“Do you know where you are?” Countless times this question was asked to the other pilgrims and myself. Every time (well almost every time) we answered yes. Father Rob would then look at us with a most sincere look and say “You are in Jerusalem (or in Bethlehem or at the Church of …).” In my head I knew that I was in the Holy Land. We had flown across the world to be there, but it wasn’t until we were beside the Jordan River that I truly understood the question- “Do you know where you are?”

We all stood with a hand in the baptismal font that is beside the Jordan River, ready to renew our baptismal vows that it hit me. We were in the place where Jesus was baptized. The river that was right beside us, the same river we had just touched, was the same one where Jesus had been 2000 years ago. It was there that I really knew where I was.

Throughout the rest of the trip there were other places and people that I really felt a connection with, but standing beside the Jordan was the first.

By: Abby Petrozzi