Sunday in the Holy Land

    Today marked a week since we began our Holy Land journey. It's hard to believe! While we are all enjoying ourselves immensely, many of us find ourselves overwhelmed--as much by the emotional impact of our experiences as by the physical demands on our feet. Evening brings us some time to pause and reflect, helped by notebooks full of "things to remember" and the day's photos; yet, we have the feeling we will still be processing and learning from our trip long after we have returned (family and friends, consider yourselves on notice as sounding boards. We will need you!)

    After breakfast, we returned to the same part of the Old City where the Western Wall is located. Today, however, our goal was not the Jewish holy site, but the Muslim site that stands adjacent: the Al-Aqsa grounds, including the Al-Aqsa mosque and Dome of the Rock. This complex is considered the third holiest site for Muslims, because of a miracle of transportation that brought the prophet Muhammed from Mecca to this spot. As we walked, the church bells of Jerusalem rang out -- the Christians' contribution to the many sounds of worship that fill Jerusalem's skies.

    Since 2000, the mosques themselves at Al-Aqsa are only open to worshippers, but we were able to tour the grounds. We noticed that, on the one side, Augusta Victoria Hospital was visible on the top of the Mount of Olives; on the other; we could see the bell tower of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City. Neither was our destination for worship, however. Our plans changed slightly, as Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land was preaching as a guest at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and we were invited to attend the service. As we crossed through the checkpoint on the way to worship, we stopped to take a closer look at the separation wall from the Palestinian side, and to ponder the meaning of the many messages of frustration and hope that we saw there.

    We arrived in time to walk through the busy marketplace to worship. The service was held mostly in Arabic; but we recognized many hymn tunes and had a bulletin in English to help us better understand the liturgy. The bishop also preached primarily in Arabic, but he also provided a summary in English. After the service we joined the congregation briefly for "coffee hour," Arabic-style (served as strong as espresso and flavored with cardamom.) We then continued on to lunch at a restaurant in Beit Sahour modeled after a Bedouin tent. With the salads and appetizers, grilled chicken and kefta kebab, we also got to try Arak, an anise-flavored schnapps similar to ouzo, and all who wished were able to try smoking a hookah (a water pipe filled with fruit-infused tobacco.) The highlight of the meal was the surprise of welcoming two of our members who had been dressed up in traditional Palestinian attire. We greeted them "royally"!

    In the afternoon, we were treated to the chance to do a little more shopping, then drove back into the Old City to walk the Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus was believed to have taken through Jerusalem, beginning with Pilate's condemnation and ending at the tomb. Some of the stops are biblical in origin and others from legend. We took turns carrying a replica cross along this path, while the rest of us walked behind. It was a difficult walk to do prayerfully, as we were surrounded by the busyness of an active marketplace. Yet I couldn't help but think that this was the way Jesus' own walk surely was--not silent and reverent, but noisy and crowded with people out on other business.

    We finished our walk at the tomb of the Holy Sepulchre. In English, this refers to the tomb of Jesus: containing sites traditionally remembered as the locations for the cross, the spot at which the body of Jesus was placed on the ground, and the tomb of Jesus (according to one tradition.) In Arabic, this church is called "The Church of the Resurrection," which reminded us that not only death but also life came out of the crucifixion. Beneath the altar at Golgotha, we gathered in a small chapel that showed a place deep in the earth that appeared to have cracked, as mentioned in some of the biblical accounts of the crucifixion. There we read the crucifixion and resurrection story from Matthew's gospel and sang "Were You There," ending with the question, "Were you there when God raised him from the dead?" Our prayer was to remember the resurrection and to go forth, as the women did in the gospel, with great joy to spread the word that Christ is not dead, but living.

    We walked back through the labyrinthine streets of the Old City, passing by some excavated sites that have uncovered remains of the Roman streets of Jesus' day. We left the gate and met our bus, ready for a relaxing evening. Tomorrow, we return to Bethlehem to learn some more of the ways Lutherans in the Holy Land are working to bring peace, one person and one life at a time.

Peace from Jerusalem,

The Holy Land group

Comments

[Pam Deines]

I sit and weep indeed at the site of this wall. Where my daughter, her husband, and my precious grandson stand. My fervent prayer is that in Ethan's lifetime God may melt and meld the hearts of all Jerusalem to stand in fellowship together. And celebrate as this wall, as in Berlin, is torn down by people victorious in knowing that peace and true justice can prevail.

[Jim Shrigley]

Wonderful memories of my trip in August to know that is where we walked. So much work to be done to bring knowledge about what is going on and how we, as a country support it for good and for ill.

Thank you so much for taking the time to create the journal.... and the vivid memories it brings back.

[cash advance]

The land is so blessed. Stepping in to it makes you feel you are also blessed by the Holy Spirit.