by Bro. Quang Nguyen, SDB
Jerusalem is described as the center of the earth, as Ezekiel 5:5 states, “Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem! I placed it in the midst of the nations, surrounded by foreign lands.” It is the holy city that attracts pilgrims from all nations every year. I am blessed to live here as a long-term pilgrim in the Holy Land.
It has been almost five months since Bro. Leo and I packed up our belongings and moved to Jerusalem for our theological studies. To this day, it still feels surreal that I have this opportunity to study in the Holy Land, a true blessing.
A few days after my arrival, the reality set in that I would be living in Jerusalem, a foreign country I had never visited. Consequently, I needed to be open to living in an international community and learning to adapt to new and different realities, environments, lifestyles, and food. It is amazing to discover that the members of this community come from 22 different provinces, yet we all share the same Salesian spirit. This international community also provides me with opportunities to celebrate various holidays and learn from other cultures. As part of our cultural contribution, Bro. Leo and I prepared a Thanksgiving prayer service and meal to celebrate with the community in November. It was a special day for us to celebrate Thanksgiving and share laughter at the dinner table. I believe that through such opportunities, we get to learn and appreciate each other’s cultures.
Leo and I are very fortunate to have the opportunity to study Theology in the Holy Land, a place where many wish to study theology. Besides studying in the classroom, we get to visit different sites in the Holy Land. When visiting these holy sites, we bring what we read and study in Scripture classes to real life and gain new perspectives.
I would like to share a brief reflection I experienced last month during the journey to Bethlehem for Christmas. On the evening of the 24th of December, some of us attended the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Then, on the 25th, the entire community celebrated Christmas Mass at the exact birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem. It was a powerful experience I never thought I would have for this special occasion. I was in awe and could not describe it in words. All I remember saying to myself was, “This is the place where Jesus was born.”
As I reflected on our journey to Bethlehem, despite Bethlehem being located in Palestine, the distance from our community in Jerusalem to The Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, is only about 6-7 miles. The distance is short, but the travel is not easy due to closed borders and the current situation. Miraculously, a few days before Christmas, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem announced that Israel would open certain borders at specific timeframes for the faithful in Israel to go to Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas only on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Because of that, I thought of the journey of the Three Magi, who also had difficulties finding the place where Jesus was born. Our group also experienced somewhat similar difficulties; though we knew the birthplace of Jesus, we were not allowed to cross one of the borders and had to go around to another checkpoint to enter the West Bank. We then made it to Bethlehem after traveling for some time. I believe that in facing these difficulties, God always has one or other ways to help us overcome them. The experiences on these trips truly enrich our understanding of Scripture and studies and, especially, nourish our spiritual life.
Lastly, it is truly a blessing for us to be in the Holy Land to study theology. I would like to express my gratitude and request your continuous prayers for our studies and, most importantly, to live out our Salesian life. As we are aware, the Holy Land is facing many difficulties, especially during these times of war. In unity with the Church, let us pray for peace and unity in the Holy Land, especially for those affected by the conflict.
Happy Feast of St. John Bosco!
Bro. Quang Nguyen, SDB9
