Saint Martha

"Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus."  this unique statement in John's gospel tells us of the special relationship Jesus had with Martha, her sister and her brother.  Apparently jesus was a frequent guest at Martha's home in Bethany, a small village two miles from Jerusalem.  We read of three visits in Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-53 and John 12:1-9.

Many of us find it easy to identify with Martha in the story Luke tells.  Martha welcomes Jesus and His disciples into her home and immediately goes to work to serve them.  Hospitality is paramount in the Middle East (we experienced this during our pilgrimage - especially in Bethlehem where we were treated like royalty).  Imagine Martha's frustration when her sister Mary ignores the rules of hospitality and Martha's work in order to sit and listen to Jesus.  instead of speaking to her sister, she asks Jesus to intervene.  Jesus' response is not unkind, which gives us an idea of His affection for her.  He observes that Martha is worried about many things that distract her from being really present to Him.  He reminds her that there is only one thing that is truly important - listening to Him.  And that is what Mary has done.  

In Martha, we might see ourselves - worried and distracted by all that we have to do in the world and forgetting to spend some time with Jesus in prayer - just listening to Him.  It is, however, comforting to note that Jesus loved Martha just the same.  Her conversation with Jesus shows her faith and courage.  In this dialogue she states clearly - without doubt - that she believes in Jesus' power, in the resurrection and, most of all, that Jesus is the Son of God.  Jesus tells her that He is the resurrection and the life and then goes on to raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead.  

Our final picture of Martha in the Scriptures is the one that sums up who she was.  Jesus has returned to Bethany some time later to share a meal with His good friends.  In this home were three extraordinary people.  We hear how Lazarus caused a stir when he was brought back to life.  We hear how Mary causes a commotion at dinner by anointing Jesus with expensive perfume.  But the only thing we hear about Martha is the simple statement: "Martha served."  She isn't in the spotlight - she doesn't do showy things - she doesn't receive spectacular miracles.  She simply serves Jesus.  We know nothing more about Martha and what happened to her later.  According to a totally untrustworthy legend, Martha accompanied Mary to evangelize France after Pentecost.  

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the most important thing that could be said about us is what was said of Martha, "They served"?  May we follow Saint Martha's example of service.   Because of her service, Saint Martha is the patron saint of servants and of cooks.

Dear Saint Martha, pray for us that we might serve Jesus better.   Help us to overcome our distractions and worried to listen to His words and be present to Him today.  Amen.

 

Pilgrimage: Oberammergau Passion Play and Return Home

Just having the chance to write.  This morning we had some free time to visit the town of Garmisch before catching the shuttle to Oberammergau for the Passion Play.  The history of this Passion Play is quite interesting - dating back to the middle of the Thirty Years War.  In 1633, after months of suffering from the Bubonic Plague which killed 15,000 people in the area around the town, the frightened people of Oberammergau took a vow to perform the "Play of the Suffering, Dying and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ" every ten years if they were spared.  Miraculously, from that point on, they all survived and, true to their promise, the first performance was in 1634.  This simple performance was held in a meadow and acted by the villagers.  After 1674 they decided to change the date, so as to fall every ten years, beginning in 1680.  The only time it was not performed was during World War II.

We had a VERY unique show becuase in the middle they had to stop the show because of hail.  Yes, hail.  A very bad storm came up and it hailed in the middle of the show.  First time they've had to stop the show in the middle in a long time.  It was a wonderful witness of faith.

This morning we had Mass in the hotel, then packed up our bags, boarded the bus, and returned to Munich airport for the return trip.  As I write, the pilgrims are on the plane returning to the US.  I, however, took a small side trip and am visiting Christian Feind [many from Lewistown will remember him, he was John Kriauskas' exchange student a number of years ago]. 

The group will be back in Waynesboro & Lewistown by about 11pm Eastern Time.

I hope you've enjoyed traveling with us.  Please pray for our safe return.

Fr. Bateman

Pilgrimage: Travel Day

Today is a heavy day of travel as we leave Israel from Tel Aviv, fly to Frankfurt, Germany, then to Munich - then are transported to our hotel.   We had a 12:30 AM wakeup call in Jerusalem - some just never went to bed.  We boarded the bus and headed to the airport.  After LONG security lines - all kinds of questions from Israeli security - I think 3 times - we finally boarded our flight to Frankfurt - then our flight to Munich.  We passed by the Olympic village from the 1972 Olympics (Mark Spitz & the hostage crisis) and have made it to our hotel in Garmisch.  We have beautiful views out of our rooms - from the balconies - of the Alps (see the picture taken from the balcony of my room).  During our flight, I asked the pilgrims to reflect on what they've seen and experienced in the Holy Land - maybe even spending some time to write down their reflections - but because of the early hour. most of us slept. 

