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 Br Chris venerates the Cross Rome? Not this time. Our destination was a little less famous, but similarly universal in aspiration. We were on our way to Light To The Nations, an Easter gathering held at St Clement’s Monastery just outside the barely-there town of Galong, NSW. It is hosted every second Easter by the Disciples of Jesus and the Missionaries of God’s Love (MGL), and draws young people from across Australia, who come to celebrate our Easter faith together and pray for the nation. In recent years, two pilgrimages have developed in the lead-up to the event. One group, consisting of people from all walks of life, journeyed from Canberra on foot. The other group, of which I was a member this year, was a band of ten MGL Brothers, who drove from Melbourne as far as Gundagai before proceeding the next 110km on foot. Most of us are currently studying as part of our formation towards consecrated brotherhood and priesthood, so it was something of a relief to put the books down for a few days, to rest the mind and get the body moving. As we set off on our journey, I found myself thinking of all the people I might have met along the road if I had lived in Israel around 30AD, and had joined the great hordes on pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover. We were on the road to our own little Jerusalem, there to listen to the words of the famous Prophet from Galilee, and to see him finally rejected, condemned, crucified. Step by step, over the days, the study books faded into distant memory, and I found that my reality was centred on the mysterious man we were journeying to meet. The brothers had first walked this path two years ago, setting out with minimal preparation. On that occasion, they had met various kind souls along the way who had shown them hospitality. This time they were ready for us: we slept in an art gallery at Gundagai, a shearing shed at Darbalara, dined in style at Gobarralong, were warmly welcomed by the parish at Jugiong, and kindly hosted for the night at McMahon’s Reef. It was wonderfully refreshing to meet these people of faith along the road. And as much as we were very heartened by the warm reception of the locals, it seemed to me that they were also encouraged at the sight of a band of young pilgrims, a sign of the resilience of faith and hope in a barren land. Along the way we prayed for much needed rain in the land; we also prayed for the rain of the Spirit to revive the hearts of the people and especially the youth of our nation. Light To The Nations is celebrated under the motto: A Future Full of Hope. All-comers are welcome, but most of the 800-strong crowd are young. Beginning with the solemn Supper on Holy Thursday, we journeyed together with Jesus through his Good Friday passion. On the Holy Saturday we hiked up Rosary Hill to pray the nation, before celebrating together in the exuberant joy of Jesus’ resurrection at the Easter Vigil Mass. Each person makes the Easter journey in their own way. My journey was one of deep personal significance this year, one that will stay with me for years to come. In the presence of the radical trust Jesus before his Father, I found myself challenged. Challenged to that same faith, to live in that same audacious hope for my own future and for the future of the world, a future which only God in his extraordinary power and love can make reality. Now back into my daily grind, I’m asking Jesus for the grace to live my life by that same daring hope and to share it with the world. Chris Kerwick MGL |