Why I want to go to Israel this Summer (Part 1)

Of recent some people have heard that I was going to the Holy Land and have been curious as to why I have decided to take on this sojourn and what I was planning to do when I am there. Here are my poor efforts at unpacking an answer fit for a good question and an even better enquirer.

Israeli Desert

The average temperature in Israel in the month of July could boil and then fry an egg concurrently. The arid turf has the tough and rugged Mediterranean feel to it and pretty much is welcoming to your typical spaghetti western runaway bandit or lost Prairie Indian. Other naysayers have averted to the possible dangers that lie in an overseas trip to the Middle East, i.e. terrorist attacks on Christians, Arabic habibis (don't ask), and the myriad of infinite possible things that could go wrong.

Thus I agree with the Major Premise: It is not the ordinary challenge I would take on...I would rather do it in another part of the world more rugged and beautiful.

Something like this for example would suit my fancy (Mt. Kazbegi, Republic of Georgia)

There is however something so special about Israel, so much so that it is referred to as "The Holy Land" by Jews, Muslims, and Christians. "Holy" because of historic reasons. "Holy Land" because of its sacred nature as hallowed ground for several civilizations mutually considering it their own. Most importantly for me and - I hope for every Christian - is that it be the locus of their encounter with the Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ and Risen Lord.

What does it mean to Encounter the Risen Lord? Where can you find God?
St. John's Gospel narrates that Greeks came to meet Jesus. They said to Phillip:

"Κύριε, θέλομεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἰδεῖν...Lord, we wish to see Jesus."(Jn 12:21)

Phillip turned to Andrew and they in turn presented the petition to Jesus.

"23ὁδὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκρίνεται αὐτοῖς λέγων, Ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα ἵναδοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου...And Jesus answered them saying, 'The Hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified'"(Jn 12:23)

 The Encounter has not occurred as of yet but Jesus prefaces it with something very special. That those who have not encountered him upon encountering him would bring Him glory, that Jesus' Mission would be fulfilled.  Jesus then in a cryptic way says:

24ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν,ἐὰν μὴ ὁ κόκκος τοῦ σίτου πεσὼν εἰς τὴν γῆν ἀποθάνῃ,αὐτὸς μόνος μένει: ἐὰν δὲ ἀποθάνῃ, πολὺν καρπὸν φέρει...Amen Amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies upon it...it remains one. If it dies however, it bears much fruit." (Jn 12:24)

 This affirmation is not followed by a narration of Jesus' Encounter with the Greeks. In fact, no meeting is scheduled. Whether the following words were uttered in the Greeks' presence or not it is not clear. Whether it was John's senility upon writing the Gospel or if that those were simply the chain of events to occur are not certain. My simple reading of the situation is such: For us to meet Jesus...Jesus gave up His Life for us so that He could be even more accessible and 'user-friendly' to us. To state the case even more clearly: Jesus died for us so that we could say "We" with Jesus. Let's make things crystal clear: Jesus uses the image of the dying "grain of wheat" as his own life paradigm. Jesus' Death and Resurrection gives unto the eternal Multiplication of the Loaves, the true Miraculous Catch, or the Leaven of God's Kingdom.

This astonishing causation explains how we Encounter Jesus but we still do not have the answer to the question: What does it mean to Encounter the Risen Lord? Where can you find God?

To be Continued...

The King Rests - Holy Saturday

The Liturgy of the Hours reads an "Ancient Homily" from the Easter Vigil. It reads:

"What is happening? Today there is a great silence upon the Earth, indeed a great silence and a following solace, a great silence, because the King sleeps..."

Today, following the Passion and Death of Our Lord we consider the Lord who has been laid to rest in the Tomb.

"The King Sleeps"
The Lamentation of Christ
(Andrea Mantegna)

What happened?

God offered His Son and His Son offered Himself for us. That's what happened. Holy Saturday is a day of convergences. Historically it is a day in which we stay close to Mary, His Mother, contemplating the deep solace and great silence, which She alone would have endured.

Endurance. It is the truest test of faith and hope. If you don't believe in it you won't wait it out. This here is what happened. Mary believed. Mary hoped. This Act of Faith and Hope, given her by Her Son and Lord was a catalyst for the greatest miracle ever to happen. The Resurrection of our Lord.

