We had an opportunity to worship dialog with Mitre Rahab of the Christmas Lutheran Church. We visited the International Center and the Dar al-Kalima School, and Health and Wellness Center. Of note is my impression that the Christian Palestinians are forward looking, with a commitment to create and sustain a vision of abundant living in theior communities with the specific focus on art, mental health, and personal and community development.
I have a deep appreciation for their commitment to a living faith.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Mount of Olives and the Via Dolorosa
Beginning with the Sanctuary of Bethphage and the Dom Patra on the Mount of Olives, we continued down the mountain to the church where Jesus wept, Mary's tomb and finally to the Via Dolorosa.
I moved through the day with deep gratitude for the love of God, and the witness of God's presence in these places that "have been made holy by the prayers of the many" stated by Ron, a fellow traveler.
I moved through the day with deep gratitude for the love of God, and the witness of God's presence in these places that "have been made holy by the prayers of the many" stated by Ron, a fellow traveler.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Dead Sea
We visited Masada, The Qumran, and the Dead Sea.
Highlights: Swimming in the Dead Sea and entering Jerusalem.
Highlights: Swimming in the Dead Sea and entering Jerusalem.
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Jordan River
Destinations: The Jordan River, Beth Shean and Jericho.
The Jordan River reminds me that some ideas are stagnated by the systems that are created to promote them. The murky water hardly resembles the clean water of a river, and yet this is where tradition notes that John the Baptist, and god Almighty acknowledged Jesus.
The magnificence of Beth Shean reminded me of the story of Saul and Absalom in their final humiliation.
Today I was reminded of the inevitability of transitions in human history.
The Jordan River reminds me that some ideas are stagnated by the systems that are created to promote them. The murky water hardly resembles the clean water of a river, and yet this is where tradition notes that John the Baptist, and god Almighty acknowledged Jesus.
The magnificence of Beth Shean reminded me of the story of Saul and Absalom in their final humiliation.
Today I was reminded of the inevitability of transitions in human history.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Sea of Galilee
Today we visited Safed, the Mount of the Beautitudes, Capernaum, the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, and the Church of the Primacy of Peter. Each destination was special in its own way. I found myself humming 'How Great though Art" all day long as I remembered the scripture accounts associated with the places we visited throughout the day.
I learned something about the origins of Jewish mysticism from Toba, our guide in the city of Safed. Safed sits on a high perch on the side of a mountain, whipped by cold winds from the north.
The Mount of the Beatitudes sits atop a mountain with a natural amphitheater. The lake a Galilee is visible in the distance. It is an active Catholic community with a convent, and an extraordinary witness to events recorded in the gospels concerning the activities of Jesus' ministry.
Capernaum, the hometown of Peter and the place where Jesus may have established his followers, was a crossroads of communication and commerce. I appreciate the strategic nature of this city to launch a new ministry!
The Church of the Loaves and Fishes reminded me of my childhood church. The miracle of the 'bread of life' satisfies the traveler of the 'way'. I was moved with adoration for my Lord who has come to nourish all people and nations with life!
The Primacy of Peter is nestled alongside the natural rock boat dock of tradition, on the lake of Galilee where fishermen of the fist century docked their boats with the netted catch of the day. Tradition notes that this is the shore where Jesus met his disciples after his resurrection, and proceeded to restore Peter's authority as an apostle.
I learned something about the origins of Jewish mysticism from Toba, our guide in the city of Safed. Safed sits on a high perch on the side of a mountain, whipped by cold winds from the north.
The Mount of the Beatitudes sits atop a mountain with a natural amphitheater. The lake a Galilee is visible in the distance. It is an active Catholic community with a convent, and an extraordinary witness to events recorded in the gospels concerning the activities of Jesus' ministry.
Capernaum, the hometown of Peter and the place where Jesus may have established his followers, was a crossroads of communication and commerce. I appreciate the strategic nature of this city to launch a new ministry!
The Church of the Loaves and Fishes reminded me of my childhood church. The miracle of the 'bread of life' satisfies the traveler of the 'way'. I was moved with adoration for my Lord who has come to nourish all people and nations with life!
