Back to Galilee

JOSEPH WAPPES ’24, ARCHDIOCESE OF ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS

Go to Galilee.” This phrase comes from the risen Jesus’ exhortation to his disciples when he tells Mary Magdalene to tell the disciples to “go to Galilee; there they will see me” (Mt 28:10). Jesus invites them to return to the place where they met him, where they walked, talked, ate, and drank together. In his 2014 Easter Vigil homily, Pope Francis exhorted each of us to go back to our own “Galilee” moment—that is, the place where we encountered Jesus. To “go back to Galilee” means both to recall our Baptism when our life in grace began, and also to return to those experiences where Jesus encountered us in our own experience and invited us to follow him. In remembering these moments, we return to our deepest identity: we have been chosen by Jesus to be his disciples. This remembering reignites the fire of our deepest love that we can easily lose in the busyness of daily life.

Inspired by other American seminaries, we have begun “Back to Galilee” nights. During these evenings, a priest faculty member is invited to share his own story—his background, his encounter with Jesus, and the story of Jesus calling him to be a fisher of men. It is a chance for seminarians and priests to reflect with gratitude on the great gift of Jesus’ initiative and invitation in our lives. As I sat listening to the first of our priests, Fr. Cameron, take us back to his “Galilee,” I found that a flicker of flame began to grow within my heart. Hearing of God’s generosity in his life reminded me of God’s generosity in mine and inspired me to recommit to my “yes” to his invitation. Along with many of my brother seminarians, I was able to see with fresh eyes the gift of God’s call for me. n