Beauty and Complexity,... Layers upon Layers....

It's been very difficult to post during our time in Jerusalem. There was so much to do and to see, but honestly, I think it was tough to post because there was so much to see and to understand. One of our speakers, described it like this, "Beauty and complexity - layers upon layers is religion (and life) in Jerusalem." I think most of us agreed that it will take us the rest of our lives to unpack and understand all that we saw, heard, and experienced - it was close to impossible for me to blog and to put into words my thoughts. What can you say about the Western wall and the Separation Wall, the complexity and diversity of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the differences and similarities between the Christians, the Jews, and the Muslims. What can you say about young people with guns on a field trip, about thousands of pilgrims from all over the world coming to this land, about old streets and dry deserts, about too much religion and not enough God...

However, I would like to share an experience I had on my final day in Jerusalem. It was a free day, so we were able to do and go wherever we wanted. I spent the morning at the Temple of the Dome listening and learning, some last minute shopping, and lunch at a delicious Lebanese restaurant near the Jaffa Gate. After lunch, I was hot and tired, and ready to go back to the Notre Dame Center to pack and to get ready to go home. However, it didn't take me as long as I expected, and as I went through my pictures I realized that I had missed some of the sites in the Holy Sepulcher (even though I had gone through it three times already - there is just so much to see and let sink in!) Anyway, I decided to go back on my own. I was quite proud of myself - getting through the Old City without getting lost! When I got to the church, it was fairly empty. Fortunately, I think I arrived between tour groups. I made my way up to the 11th & 12th Stations of the Cross - the place where Jesus was nailed to the cross and Calvary, the place where Jesus died. I took some pictures and paused to reflect. There was no one there so I placed my hand in the hole under the altar and touched the rock of Calvary. I really didn't know what to think at that moment. After I rose, I went behind the rope and took a picture of the altar. I turned to take another, and realized that my media card was full. That was the last picture, the last photo I could take. At that moment, it all came together for me. At the place where Jesus said, "It is finished!" I took my last photo. I was again reminded that there on the cross Jesus is the final word. There is no more that we can do or need to do, by Christ's sacrifice on the cross we receive grace upon grace. For me, this marked the end of my pilgrimage. There may be more to see or to do, but for me this was enough - I had come to the place of the cross and it was more than enough.