Why we must remember the largely forgotten Christians of the Holy Land
When most well-meaning Westerners think of Arabs or Palestinians, they do not think of Christians. For Arab believers who are Christians living in Israel, Palestine, and the greater Middle East region, the cost is very high. The Arab peoples now number in the...
Solo Female Travel: How Group Tours Empower Me to Sit Back, Relax, and Meet Great New Friends While Exploring My Bucket List Destinations
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”. This quote by Saint Augustine can sum up most people’s feelings about travel – we all frequently lament that if only we had more time and money, we would cross off all of the destinations on our...
Holy Land Pilgrimage: An Interview Author and Pilgrimage Leader Stephen Binz
Stephen is a prolific author with more than 50 books to his credit. We were lucky enough to catch him between travels and writing, to learn more about his most recent book: Holy Land Pilgrimage.
What Was the Climate Like at the Time of Jesus?
It’s a fascinating question. Msgr. Charles Pope takes an in depth view in his blog post at Community of Mission: The climate in Palestine, both today and at the time of Jesus, has two distinct seasons. The wet or rainy season runs from the mid-October to the...The God Quest: Faith-Based Travel
Exploring the difference between taking a vacation and making a pilgrimage.
By Denise Bossert
One of my favorite Bible stories comes from the book of Ruth. It is the prototype for all faith travel. It captures the mysterious dynamic of the life-changing pilgrimage experience.
When one stands in Bethlehem and looks out over Shepherds’ Field, the stories rise to the surface and people of faith cannot help but stand in awe, remembering.
Standing there, you remember the angels who sang to shepherds in that field, announcing the Messiah’s arrival, but you also remember the things of the Old Testament: the fall of Jericho and Rahab who helped save God’s people. You think of her son Boaz and Bethlehem where he lived. Your mind goes to Naomi who left Bethlehem and traveled to Moab (Jordan) with her husband during a time of famine and settled there until her husband and both sons died. But mostly, you think of Ruth, Naomi’s daughter-in-law. Ruth provides us with a glimpse into the mystery of pilgrimage, what it is, how it changes us, the gifts it yields.
After Naomi lost her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem along with Ruth.
Ruth’s words to Naomi become the mantra of every pilgrim. Ruth looks over her shoulder at what she is leaving behind, and then she locks her eyes on Naomi and says, “Where you go, I will go. Where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”
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