Jerusalem

Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

"May those who love you be secure.

May there be peace within your walls

and security within your citadels..."

Psalm 122: 2, 6 & 7

I am so bummed because I actually wrote this post early this morning and lost it somehow.  So, I will have to try to sum up two days, which is fine but not the way I had it planned.

our first view of Jerusalem.  Dome of the Rock to the left

So, yesterday, as we drove up to Jerusalem from our hotel on the Dead Sea (which means that we went from drove up from 1,400 ft below sea level 4,300 ft up) it was like a time warp because of the camels and donkeys ridden by Bedouins who were also ascending to Jerusalem, and it was not hard at all to imagine ancient times when the people of Judah would go up to Jerusalem for the feasts of the Jews and sing as they went.  I was told to read the Psalms of Ascent while we drove in and I was struck by Psalm 122 and the eerie echo of the call for peace for this place.  As we drove, to the right there was a Jewish settlement and up ahead walls and a Palestinian camp then in the distance a Christian cross rises over the hill.  How can a city that has known such hope know so little peace?  I suppose because of the endless dreary news reports we hear about this place I was inclined to be overly aware of the disjointed communities that live here...yet after spending two days here, maybe they do coexist more than I have realized.  Regardless, there is a certain tension in the collision of so many ideologies.

Our bus pulled in outside the city on the Mount of Olives which also is at the crest of the Jewish cemetery that surrounds the old city and we were able to take in the panoramic view, which is breathtaking. And we immediately began our tour of Jerusalem.  It is packed in so tightly houses upon houses, churches/mosques/synagogues all in a jumble, and narrow streets at right angles zigzag up into the Old City.  We walked down the Street of Palms, which is quite a steep drop and went first to the church of Gethsemane stopping to see the beautiful olive trees that were hundreds of years old in the garden outside.  We got our first taste of the crowds of pilgrims as we elbowed our way into the church and frankly, I had to sit down and focus on the austerity of the place amidst millions of photo flashes and the hubbub of people from all over the world who all, every one, just wanted a glimpse.  

outside of upper room 

It is a tricky thing, I think, trying to keep your head about you when everyone else in the world, literally, seems to be losing theirs over getting a view of yet another church that commemorates a sacred spot where Jesus may have been.  It is a little crazy because every church is beautiful and every site is sacred, yet, the pushing and impatience gets in the way of the purpose of visiting some of these places and it for sure is distracting from what actually happened at each place.  Oh well.  

Psalm 121:  "May God bless your coming and going."
Caiaphas' House

A view of the Western Wall from above

We also visited Caiaphas' house and saw the dungeon type room where it is believed that Jesus was tortured over night, and while we were there, a pastor (Hagee) came along to do something and there was a big to do.   We also visited the Upper Room area, which is not a church, but a mosque now and then wandered around the Jewish quarter (which Jeff pointed out seems ironic, but it is true, it IS the Jewish quarter) enjoying all the sights and sounds, including a overlook view of the Western Wall (popularly known as the Wailing Wall), which we returned to today.  When we visited there today, there were many Bar Mitzvah's in the men's section and many women, presumably family members, surrounded it standing on chairs to get a glimpse.  It was crazy with boys getting ready to read their Torah portion while candy was being thrown at them and the excitement was high.   I also went to the wall and watched the many women there praying fervently, it was moving to see the emotion with which they prayed.  I prayed, too, for peace for Jerusalem.  

prayers

Holy Small World!

I forgot to mention also that yesterday we ate lunch (some of us) at a place called Holy Bagels...yum!  And wouldn't you believe it, but the man standing next to me in line noticed my iPhone wallpaper was my kids in their Vikings gear, so he asked me if I was from Minnesota.  He is the senior high Pastor at Grace Church...small. world.!!

Today we also went to the church at Bethesda and heard the lovely singing of a group from Germany, and then we saw the via Dolorosa.  We walked along it, with sellers hawking their wares on both sides, which they have done for centuries and got a real taste of the history of these busy streets always full of many different kinds of smells (lots of frankincense and breads) and too many colorful things to count.  And then, off to each side of the road are these little alleys leading up ever higher to who knows where. 

A street off the Via Dolorosa

The exciting part of our day was our trip into Palestinian territory to visit Bethlehem, which felt a little like we were being shoved and pushed along again to quickly view the little star on the ground under a Greek Orthodox church which marks the spot they think was where Jesus was born.  It was not awe inspiring for me at all, and I left feeling a little worn out from the experience.  

the birth of Jesus, in a humble place

There is so very much more...the Western Wall tunnels (amazing system dating back even before Christ of tunnels running the length of the wall), the Jewish Archeological Park, the Jewish Institute for the Rebuilding of the Temple, etc.... Our guide has done an amazing job of allowing us to see so much, we are always bursting with information by the time the day is over and I am pretty sure that I cannot pack one more thought/sight/fact into these eyes or brain, yet there is more to see in Jerusalem and we will attempt again tomorrow to see more.  

Until then.