March 9
Before I physically pass away on Earth, I feel that one of the most amazing trips that I would love to do is travel to the country of Jerusalem. I mention a trip to the Holy Land, because one excursion that I would enjoy doing there is walking the path that Jesus walked from the time that He was condemned to death and beaten by the Romans all the way to the city of Golgotha, the city on a hill where Jesus was nailed to and died on a cross. While there, I would love to travel to the places where Jesus Christ lived and traveled. I would also like to visit as many places where Jesus taught, worshiped, and performed miracles. I understand that the steps that I take and the places that I visit may not be exactly the steps that Jesus took and the places that He visited. But, to be right in the general area of where all of this took place would be just an incredible excursion that I would love to take with Barb someday. I have not done much research on traveling to this area, but some of the following look like good possibilities to look at and research for a future trip to the Holy Land:
HolyLandTours.org HolyLand-Pilgrimage.org
FootprintsofGodPilgrimages.com 206tours.com
Immanuel-Tours.com
The closest that I can get to walking the footsteps of Jesus right now is when I go to St. John the Evangelist church on a Friday evening at 7:00 and participate in the Stations of the Cross. Stations of the Cross is offered each Friday at our church during the Lenten season. Throughout the week, I look forward to going on this type of retreat. When it finally arrives, I get totally immersed into the small booklet that is used at the Stations of the Cross. The booklet is called “The Way of the Cross” by St. Alphonsus Liguori. This devotion that takes place each Friday at St. John’s during Lent is a blessing. It gives me and others the opportunity to focus on Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, the one who came in the flesh, dwelt among us, taught us how to live our lives, lived His life as an example for all people, was crucified, died, buried, and rose from the dead so that we might spend eternal life with Him in heaven. St. Alphonsus writes, “The pious exercise of the Way of the Cross represents the sorrowful journey that Jesus Christ made with the cross on His shoulders, to die on Calvary for the love of us. We should, therefore, practice this devotion with the greatest possible fervor, placing ourselves in spirit beside our Savior as He walked this sorrowful way, uniting our tears with His, and offering to Him both our compassion and our gratitude.”15 If you have the opportunity during Lent, visit a Catholic Church that has Stations of the Cross, a wonderful devotion to follow during Lent. It is a retreat that you may never forget. My Stations of the Cross retreat today was wonderful and it is one that I will always remember!