Follow @shmsdetroit

by Derik Peterman

  • 2016/06/IMG_20160527_014227138.jpg
  • 2016/06/IMG_20160527_104355.jpg
  • 2016/06/IMG_20160604_143813.jpg

"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" (Luke 24:2-3).

I was able to live out these verses, along with a few of the other seminarians from our pilgrimage. In fact, I am sitting in front of the empty tomb now as I draft this post. At 9:00pm, we were locked into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to keep vigil until morning. The chaotic crowds of people have been replaced with a handful of volunteers refilling oil lamps and cleaning. The bright camera flashes have been replaced by dim lights, giving the chapels a quiet glow. And this opportunity is only the icing on the cake! The past day the Lord has poured his generosity over me like never before.

At a retreat back in Detroit, Br. Dave met a young woman who said her brother is a Franciscan priest in the Holy Land. Br. Dave was then given a picture of this priest so that he could find him. No problem, right? Well, not so much. The Franciscans have custody of many of the holy sites here so there are brown robes just about everywhere you look. Nevertheless, we came across this priest in Nazareth. His name is Fr. Donaciano. After explaining why Br. Dave had a picture of this man, they exchanged information to keep in touch.

Br. Dave asked father if he could make sure we had the chance to spend the night in the Holy Sepulchre. Seminarians on previous pilgrimages have had this opportunity as well. Thus it was no problem for our new Franciscan friend who also invited us to lunch at the monastery. "Okay!" we agreed. We were blessed with an incredible meal. But father's hospitality did not stop there. He allowed us to take a siesta in the recreation room because we would be staying up all night. We then had a great conversation. I was awed by the joy, wisdom, and holiness of this priest. Before heading out we received his blessing, which was certainly prayed with a deep love for Christ. It was powerful.

Off we went into the narrow streets of Jerusalem, to make our way to the place where we would spend the night in prayer. We were all very excited to have this opportunity and still beaming with joy from our blessed afternoon with Fr. Donaciano. Perrin said that the gift of being at the monastery was a sign of the blessings God would give us that night. Soon we arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which contains the locations of Jesus' death and resurrection.

Having so much time there in the empty tomb was beyond words. I prayed in other places as well, like up at Calvary and the spot where St. Helen, the mother of Constantine, found the cross, but in the tomb there was something special. For a while we even had all four of us in the tomb at once: Br. Dave, Perrin, Rodney, and myself. This opportunity is one I will never forget and one that will bear fruit in my future ministry as a priest. "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14). With all of my heart, and every ounce of conviction within me, I can confidently say that He is risen indeed!

Derik Peterman

Derik Peterman is a graduate seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Stay connected with Sacred Heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Academic-mark_blk_rev.png#asset:487

Sacred Heart Major Seminary is a Christ-centered Catholic community of faith and higher learning committed to forming leaders who will proclaim the good news of Christ to the people of our time. As a leading center of the New Evangelization, Sacred Heart serves the needs of the Archdiocese of Detroit and contributes to the mission of the universal Church.