The Primacy of Peter is nestled alongside the natural rock boat dock of tradition, on the lake of Galilee where fishermen of the fist century docked their boats with the netted catch of the day. Tradition notes that this is the shore where Jesus met his disciples after his resurrection, and proceeded to restore Peter's authority as an apostle.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Western and Central Galilee
Three highlights of today were the visits to the Cliffs of Abel, the remains of the town of Zippori, and Nazarath. The Cliffs of Abel provided a birds eye view of the beautiful landscape of Upper and Lower Galilee. Traveling up and down Galilee requires one to negotiate mountains and valleys. I imagined Joseph traveling across this landscape with his family in tow. Joseph probably took his family to the town of Zippori, where he would have introduced Jesus to the center of culture, and to his craft. Zippori is five miles from Mary's (the mother of Jesus) home in Nazarath, where then Church of the Annunciation is located. The Church of the Annunciation sits atop several cave dwellings in the city of Nazareth, and is a magnificent edifice. It's beauty is complimented by displays of art that depict Mary, from almost every nation in the world. The home of Mary is one of the cave dwellings beneath the Church, and the traditional site of the annunciation. It is considered a holy place in the Christian tradition.
This is the place where Jesus came to know himself among his family and his kin people. This is where I gained a deeper appreciation for Mary. Hail Mary!
Throughout the day I was reminded of how the extraordinary usually occurs alongside the mundane ordinary events of life.
This is the place where Jesus came to know himself among his family and his kin people. This is where I gained a deeper appreciation for Mary. Hail Mary!
Throughout the day I was reminded of how the extraordinary usually occurs alongside the mundane ordinary events of life.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Middle East Travel Seminar 2011
Our next travel seminar is scheduled for January 2011. Watch the LPTS website for information beginning in Summer of 2010. If you are interested in learning more or being put on a list of prospective travelers, contact me at ptull@lpts.edu!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Almost all at home
Now that nearly all of the group has gone home I will add one last note. One of our number, Bruce Somerville, unfortunately suffered a mild heart attack in Jerusalem. He was taken to a hospital nearby where he experienced the excellent medical care available in Israel, and was released just before the rest of the group departed for home. So Bruce and his wife Pat are enjoying a few days of peace and quiet in their hotel in Jerusalem before they fly home on Friday. I saw them yesterday and he looks and says he feels very good.
I am staying not in Jerusalem but at Tantur Ecumenical Center, which is just outside of Bethlehem on the road to Jerusalem. Yesterday I met a friend in Jerusalem for dinner, and today I walked through the Israeli checkpoint to visit Rana Khoury at the International Center in Bethlehem. We talked about various projects and partnerships our churches and our travel seminars might be involved in, including a nature reserve they have developed near the Dar al Kalima College. She also answered some questions for me about the refugee camp that they visited--too long and complex to discuss here, but the long and short is that people remain in the refugee camps in the West Bank for a variety of reasons, such as that their entire family and society are there, that they cannot afford to build homes elsewhere, and the fact that it is all they have ever known. Still, she said it was so important not simply to hang onto victim status, but to find ways to survive and thrive even in oppressive situations such as the people in and around Bethlehem face.
Walking through the checkpoint in itself was an enlightening experience, even though I did it not in the busy part of the day but when hardly anyone else was coming through. Several people have told me that in the morning beginning at 4:30 or so, 3000 men are waiting in line to go to work in Jerusalem, so the checkpoint can take hours. Going in was not so intimidating because I walked with a woman from Sweden who lives in Tantur and works in Bethlehem. On the way out, I walked from the Lutheran Church at the top of the hill down to the checkpoint. It meant walking many hundred feet alongside the grey wall, reading the graffiti, till I found the entrance. Then, walking up a long ramp with wire fences on either side, through at least two turnstiles, past two different glass booths in which Israelis sat checking everyone's papers, through a metal detector ("put all your belongings on the conveyor belt, walk through the gate and wait for instructions" from a disembodied voice), and so on through the maze. The Palestinian man in front of me had to put his hand on a machine for his handprint to be identified. Then we were out on the Jerusalem side. What must it be like to have to do that every single day? Because they could see my blue U.S. passport and my definitely western skin, they waved me through as if they didn't have time to check my papers, but all the people around me were checked very carefully, taking off belts, shoes, etc. etc. etc.
