In Jaffa, Peter saw a vision of a sheet lowered from heaven filled with all sorts of animals, which he considered unclean, and he was told to eat. We did not see such a vision, but we encountered the Lord in the Eucharist in almost the same place. This pilgrimage has been one of longing for many of us--longing to see God’s will fulfilled in our lives and longing to be changed by the living Gospel we encounter.
The centerpiece of the Church was a dove flying in front of what appeared to be the sun. This representation of the Holy Spirit was hovering above the altar, and in the same way, entering into our hearts as we explored the city.
We also visited the tomb of a very important saint. St. George is often depicted as slaying a dragon, but the other significant story about him is his courage against a tyrannical emperor. St. George, a man in charge of a thousand men, proudly defended the Christian faith against the Emperor Diocletian and was martyred because of it. We spent some time praying there for the courage to stand up for our faith when the odds are not in our favor.
The trip ended with one last visit to the Mediterranean Sea. As I stood in the flowing waters and gazed out across the horizon, there was not much to see. I know that home is somewhere on the other side of this vast expanse of water, but a haze blocked my vision. Maybe that is the Lord showing me that I should keep my focus on the pilgrimage for these last few days. “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." (Matthew 6:34)
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