Nov. 22, 2009: Christ the King
A month ago when I returned back from retreat and pilgrimage in Ars, France, someone asked me, "How was your pilgrimage?" I replied, "Well, food was less than palatable. For example, the chicken and the fish they served were boiled in water with no other seasoning. 1,200 of us priests were crammed like sardines into hard pews and we stayed in that hall from 9am to 9pm. For a retreat, we didn't have much silence, private prayer time, or any rest. We barely got 5 to 6 hours of sleep each day." And that person said, "It sounds like you had a real pilgrimage."
A couple of weeks ago, 51 pilgrims, many from Our Lady of Mercy and St. Thomas More, went on pilgrimage to Medjugorje for 9 days. I was anxious to hear about how their pilgrimage went. I spoke to one person and initially the trip was not what the person had in mind--big group, no silence or rest, too many activities, lack of sleep. After all, one barely gets few hours of sleep on transcontinental flight from U.S. to what was Yugoslavia. A couple I spoke to had even more difficult experience. It rained in the village of Medjugorje for the past few days and everything was drenched and slick. The entire group climbed Mt. Kresvec or "the Cross Mountain" early in the morning. The climb was treacherous. The only break they took as they climbed this mountain of rocks was the momentary pause to pray at each Stations of the Cross. As this couple climbed, the husband slipped and fell, three times just like Jesus fell three times carrying the cross. With each fall, the husband's jean was getting muddier and his climb became harder. It wasn't just him who slipped and fell; nearly everyone fell at least once along the climb. The height of this mountain was almost a mile high. At last after more than 45 minutes they climbed to the top and finished the 14th Station. There at the top of the mountain was a huge, 15 ton concrete cross with a relic of the True Cr
oss embedded inside. In the year 1933, the villagers from surrounding area hauled on their backs concrete and building materials to erect this gigantic cross. They wanted to commemorate 1,900 anniversary of Jesus' redemption on the Cross. Inscribed on the cross was 33-1933. (For more information on Mt. Krisvec click this link: http://peacepilgrim.fotopages.com/?entry=197253) In 2006, I was on that mountain along with 7 other seminarians. It was a special number because I was 33 years old at that time, only 2 years away from my ordination to priesthood. What were all these pilgrims from America, Asia, Latin America, and Africa looking for on this mountain? Christ the King who was crucified. As the pilgrims climbed the mountain praying the Stations of the Cross, they experienced for themselves what may have been like for Christ the King who wore not the royal purple garments but garments of our shame and sin, who wore on his head not a golden crown but a crown of thorns, carrying the Cross. As the pilgrims slipped and fell on this mountain, as they were irritated by not-so-perfect conditions of the trip, they gained an insight that this is not just a difficult to climb rock mountain; this is the metaphor of our life. Life is not a 4-Star Hotel where the meals are perfect, the staff are always friendly, and the bed sheets are always clean. Our lives are punctuated by irritating if not difficult people and events; and occasionally, there are great losses which require us to grieve. If we want perfect vacation, then this pilgrimage called life will be frustrating. Flight mis-connections, delays, not-so-friendly faces, wrong turnings can happen and can lead to unexpected views, and all will be well, if we remember, where the route will lead us. The route is towards Christ the King.
I suppose there is a big difference between a tour versus a pilgrimage. In a tour we try to make sure that at least three things are taken care of--good food, good hotels, and good rest. We may tour some unfamiliar, foreign country where our own language is not spoken, yet we enjoy unfamiliarity because we do it well rested, enjoying well prepared meals, and snapping away at beautiful scenery on our cameras. A pilgrimage on the other hand could have good food, good hotels, and good rest, but not always. There may be some scenery worth snapping photos of, but not always. In a pilgrimage you always have one or several things that go wrong that you say to God, "Okay God, I'm offering up this to you."
