LAST INSTALLMENT of ISRAEL 2010
CHRIST’S JOURNEY and OUR OWN
We walked the path from Bethany on the top of the Mount of Olives, down to the old city wall of Jerusalem. Along the way we stopped at the Church of Pater Noster – the place on the Mount of Olives where Jesus taught the disciples the “Lord’s Prayer.” Here on the walls of the shrine, the Lord’s Prayer is printed on ceramic tiles in 115 languages. Next we stopped at the Church of Dominus Flavit – where it is believed that Jesus stopped to weep on His way to the Garden to pray. The architecture of the church is tear shaped and offers a perfect view of the Temple Mount. The Garden of Gethsemane hosts a 2,500 year old olive tree that still send out shoots.
As we entered the old city, we came to the Church of St. Anne, mother of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The church has perfect acoustics. A highlight of the trip for me is as we sat and sang our songs of faith and echoed a song of some pilgrims from Poland.
While the Via Delarosa is more well-known to our Catholic sisters and brothers, it was a meaningful experience to walk the path Jesus did on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and the path He continued to walk as he was stripped and given a cross to carry to Golgotha.
Thankfully we are a resurrection people. We know that there is more to life than such suffering and dying. We know that while we may experience all manner of setback, cruelty or pain – there is a balm in Gilead. Like our brothers and sisters the Jews, we are a people of hope that God’s blessing upon us will one day be revealed to the nations. “While tears may remain for a night, joy comes in the morning.” PSALMS
After a meaningful visit and communion service at the Garden Tomb, we’ve returned to our hotel and are packing our bags even as I write. We’ll have dinner here at the hotel and at 8:15 p.m. the bus will take us from Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv to catch our plane home. A red-eye of biblical proportions which leaves at 12:35 a.m. Our trip home will clock in at about 26 straight hours of travel.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here two weeks. The time has disappeared in seeing, learning, laughing, weeping, eating, and praying. We’ve been blessed, encouraged, and challenged – sometimes by what we’ve seen and sometimes by one another. I am fairly certain that no one was ‘unchanged’ by our time here. God indeed had something to speak to each one. Some shared their learnings as they were revealed, others will be unpacking their learnings for years to come. But like the Chosen People who have hosted us these past few weeks – we continue to believe in the faithfulness of the God Who is, Who was, and Who is to come... and perhaps we’re a little more convinced of His willingness to bless us.
“Toda” is the Hebrew word for “thank you.”
“Toda” Jerusalem
“Toda” Israel
“Toda” Jacob and David
“Toda” those who have prayed for us back home.
Bless God’s Holy Name.
WITH JOY AND PEACE, THE CELTIC MONK
We walked the path from Bethany on the top of the Mount of Olives, down to the old city wall of Jerusalem. Along the way we stopped at the Church of Pater Noster – the place on the Mount of Olives where Jesus taught the disciples the “Lord’s Prayer.” Here on the walls of the shrine, the Lord’s Prayer is printed on ceramic tiles in 115 languages. Next we stopped at the Church of Dominus Flavit – where it is believed that Jesus stopped to weep on His way to the Garden to pray. The architecture of the church is tear shaped and offers a perfect view of the Temple Mount. The Garden of Gethsemane hosts a 2,500 year old olive tree that still send out shoots.
As we entered the old city, we came to the Church of St. Anne, mother of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The church has perfect acoustics. A highlight of the trip for me is as we sat and sang our songs of faith and echoed a song of some pilgrims from Poland.
While the Via Delarosa is more well-known to our Catholic sisters and brothers, it was a meaningful experience to walk the path Jesus did on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and the path He continued to walk as he was stripped and given a cross to carry to Golgotha.
Thankfully we are a resurrection people. We know that there is more to life than such suffering and dying. We know that while we may experience all manner of setback, cruelty or pain – there is a balm in Gilead. Like our brothers and sisters the Jews, we are a people of hope that God’s blessing upon us will one day be revealed to the nations. “While tears may remain for a night, joy comes in the morning.” PSALMS
After a meaningful visit and communion service at the Garden Tomb, we’ve returned to our hotel and are packing our bags even as I write. We’ll have dinner here at the hotel and at 8:15 p.m. the bus will take us from Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv to catch our plane home. A red-eye of biblical proportions which leaves at 12:35 a.m. Our trip home will clock in at about 26 straight hours of travel.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been here two weeks. The time has disappeared in seeing, learning, laughing, weeping, eating, and praying. We’ve been blessed, encouraged, and challenged – sometimes by what we’ve seen and sometimes by one another. I am fairly certain that no one was ‘unchanged’ by our time here. God indeed had something to speak to each one. Some shared their learnings as they were revealed, others will be unpacking their learnings for years to come. But like the Chosen People who have hosted us these past few weeks – we continue to believe in the faithfulness of the God Who is, Who was, and Who is to come... and perhaps we’re a little more convinced of His willingness to bless us.
“Toda” is the Hebrew word for “thank you.”
“Toda” Jerusalem
“Toda” Israel
“Toda” Jacob and David
“Toda” those who have prayed for us back home.
Bless God’s Holy Name.
WITH JOY AND PEACE, THE CELTIC MONK
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