We arrived about 1:30 in our hotel in Garmisch - freshened up and headed into town for a bit to eat.  Tonight we'll have Mass in the hotel, then dinner at 8pm, then to bed.  After a VERY early morning and a long day of travel, a good German beer tasted REALLY good!

Jane Yancoskie

Unfortunately, I interrupt our blogging of the trip to Israel for other parish news.  Sadly, Jane Yancoskie died yesterday.  May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  I already celebrated Mass for her this morning at the Church of the Agony on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Fayetteville, Pa. — Jane S. Yancoskie, age 72, of Fayetteville, Pa., passed away in the Chambersburg Hospital on Monday, July 19, 2010. Born in Cokeburg, Pa., on May 27, 1938, she was the daughter of the late William H. Livingston and Alice G. Gillon Livingston.  Mrs. Yancoskie lived her life to know, love and serve God; may her soul rest in peace.

Surviving are her husband of 50 years, Anthony Yancoskie, whom she married on June 18, 1960; her children, Greg A. Yancoskie (wife Terry) of Woodbridge, Va., Gary W. Yancoskie of Chambersburg, Pa., and Kimmie A. Bennett (husband Bill) of Chambersburg, Pa.; and her grandchildren, Bob, T.J., Kodi, Jeff; Kristian and Kaylee. She is also survived by two siblings, William D. Livingston and Norma Jean Horwedel. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, Glen S. Yancoskie.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Thomas L. Geisel Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 333 Falling Spring Road, Chambersburg, Pa., where the Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Services and Interment will be handled by Greenlee Funeral Home, Bentleyville, Pa., at a later date.

Pilgrimage: Jerusalem - Part 2

Window in Dominus Flavit Church on the Mount of Olives

Jerusalem is just too much for one day - we really need a WEEK to meander its old streets, visit the holy places, and eat just one more Phalaphel. 

Today we went out to the Mount of Olives where we met this guy with a camel - only $1 for a picture.  Anyway, the Mount of Olives is a long ridge that was once covered with rich, green olive trees.  It was here that David ran after learning of his son Absalom's treachery (2 Samuel 15:30); it was the hill on which Solomon built pagan altars for his foreign wives (1 Kings 11: 7-8); it was the crossing place for the scapegoat. 

Jesus, too, frequented the mountain often, traveling over it to visit His friends Lazarus, Martha, Mary and Simon the Leper in Bethany.  It was here that He gave a major address to His disciples (Matthew 24).  He spent the night before His arrest in the gardens at Gethsemane, where Judas brought guards to arrest Him (John 18). 

Many churches commemorate events in Jesus' life - for example, the Church of the Ascension - the traditional place from which Jesus Ascended into Heaven.  Also on the slope there is a tear-shaped chapel - Dominus Flavit - which marks the spot at which Jesus wept while recalling the dire future in store for the Holy City of Jerusalem (Luke 19).  Here we will pray the 1st Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary. 

Our group then headed to the Church of Pater Noster (where Jesus taught His disciples the "Our Father"), then to the Church of All Nations (also called the Church of the Agony) where we celebrated Mass right at the  very rock where Jesus had His agony: "Father, let this cup pass me by - but not my will, but Your will be done."  To imagine having Mass right there - where He sweat tears of blood on the night before His passion...

From there we went to Mount Zion and the Upper Room.  In truth, the actual site of the Last Supper is unknown, however there is a Tradition dating to 348 which locates the room in this area.  In the 5th century a church was built to identify the spot.  Here our group reflects on one of the Institution Narratives from the Scriptures (Mark 14:12-26).  Also here we visited King David's tomb.

Then we made a quick stop at Oscar Schindler's grave (we all know him from the movie "Schindler's List").  We then headed back to the hotel for dinner and our last night in Jerusalem.  It is EARLY TO BED tonight - because our flight to Germany leaves at 5am!  We have a 12:30 am wake up call!  OUCH!  No late night card games tonight!  I'll let you know how that flight goes in our next posting...  Stay tuned.

Pilgrimage: Jerusalem

Our day began at Saint Steven's Gate - so called because tradition holds that Saint Steven was martyred nearby.   (The photo is of our parish seminarian from Saint Andrew - Steven Arena - outside the St. Steven's Gate.) Entering the Old City, we go to the Pool of Bethsada where Jesus healed the lame man (John 5:1-15).  There we pray a prayer of healing: O God who are the only source of health and healing, the spirit of calm and the central peace of this universe, grant to me such a consciousness of your indwelling and surrounding presence that I may permit you to give me health and strength and peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

We then walked the "Way of the Cross" through the old streets of Jerusalem.  Along the way a woman didn't like what we were doing - took off her shoes, banged them together yelling "I shake the dust from my feet - may Abraham curse you."  But it was OK - as they persecuted Christ, they will persecute us, too.  We completed the Way of the Cross inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcre and there celebrated Mass in the Crusader Chapel.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher - the church which contains three sacred places: the site of the Crucifixion, the place where Jesus' body was anointed before burial, and the empty tomb from which He rose from the dead.  

