blessed to have mass everyday at holy places such as The Mount of the
Beatitudes and The Garden of Gethsemane .The Holy Spirit moved
as the priests spoke and Jeff Cavins taught. I felt like a student who
wanted to soak up as much information as possible and get as close to
Jesus as I could. As a mother I was so moved when we visited the sites
where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and where Jesus was born
.
I promised that my prayer life would never be the same after being
able to place my hands on the rock of agony and the tomb where Jesus’
body was laid. I wanted to touch everything Jesus may have touched
and walk on the same paths that he may have walked.
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spiritual
significance. I went to Israel because I wanted to know Jesus better and
to learn about the church and it’s teachings. The bible came alive for
me there. The Holy Land made me appreciate my freedom to worship
here without fear or limitation. I returned feeling so blessed as a
Catholic to be able to experience His real presence in the Eucharist.
Because of my pilgrimage I have wonderful memories and a heart
filled with love and gratitude for what my Savior did for me.
Liz Pierroti
