Walking into HIStory, discovering my God of mystery!
I have always been a man on the move; hurricanes sometimes get a complex in my presence. Even for the love of God I can’t see myself as dense or as dead as the Dead Sea; onward and forward is my motto. Yet here I am embarking on a journey that will only let me take one step forward if I am willing to take two thousand steps back. That’s the power of the ‘terrae sanctae’ or the Holy Land.
For quite a while I have held out on embarking on such a journey for I have been put off by the many narratives of pilgrims who have expressed their disappointment about the commercialization of this sacred land by business establishments and governments. Yet deep within I feel my heart tugging me to Jerusalem, longing to walk the sands of time in the city of God and sing with the psalmist, “at last our feet are standing within your gates O Jerusalem.’ (Psalm 122:2)
My journey will begin in the wee hours of the fifth of November 2018 and will end in twelve days. Like Egeria the nun who chronicled her pilgrimage in 380 AD or the unknown ‘pilgrim of Bordeaux’ who chronicled the oldest known Christian itinerarium recounting his journey to the Holy Land in the years 333, I too hope to pen not only what my eyes see but also what my heart dares to experience.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, where God brought an end to Moses’ long journey on Mount Nebo will be the starting point of my journey of faith. From this mountain, my journey will take me to the Holy mountain of Jerusalem and the many cities of Israel which Our Lord set foot on.
Fr. Warner D'Souza is a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Bombay. He has served in the parishes of St Michael's (Mahim), St Paul's (Dadar East), Our Lady of Mount Carmel, (Bandra), a ten year stint as priest-in-charge at St Jude Church (Malad East) and at present is the Parish Priest at St Stephen's Church (Cumballa Hill). He is also the Director of the Archdiocesan Heritage Museum and is the co-ordinator of the Committee for the Promotion and Preservation of the Artistic and Historic Patrimony of the Church.
Very Dear Fr Warner
I’m so happy for you as you make this momentous journey in love and faith. May God go with you as he went with Moses and his people.
Please pray for good health, blessed jobs, strong faith, love, forgiveness and peace. Above all pray for happy and holy deaths to all who believe in the Lord . For Poe Francis and our dear Clergy all over the world for piety, purity and an eternal thirst for the Word of God.
Much love and blessings on your journey in the footsteps of the Lord and his chosen Prophets.
Jennifer D’Cunha
Enjoy this beautiful experience Father and thank you for your wonderful posts that allow us to reflect deeply and feel closer to God.
Please pray for all families in Mumbai, that they may live in harmony, help each other, love one another and also look after the environment. That people travel safely, get good jobs, good treatment at hospitals and good education in schools and colleges.
Have a blessed day 🙂