As of this writing, it's just about two and a half months since my wife and I returned from a fabulous pilgrimage to the Holy Land (How could it have been otherwise?). And along with Father Mitch Pacwa's "The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage," "Jesus: A Pilgrimage" is the second text on such pilgrimages that I've subsequently read. Be that said, it is my opinion that readers may very well find the incredibly comprehensive online materials from the Franciscans (www(dot)custodia(dot)org) to be much more satisfying.
Though he comments that "the Holy Land is often called the Fifth Gospel" (p. 13), Father Martin's book offers no photos (other than the cover photo of the Sea of Galilee) to help make that point. To his credit, he does include a few modern maps, which were very helpful. And while Father Pacwa follows a geographic grouping of holy sites, Father Martin's ordering of sites generally follows the Life of Christ - another plus.
For my wife and myself, renewing our wedding vows was one of the many highlights of our visit. I am perplexed as to why Father Martin basically overlooks Cana - did he not go there? Like Holy Orders, Marriage is one of the sacraments "at the service of communion."
Father Martin's book has an Imprimi Potest, and he has indeed received positive reviews from Church luminaries. Yet, that is not a guarantee of quality. At many points, I found myself thinking that the text would have benefited by Father's Martin's refraining from excessive speculation, so as to truly let the Holy Land speak for itself. I believe that there should also have been stricter editing of some snarky comments. For example:
* "Then I saw the Jordan River. It was neon green, more like Mountain Dew than water. 'I told you it was gross,' said George" (p.98).
Did I mention that readers should check out the incredibly comprehensive online materials from the Franciscans (www(dot)custodia(dot)org)?
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