• Excavations have revealed that the place of the crucifixion actually is outside the old city walls, but close to one of its gates - so it would have been a good location for a crucifixion. 
• The structure which preserves the location of Christ's tomb is called the Edicule.  Though the cave here was carved away by a Muslim ruler 1000 years ago, a clear history remains that this has been the revered location of the tomb.  Al-Hakim's efforts to destroy the tomb (and Christianity) in 1009 were not the first.  Earlier the Roman emperor Hadrian erected a large platform of earth over the whole area for the construction of a temple to Venus.  Saint Jerome adds to Eusebius' statement that a statue of Jupiter was on the site for 180 yeas (140-320 AD).  When Constantine converted the empire to Christianity, he had the pagan temples dismantled, the earth removed and a church built over the spot.
• The best evidence that the tomb of Jesus was in this area is the fact that other first-century tombs are still preserved inside the church.  Called the "Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea," these burial shafts are clearly from the time of Christ's death and thus attest to some kind of burial ground in the area.  Combined with the evidence from Tradition, this church is most likely the true location of Christ's death and resurrection.

As the pilgrims visited the place of the crucifixion, many placed their hand in the hole - touching the stone of Golgotha.  We prayed: Behold, O Good and sweetest Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, with true repentance for my sins and a most firm desire of amendment: whilst with deep affection and grief of soul I consider within myself and mentally contemplate Thy five most precious Wounds, having before my eyes that which David, the prophet, long ago spoke in Thine own person concerning Thee, my Jesus: They have pierced my hands and my feet, they have numbered all my bones (Psalm 21)

And, as each pilgrim entered the small Edicule, each took a moment to pray: Christ is Risen: the world below lies desolate.  Christ is Risen: the spirits of evil are fallen.  Christ is Risen: the angels of God are rejoicing.  Christ is Risen: the tombs of the dead are empty.  Christ is Risen indeed from the dead, the first of the sleepers.  Glory and power are His forever and ever.  [attributed to Saint Hippolytus - AD 190-236]

Following Mass we walked to the Western Wall (formerly called the Wailing Wall).  Did anyone get up to see us?!  You are welcome to leave comments for us here!  The Western Wall is the most holy place in the world which is accessible to the Jewish people.  Prayers are offered up at this wall - which was built by King Herod in the 1st century BC.  Three times a day the Jewish people pray - and they do so with phylacteries tied around their forehead and wrist and with blue and white prayer shawls.  Tonight is also a special day of prayer and fasting for the Jews - as tomorrow (beginning at sundown tonight) is the anniversary of the destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD. (The photo is the men of out group at the Western Wall.)

Here members of our group took some time at the wall (after going through a checkpoint and putting something on our heads (the men at least).  We each went to our side of the wall (men and women are segregated.  Perhaps some put in the ancient cracks a prayer scribbled on a piece of note paper.

Then we moved to Bethlehem, after going through a checkpoint into Palestinian Territory.  There we had a pleasant lunch and then visited a store where many purchased beautifully hand carved olive wood item.  We then went to the Shepherd's Field where there is a church - and inside sang "Gloria in excelcis Deo" - we all know that Christmas song!   Then we moved on to the Church of the Nativity and visited the cave where Jesus was born - and there we all sing "Silent Night" (what we are doing in this photo).  Then we moved on to the "Milk Grotto" where, tradition says, Mary fed Jesus and some of her milk fell to the floor - turning the walls of the cave white.  Then it was  back to the bus - another pass through the checkpoint back into Jerusalem (yes, they entered the bus with their machine guns) and then to the hotel for dinner and some rest after another long day.  (The photo here is Betty Powers touching the very spot where Jesus was born in the cave of Bethlehem.)

Pilgrimage: Mount Tabor - Mount of Olives - Jerusalem

PRELIMINARY NOTE: Tomorrow our group will be at the Western Wall at about 12 - 12:30pm Jerusalem Time (5-5:30am in the Eastern US).  There is an online webcam - some of you may want to tune in and see if you can see us!  Here's the address: http://english.thekotel.org/cameras.asp

Today our pilgrim group moved closer to the Holy City - to Zion - to Jerusalem.  Our day began with a visit to Mount Tabor - the traditional spot of the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17: 1-9), where we celebrated Mass. 

Then it was to the bus for the journey from the north - down the "Road to Jericho" that we just heard about at Mass on Sunday - toward Jerusalem.  We began with a stop at Meggido, a city dating all the way back to the 7th Century BC - amazing ancient history in this place. Then we moved to another archeological spot before heading town, past the Dead Sea, then ascending the hill toward Mount Zion - the City of David - Jerusalem.

As we climbed the mountain toward Jerusalem, we will sang and prayed the traditional Psalm of Assent - Psalm 122: "I rejoiced when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'"

Then we arrived in Jerusalem - to this sign on our hotel - who knew!