Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options
James Martin, S.J.February 27, 2019
Pilgrims visit the site of the Baptism of Jesus. Photo by Vivian Cabrera.

Today, we visited the Baptismal site at Qasr Al Yahoud, which holds the oldest and most ancient tradition for being the place of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Matthew, 3: 13-17). Here we were invited to renew our baptismal promises. Then, we arrived in Jericho, where we paused at the famous sycamore tree and recalled the story of Jesus and Zacchaeus, the tax collector. We also proceeded to Bethany, site of the traditional tomb of Lazarus for Mass and time for reflection. Here is a reflection by James Martin, pilgrimage leader. 

Pilgrimages are always filled with surprises. But today all of us were surprised by a sacrament. One of our pilgrims, Judy, was baptized for the first time at the Jordan River. We had just renewed our baptismal vows when a priest in our group, started to pour water over Judy’s head. Everyone instinctively knew what was happening and fell silent. How wonderful it was to welcome a new Christian into our group.

For more on the 2019 Holy Land Pilgrimage, visit here. You can send us your prayer requests here.

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

The headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is seen in Washington in this file photo. The USCCB announced Feb. 7, 2025, it will lay off a third of its migration staff after President Donald Trump's suspension of refugee resettlement program. (OSV News photo/Tyler Orsburn, CNS file)
Executive orders recently signed by Trump "are causing confusion both within various agencies and with those who interact with them."
Kate Scanlon - OSV NewsFebruary 08, 2025
Taking antidepressants doesn’t mean you trust God less.
Amanda KnappFebruary 07, 2025
This week, Zac and Ashley chat with Dr. Gina Zurlo, a scholar of world Christianity at Harvard Divinity School, about her groundbreaking research on women outpacing men in worldwide church participation.
JesuiticalFebruary 07, 2025
Picturehouse
“Pan’s Labyrinth” embodies the core tension of Catholic life: the push and pull between the eternal and the worldly.
John DoughertyFebruary 07, 2025