It is true in biblical exegesis that Mary, His Mother, doesn't appear after the Crucifixion. She seems to disappear until Pentecost. If there was a person that intuitively believed as was accredited to her by Elizabeth in Luke 1, it would be her. She knew - within the dimensions of faith and hope - that He was "the Resurrection and the Life" (John 12) and that all would be made whole.

Holy Sepulchre (The Tomb of Jesus)
Jerusalem

The way Mary lived Holy Saturday is the way we should live our Holy Saturday as well as the rest of our lives: in hope. Hope is the sign of endurance.

May you be blessed with a Beautiful Easter and may your lives be blessed with this Hope.

Alleluia!

"And it Was Night" - JPII Canonization (Part 2): The Mission

It was night.

Author with His Cross on the Via della Conciliazione - Vatican City

The stars were out and under them we were gathered in our Mission Parish. For several hours the Eucharist was adored not far from the relics of the two Saints-to-be: John XXIII and John Paul II. 

Relics of St. John Paul the Great

The missionaries had gone out filling hearts with joy and enthusiasm to celebrate something great, something really beautiful. 

Woman in Adoration

The missionaries went out to rile the crowds of JPII lovers and invite them to Confession, Adoration, and to venerate the Relics of the two Saints-to-be. Some of those participating came to join with us in the singing and dancing. It was a beautiful night. 

LC Brothers singing

Father and Daughter venerating a relic of St. John Paul

Br. Vincenz with Cross

"Reporting from Piazza Navona"

Street Missionary

Br. David Parker in Piazza Navona

a Latin-American beat

2-on-2 with the Bros.

Eucharistic Adoration

"And it Was Night" - Canonization Missionary Experience (Part 1): Crossing the Tiber

Saint John wrote these poignant words in his Gospel (Cf. Jn 13:30) as the first Holy Thursday Mass was ending in the Upper Room. Judas was leaving. Judas was selling Jesus out. It was a bitter pill for Jesus and Jesus wasn't happy, so much so that He said, "My Soul, my heart, is sorrowful even unto death" (Cf. Mk 14:34).

I'm still sure of it. There can be no darkness without light and in this darkness there are stars that shine out, stars that once were not but are now. They tell us, "You can make it too". These stars are the saints. They aren't saints for nothing. They're saints because they lived what we lived and proved that God existed and "loved them to the End" (Cf. Jn 13:1). This was my experience of the Canonization of two great saints, John XXIII and John Paul the Great. 

Faithful before a Relic of St. John XXIII in San Salvatore in Lauro Church - Rome, Italy

Don Piero Bongiovanni, parish priest of San Salvatore in Lauro Church in Rome joined forces with the Legionaries at our seminary to offer a few days of intense evangelization for those within and without His parish. Rome was packed and "white was the harvest". His parish isn't the best situated nor the largest but it was the one God chose. 

San Salvatore in Lauro is found between Castel Sant'Angelo and Piazza Navona

We began the mission getting off the train. Our walk from Stazione San Pietro to the Parish takes about 20 minutes. We did it in around 30. We wanted attention and we got some. Rather than taking the fastest way there we crossed St. Peter's Square and then walked down the Via della Conciliazione. Here are a few images as we reached our Parish stronghold. 

LC Brothers with the 2 Popes portrait

Getting some attention

On the Wall Street Journal

Group shot in St. Peter's Square

Crossing the Tiber - Castel Sant' Angelo

Reaching our Parish

Don Piero Bongiovanni beginning our Mission with the Relics of Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II

 

Part II: The Mission 

18 Jan to 5 April - Best Photos

Thy Kingdom come!

Dear Friends, pax Christi:

It is almost Easter and I am sending along my best photos from 18 Jan - 5 April. They are images from a unique perspective in Rome. I include photos from the "7 Churches Pilgrimage" as well as a trip to German-speaking Italy Alto Adige (South Tyrol). I have not had the time to sort them and give the necessary explanations (mea culpa) but I imagine you would like to see them any way. As you know these photos are gifts to be shared. I would love to hear back from you. I am on FB: johnchoilc and you can email me at brotherjohnlc@gmail.com. Thank you!

God bless! May the Joy of the Resurrected Christ fill and bless you.

in Christ, Brother John LC

Hint: At least on Chrome you can click on one image and it will create a slide show.