Of Refuges and Fortresses

“I love you, Lord, my strength,
Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,
My God, my rock of refuge…” Psalm 18:2-3


After making it through an Israeli sandstorm our pilgrimage began a very rainy trip to a place that may very well have been in the Psalmist’s mind as he wrote these words.

Mt. Carmel has been a place of refuge for those in danger for millennia, perhaps most notably for the prophet Elijah, who fled the wrath of Queen Jezebel and hid in a cave that tradition holds is contained in the heart of the basilica built on Mt. Carmel. Rather than simply being a place of hiding, God also chose this place to reveal His Presence to Elijah in a tiny, whispering sound. In this place of profound consolation and protection God gives Elijah his next mission and the assurance that He is with Elijah.

Thus, the subject of faith in the homily was especially powerful, as we were reminded that Jesus came to establish a relationship with us based on faith; that He desires our faith in response to His love. Our chance to celebrate Mass there and take time to pray was a welcome chance to bask in that love (and take shelter from the driving rain!).


Mt. Carmel, then, serves as a powerful place of pilgrimage for us. It has been the home of the Carmelite order since the 1200s and the great works produced by the likes of St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Edith Stein and St. Therese of Lisieux speak to the “dual reality” of Mt. Carmel. Mt. Carmel is a holy mountain, a place to retreat to and find God’s Presence and love, but in finding (or perhaps, being found by) that love, we are sent out in faith to bring that love to the world.

Perhaps it is no surprise then that St. Therese concluded, after a life of profound love of God, that she “wanted to spend her heaven doing good on earth.” Mt. Carmel certainly impels us to continue our journey and take the love of God with us.


From Mt. Carmel we traveled to the ancient city of Akko, the last Crusader stronghold in Israel and a marvel of architecture. While the weather didn’t give us much of a chance to enjoy what normally would be breathtaking views, we could feel the history as we explored the enormous halls and tiny tunnels built by the Crusaders, in hopes of defending pilgrims in the Holy Land.

Any young man that ever dreamt of being a knight and riding off on grand adventures would have felt at home sheltered in the ancient fortress. By the end of our very damp tour, however, our group was ready simply to ride off back to our warm retreat center and rest before another day in this amazing land.