By Atty. Howie Calleja
To arrive in Israel just a day after the Semana Santa and Paschal Triduum brought mixed emotions most especially on Easter Sunday. Being in the Holy Land in the midst of the geopolitical tension within the region was not just a profound spiritual experience but likewise brought feelings of fear and anxiety vis-à-vis the tension felt from the constant news on the ongoing strife emanating from the October 2023 barbaric attack of Hamas against Israeli civilians.
This pilgrimage and journey have added new dimensions to my faith experience and understanding. There is nothing like strolling where David and Solomon walked and picturing the lives of Abraham and Sarah, Moses and Elijah. Walking where the Holy Family lived, struggled, strolled and celebrated. And walking the way Jesus walked in life, and to his cross. There is no supernumerary for the experiences of being among the people of the land, in the Holy Land, journeying where Jesus and his disciples journeyed, where the apostles congregated and ministered, where Saul became Paul and transformed the world.
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on I am likewise an eyewitness to the punitive realities of conflict and the far-reaching aftermaths felt by the local population in Jerusalem. As such the impact of the conflict on the sacred sites of the Holy Land, the uncertainty that prevails, and the fear gripping the country. Despite the absence of gunfire on the streets of Jerusalem, the reality of war is present all over the city. But honestly when I arrived at Ben Gurion airport all seemed normal and not even a soldier in sight. During the drive to our hotel, I expected road blocks or tanks but there was none — fairly, I see more gun carrying policemen and body guards in the Philippines than seeing soldiers here in Israel. Fact is, the whole day from the airport to the hotel and even in our dinner in the Center of the city there was absolutely no one bearing arms, no checkpoint and no military presence of any kind. Even more, the “Iron Dome” protected skies were clear; and the night was peaceful with no rocket or jets in sight.
Sadly, perhaps the sector of the Israeli economy that has agonized the most amid this war is tourism which accounted for 2.6 percent of GDP before the pandemic in 2019, before falling to 1.1 percent in 2021. Both foreign and domestic tourism in Israel have flatlined since the start of the war. I just pray that things would get better because the spiritual experience of being here is worth all the fear and anxiety.
As my day two in Israel begins and would start looking closer at the heart of the country this trip to Israel (The Holy Land) is more than just an intellectual quest, discovering the huge amount of geographical and archeological evidence supporting the historicity of the Bible is amazing which has greatly enriched my faith journey. To quote Ernest Kurtz, “a journey becomes a pilgrimage as we discover, day by day, that the distance traveled is less important than the experience gained”.