Fr. Mark Beard who was just ordained this year recalled a pilgrimage that he took to Medjugorje 7 years ago, way before even the thought of priesthood was on his mind. On this trip, he was suppose to join a group at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany, but his plane was late arriving in Germany and his pilgrimage group left without him. He was told that there was no plane until the next morning going to Medjugorje. Fr. Mark wanted to turn back and go home right then, but he decided to stay. Around the Frankfurt airport he found a group of what appears to be Americans, and it turned out they were going to Medjugorje. Fr. Mark must appeared frustrated and anxious by then because no one wanted engage in conversation with him. Fr. Mark told his story of missed flight and frustration, and a lady replied, "You know of all the the Medjugorje trips I've taken, there always seems to be one person in the group that devil seems to pick and give them a hard time." Fr. Mark thought to himself, "Great, I'm the pick of the litter."
Fr. Mark Beard who was just ordained this year recalled a pilgrimage that he took to Medjugorje 7 years ago, way before even the thought of priesthood was on his mind. On this trip, he was suppose to join a group at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany, but his plane was late arriving in Germany and his pilgrimage group left without him. He was told that there was no plane until the next morning going to Medjugorje. Fr. Mark wanted to turn back and go home right then, but he decided to stay. Around the Frankfurt airport he found a group of what appears to be Americans, and it turned out they were going to Medjugorje. Fr. Mark must appeared frustrated and anxious by then because no one wanted engage in conversation with him. Fr. Mark told his story of missed flight and frustration, and a lady replied, "You know of all the the Medjugorje trips I've taken, there always seems to be one person in the group that devil seems to pick and give them a hard time." Fr. Mark thought to himself, "Great, I'm the pick of the litter." 
A couple of weeks ago, 51 pilgrims, many from Our Lady of Mercy and St. Thomas More, went on pilgrimage to Medjugorje for 9 days. I was anxious to hear about how their pilgrimage went. I spoke to one person and initially the trip was not what the person had in mind--big group, no silence or rest, too many activities, lack of sleep. After all, one barely gets few hours of sleep on transcontinental flight from U.S. to what was Yugoslavia. A couple I spoke to had even more difficult experience. It rained in the village of Medjugorje for the past few days and everything was drenched and slick. The entire group climbed Mt. Kresvec or "the Cross Mountain" early in the morning. The climb was treacherous. The only break they took as they climbed this mountain of rocks was the momentary pause to pray at each Stations of the Cross. As this couple climbed, the husband slipped and fell, three times just like Jesus fell three times carrying the cross. With each fall, the husband's jean was getting muddier and his climb became harder. It wasn't just him who slipped and fell; nearly everyone fell at least once along the climb. The height of this mountain was almost a mile high. At last after more than 45 minutes they climbed to the top and finished the 14th Station. There at the top of the mountain was a huge, 15 ton concrete cross with a relic of the True Cr
oss embedded inside. In the year 1933, the villagers from surrounding area hauled on their backs concrete and building materials to erect this gigantic cross. They wanted to commemorate 1,900 anniversary of Jesus' redemption on the Cross. Inscribed on the cross was 33-1933. (For more information on Mt. Krisvec click this link: http://peacepilgrim.fotopages.com/?entry=197253) In 2006, I was on that mountain along with 7 other seminarians. It was a special number because I was 33 years old at that time, only 2 years away from my ordination to priesthood. What were all these pilgrims from America, Asia, Latin America, and Africa looking for on this mountain? Christ the King who was crucified. As the pilgrims climbed the mountain praying the Stations of the Cross, they experienced for themselves what may have been like for Christ the King who wore not the royal purple garments but garments of our shame and sin, who wore on his head not a golden crown but a crown of thorns, carrying the Cross. As the pilgrims slipped and fell on this mountain, as they were irritated by not-so-perfect conditions of the trip, they gained an insight that this is not just a difficult to climb rock mountain; this is the metaphor of our life. Life is not a 4-Star Hotel where the meals are perfect, the staff are always friendly, and the bed sheets are always clean. Our lives are punctuated by irritating if not difficult people and events; and occasionally, there are great losses which require us to grieve. If we want perfect vacation, then this pilgrimage called life will be frustrating. Flight mis-connections, delays, not-so-friendly faces, wrong turnings can happen and can lead to unexpected views, and all will be well, if we remember, where the route will lead us. The route is towards Christ the King. 
