because listening is the way to holiness

 “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.”

~Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3, verse 13

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“At the Jordan the heavens opened to indicate that the Savior has opened the way of salvation and we can travel it thanks to our own new birth of water and the Spirit (Jn. 3:5), accomplished in Baptism…

The commitment that springs from baptism is therefore “to listen” to Jesus: to believe in him and gently follow him, doing his will.

In this way everyone can tend to holiness… the vocation of all the baptized.”

~Pope Benedict XVI,

as quoted in Magnificat,

January 13, 2019

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I have been blessed to visit the River Jordan three times in my life, so far. But it was only on my Jordan pilgrimage that I had the exceptional blessing of having a whole hour – on my own – meandering around the banks of the River Jordan.

It was a very holy hour… dangling my feet in the water, listening to the murmur of the breeze...  taking in the soft concerto of the birds that afternoon. If you want to hear what I heard, here’s a 20 second video of my time there:

As we enter this brief, first "Ordinary Time" of 2019, here’s praying that all of us make time this year to listen more intently!

May we hear and see the Beloved in each moment, in each person, in each interruption, at each “place” we find ourselves. 

In the words of Servant of God Luis María Martínez, “For one who loves, the entire universe revolves around the Beloved; for [her], flowers scatter their fragrance, the mountains serve him as a grandiose pedestal; the waters of the river murmur his name and the stars in the firmament write it with their light.” 

postcard from #myJordanJourney: #3, at the Jordan

Now the people were filled with expectation, 
and all were asking in their hearts 
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying, 
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn, 
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways, 
he preached good news to the people.

~Gospel of Luke, Chapter 3, verses 15 - 18

Listening to the readings on this third Sunday of Advent made my mind wander back to my recent press trip to Jordan and, specifically, to our visit to the very site where John the Baptist baptized Jesus on the River Jordan.

When our group of Catholic Bloggers and Journalists first arrived at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, I was surprised when our first stop was a secluded area with wooden walkways – an active excavation site – where the remains of a 2^nd century church have been found adjacent to hermit caves.

As our guide, preservationist Rustom Mkhjian, explained, finding the remains of the chapel serves as confirmation for archeologists that these are, indeed, the caves where John the Baptist and his followers lived and carried out his mission. That is why an early Christian community developed there.

Visiting the caves made even more sense when I saw how close the cave dwellings are to the Jordan River.  

 Our guide, Rustom Mkhjian, explains the site's history

No, Pope Francis was not with us -- this photo from his visit to Jordan

Our guide Rustom Mkhjian was also Pope Francis' guide!  

A personal visit by each of our last three Popes validates Bethany Beyond the Jordan as the place where John baptized Jesus—as much as the archaeological excavations that have taken place on this east bank over the past two decades. 

Although the Jordan River serves as the border between the countries of Israel and Jordan, the Jordan here is maybe 20 feet wide—truly more a creek than a river!

But for me, it is precisely the river’s dimensions—as well as the preservation of its natural habitat, that made Bethany Beyond the Jordan a solemn site, genuinely mystical.

That afternoon, sitting on the banks of the Jordan River by myself during our group’s free time, it was not difficult to imagine Jesus meeting John there…  As I prayed and listened to the stillness, the most consistent sound I heard was that of the breeze blowing through the reeds.

With my feet dangling into the water, my heart felt giggly with joy… which made me sing out loud for almost an hour!

I took a short video that I’d like to share with you here. No, it’s not of me singing:

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him."

~ Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 3, verse 13

Like a sculptor eagerly awaiting the beautiful image that wants to be birthed from the plain slab of stone, all of us have a one-of-a-kind spirit created by God that is waiting to burst out. God created this unique spirit inside each of us for a reason. God needs us to live out who we are in the world in which we live. He needs me to be me, fully me, truly me––for my family, my neighbors, my work mates, my parish community, my city, my state. There are no coincidences, so everything about who I am––even my past, my experiences, my family––was given to me for a reason. And I have been placed within this reality for a reason, too.

