"You Will See Me In Galilee"

 

“YOU WILL SEE ME IN GALILEE”

 

In both the Gospels of Mark 16:7 and Matthew 28:10 the women who come to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, were told not to be afraid.  “He is not here, He has been raised.  But go tell the disciples to go to Galilee, and there they will see me, as I told you.”

 

Where is this Galilee, where we will see Him?

 

After hearing this Gospel at the Easter Vigil, it struck me that, the next movement of the Liturgy was at the Baptismal Font where we recall our Baptisms celebrated so long ago, and renew the promises that were made for us by those who carried us to that font.  This is the Galilee, where we first saw Him. 

 

On this night we bring to this Liturgy the Catechumens and Candidates for full communion, who are prepared and open to meet this Risen Christ.

 

Each year at this time I am reminded of my time in Harlan County, Ky nearly 30 some years ago.  When I arrived there, there was no RCIA going on.  As time went on, more and more folks would start coming to Mass on Sundays and attend the Wednesday evening Scripture Study as well.   Most of these folks were Baptist. They said they thought the “Catholic” didn’t use the Bible.  But they were fascinated that Fr. Ed used the Bible stories at Mass and used the Bible on Wed. evenings.  So, they continued coming to both.

 

After a time, we started preparing them all for the Sacraments at the Easter Vigil.  One young mother who came with her two sons had many questions.  How do you baptize?  When we described our ritual, she says, “We can’t do that, you don’t use enough water.”  She had seen the Baptismal font in Church, a typical one with the small well in the top that we were using as a Holy Water font.  Fr. Ed told them, “Don’t worry, we’ll work that out.”  They were used to going down to the river for Baptisms.  There are lots of tributaries running all over those mountains and valleys.

 

So, Fr. Ed and I worked to prepare for this big event.   We had 14 folks wishing to be Baptized that Easter Vigil, the most ever for that small parish.  We got a child’s backyard plastic pool, put is on a white sheet near the Baptismal font, and put plants around it, and put water in the pool. It looked very festive.

 

It was time to lead them all to Galilee, where they would meet the Risen Christ.  When the Catechumens came to Church that night, they were to wear their regular clothes.  After the Readings, when it was time for the Baptismal Ritual they all went to the back of Church near the font. One by one they knelt in the pool of water.  Fr. Ed took a small bucket of water and poured it over the head of each one, calling that one by name and pronouncing the words of Baptism.                

 

Then they all changed out of their wet garments, into dry clothes and put on the white garment that a parishioner had made for them.  When they returned we resumed the ritual around the Paschal Candle. After that they returned to their pews joining the community for the rest of the Mass and their First Communions.  In Galilee we not only meet Him individually, but in the whole Christian Community.

 

That was truly an ALLELUIA celebration, which brought such joy to the Holy Trinity Parish Community.  The memory of it remains with me even to today.

 

Some years ago, during a retreat I went to the Church and font where I was baptized.  I remembered the significance of that moment and pictured those who brought me to that Galilee, where I first saw the Risen Christ. It is in that same Christ Jesus that we continue to live and move and have our being, just as He told us, “In Galilee you will see me, just as I told you.”

 

What are some of your Galilee moments?

Sister Mary Tewes