Strangers No More

They gathered as strangers, embarking on a journey to a strange land.

A few faces were familiar, maybe even a slight nod of recognition, perhaps more out of courtesy than acquaintance.

In late January, the independent pilgrims boarded a plane to the Holy Land, sharing the common denominator of uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had previously forced the earlier cancellation of the pilgrimage. 

Nearly two weeks later, they touched down as a unified community of faith.

“I think for me what really stuck out was that for everyone to be together for this trip at that exact time, coming off COVID, there were a lot of restrictions,” said Alycia Bueche, one of nearly 30 pilgrims who made the pilgrimage that was led by Father David Dawson, parochial vicar at St. George Church in Baton Rouge.

“It showed their heart and that this was something important to them and  how much they really wanted to go and encounter this pilgrimage,” Bueche added. “That bonded us in a way that it was so special to each one of us that we were able to share.”

With each passing day of walking in the footsteps of Christ, with each Mass Father Dawson celebrated in such places as the tomb of Christ, with each baptism in the Jordan River, with the renewal of wedding vows, the pilgrims drew closer, knitting a  spiritual kinship thousands of miles away from their hometown where they are only separated by a few miles or less.

“This is a group of people that I don’t know that anybody knew anybody that was going on this trip,” said Jo Lanehart. “But as a couple of days went on, we bonded extremely well. Everybody was accommodating, kind and generous.

“If I went on another trip I would want them all to come with me. I just love these people.”

That bond was evidenced when they recently gathered for a reunion, sharing memories, catching up on recent events and being treated  to a surprise video by Rami Munayer, their Holy Land tour guide. 

Much of the talk centered on how their lives have been transformed by being able to touch and feel and see where Jesus walked. And was crucified. 

Or to be present at the site of Jesus’ resurrection.

“It changes how you live your faith and how you teach your faith to others,” Bueche said. “As a mom, as a wife, I have changed.
 

“It brought the Catholic faith to life for us. It made me understand Catholicism a lot more.”

“The Scripture comes to life and that is something I’ll never forget,” said Lanehart, who admitted she was not expecting the Jordan River, where Father Dawson renewed everybody’s baptismal vows, to be so small.

“I’ve definitely changed,” she added. “Somebody saw (Jo and her husband Brad) at Mass (at St. George after returning) and said we looked more reverent. It’s just how we felt. I did not realize we were doing that.

“We are more attentive. It’s still hard to wrap my brain around the fact that I was walking, seeing, touching everything that Jesus did. And still it is.”

Brad Lanehart was struck by the proximity of the Holy Land to other countries, recalling that at one site Syria was just on the other side of the nearby mountains.

“It made you realize what Jesus had to go through in that time and how much he walked,” he said. “Hours every day, getting from one place to another.”

Father Dawson said he was intentional in his planning to foster spiritual growth and a greater appreciation of the Gospel. He prayed with the group daily at each visit, reading a Scripture passage from each site to connect it to the Gospel reading. 

“Father would take us to a place and say this is what the Gospel is all about; we are here,” said Brad Lanehart. “It was allowing your faith to come alive. It was a pilgrimage, not a vacation.”

Father Dawson also connected each site to the Catholic faith, using that opportunity to stress the importance of being Catholic.

“It really changes how you read Scripture,” Father Dawson said. “Now, when I read Scripture, it’s a tangible place, no longer in (a person’s) imagination.”

As a member of the clergy, Father Dawson said being able to celebrate Mass in the most sacred of sites was incredible. He vividly remembers celebrating Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection. 

Masses are limited to 27 minutes and a two-minute warning is given.

“I was going to take every second of those two minutes,” Father Dawson said with a chuckle. 

“The way that (Father Dawson) used the trip to teach us about our faith at each place, that was important too,” Bueche said “I think if we would have gone on a trip without a priest, I don’t think it would have been as impactful.”

Months after leaving the Holy Land, these newfound friends continue to gather. Strangers no more, they meet for lunch, attend First Saturday Mass or perhaps even hunt together. 

“We got to live our faith  and when you live it with partners in  faith, like a community in faith, it makes it so much more profound,” Bueche said.