           

Living with the heart of a pilgrim requires that I allow my spirit to be birthed into my world. And it demands that I trust the map that God has created for the pilgrimage of my life.  My pilgrimage is not random or generic or communal, but personal and specific. I was birthed into this moment by a Creator whose vision for the world not only includes but requires me. I am an explicit part of his plan!

~from my book, TheJourney: a Guide for the Modern Pilgrim

[all photos and video © Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda -- 

except the Pope photos, courtesy of Jordan Tourism Board]

Upcoming pilgrimage: in the Footsteps of Mother Mary!

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, 2012

Have you ever dreamt of seeing and walking where Jesus and His Mother lived? Do you want a chance to experience the Gospel stories through your own eyes?

Why don't you join me? 

From November 4 to 16, 2013, my dear friend and Paulist priest Fr. Bruce Nieli and I will be leading a pilgrimage to Israel and Turkey, where we will visit the sites of all major milestones in Mary's life and, therefore, in Jesus' story.

Because of obvious political unrest, the only place we will not be able to visit is Egypt, where the Holy Family migrated during Jesus' early years.

Our journey -- In the Footsteps of Mother Mary-- will begin in Nazareth, celebrating Mass at the site of the Incarnation. Yes, the place where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, saying:

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” 

We'll experience the region surrounding the Sea of Galilee, where so many of the Gospel stories take place--including Capernaum, the Mount of Beatitudes, and Sepphoris, birth site of Mary's parents, Anna and Joachim.

on replica boat, Sea of Galilee, 2012

If that's not enough to get you excited, our pilgrimage will include Bethlehem, Ein Karem (birth place of John the Baptist and site of Mary's visit with Elizabeth), the Jordan River, floating in the Dead Sea, and the barren desert, where Jesus went to pray for 40 days before beginning his ministry.

We'll also spend three days experiencing the holy sites of Jerusalem before flying to Izmir, Turkey, through Istanbul. If you're wondering why we've included Turkey, let me explain.

Mary's house, Ephesus

A few years ago I had the blessed opportunity to visit Ephesus, where tradition tells us Mother Mary lived the final years of her life with the Apostle John as her companion. Mary's home is a humble stone house where the presence of God was as tangible as rock. The grave and baptistery of St. John the Evangelist, to whom Jesus entrusted his mother, are on a nearby hill. 

Meryem, as Mother Mary is named in Turkish, is honored as the mother of Jesus and as an example of “purity and beauty, like a beautiful flower.” Her home is considered a holy site for Muslims, who, like Catholics, are encouraged to practice the spiritual practice of making pilgrimages.

I learned that Mary’s House in Ephesus is, therefore, the most important site in the world common to both Christians and Muslims.

When planning this pilgrimage walking In the Footsteps of Mother Mary, I could not ignore this important and holy site. 

Ephesus, city centre, façade of library

Five miles away from Mary's house survives the actual city of Ephesus, where the third ecumenical council of the Church took place in 431. On my visit, I stood in awe at the layers of history and centuries of faith tradition that color that landscape. 

The impressive two story façade of the Library of Celsus, built in 114-117 AD. The remains of a temple built in honor of Hadrian’s visit to the city in 123 AD. And underneath the Roman columns and stone paths that we walked, Greek ruins dating back to 1200 BC—all set on the foothills of Mt. Panayir (Pion) along what once was the shores of the Aegean Sea.

The largest archaeological site in Turkey and one of the most important in the world, Ephesus is one of the seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. It was also visited by St. Paul on his second and third journeys, and it is there that he wrote his letter to the Galatians. 

From now on, I will be regularly posting here stories from my visits to these amazing sites -- hoping to get you excited and willing to join me in this wonderful upcoming pilgrimage! 

Old city, Jerusalem, 2012

If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please leave me a message here -- or contact me directly. And please, join me in praying for this pilgrimage starting now, may all who feel called to join us answer the call, and may God's will be glorified through it.

All I can add is, Y'allcome!