My Holy Land Tour

My trip was truly an epiphany for my faith. Our group woke up at 5 a.m. to do the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem. This experience probably affected me the most because I actually walked the road that Jesus did and the reenactment really helped me connect with my religious side. The priest advised each person to carry the cross for at least a few minutes, which I did. The cross that we rented from the Holy Sepulchre was surprisingly heavy, which only made me realize further that the cross I carried was no where nearly as heavy as Jesus's. Everyone around me was crying at some point and I wish i were as religious as they were. I think because I’m not as old as they are, I haven't gone through an experience in which I relied on religion to comfort me yet. I'm hoping to come back in a few years to see the difference between me now and then. By the end of the day, we went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray the rosary. The people there opened the garden to us and we were able to have Adoration. This was beyond amazing considering everyone shared their prayers and worries with one another. Earlier in the day, we also visited the prison area where Jesus was held captive. This was by far the most emotional part because it really opened my eyes to how horrid the pain was. We read Psalm 88 and for Jesus to be alone like that in complete darkness, we each connected with Him so deeply. I've appreciated my faith a lot more after. I learned a lot about what truly happe