Someone commented to me the other day that Jerusalem is above all a very interesting place, and I have to say that is very true. It's all here: history, archaeology, religion, culture, politics, conflict, intense diversity, great beauty, great ugliness. The streets of both Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem are so alive with people. Where else can you wait on the same street corner with someone dressed as King David trying to sell his harp for eleven sheckels to another person who is dressed as if he just stepped out of an 18th-century shtetl in Poland, as I did yesterday? Where else can you find priests of six different Christian denominations competing with one another for "most colorful vestments," "loudest entrance," and "best bells and smells"? Where else can you find little boys yelling on a soccer fields on top of a building that is built into the side of a 16th century city wall? Where else do people compete for ownership on the basis of their ties to people not simply four generations back but, sometimes four millennia? What greater challenge to peace exists than the city of peace itself?
Several of our speakers told us in a variety of ways that there is no such thing as a "solution" to the political and social problems faced by Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East. Rather than one comprehensive solution, there are rather many many ways of working out partial truces and agreements that can serve to allow people to survive and thrive here. President Obama's new envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, is here in Israel today attempting to extend the recent truce between Israel and Hamas into a longer-term agreement. It is hard to believe anything lasting is possible in a situation in which there is so little trust, much less love, between the two sides, where the extremists on both sides profit by continuing to stir up trouble for the many. But we still have to believe things impossible for humans are possible for God.
My prayer for this group of travellers is that we will continue to seek peace and pursue it, both peace at home where each of us lives and peace around the world, especially in this region that is home to millions and emblematic to billions more who have never even had the opportunity to be here in person. With Isaiah of Jerusalem 2800 years ago we have to share the hope that nations "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
I am staying not in Jerusalem but at Tantur Ecumenical Center, which is just outside of Bethlehem on the road to Jerusalem. Yesterday I met a friend in Jerusalem for dinner, and today I walked through the Israeli checkpoint to visit Rana Khoury at the International Center in Bethlehem. We talked about various projects and partnerships our churches and our travel seminars might be involved in, including a nature reserve they have developed near the Dar al Kalima College. She also answered some questions for me about the refugee camp that they visited--too long and complex to discuss here, but the long and short is that people remain in the refugee camps in the West Bank for a variety of reasons, such as that their entire family and society are there, that they cannot afford to build homes elsewhere, and the fact that it is all they have ever known. Still, she said it was so important not simply to hang onto victim status, but to find ways to survive and thrive even in oppressive situations such as the people in and around Bethlehem face.
Walking through the checkpoint in itself was an enlightening experience, even though I did it not in the busy part of the day but when hardly anyone else was coming through. Several people have told me that in the morning beginning at 4:30 or so, 3000 men are waiting in line to go to work in Jerusalem, so the checkpoint can take hours. Going in was not so intimidating because I walked with a woman from Sweden who lives in Tantur and works in Bethlehem. On the way out, I walked from the Lutheran Church at the top of the hill down to the checkpoint. It meant walking many hundred feet alongside the grey wall, reading the graffiti, till I found the entrance. Then, walking up a long ramp with wire fences on either side, through at least two turnstiles, past two different glass booths in which Israelis sat checking everyone's papers, through a metal detector ("put all your belongings on the conveyor belt, walk through the gate and wait for instructions" from a disembodied voice), and so on through the maze. The Palestinian man in front of me had to put his hand on a machine for his handprint to be identified. Then we were out on the Jerusalem side. What must it be like to have to do that every single day? Because they could see my blue U.S. passport and my definitely western skin, they waved me through as if they didn't have time to check my papers, but all the people around me were checked very carefully, taking off belts, shoes, etc. etc. etc.
Someone commented to me the other day that Jerusalem is above all a very interesting place, and I have to say that is very true. It's all here: history, archaeology, religion, culture, politics, conflict, intense diversity, great beauty, great ugliness. The streets of both Arab East Jerusalem and Jewish West Jerusalem are so alive with people. Where else can you wait on the same street corner with someone dressed as King David trying to sell his harp for eleven sheckels to another person who is dressed as if he just stepped out of an 18th-century shtetl in Poland, as I did yesterday? Where else can you find priests of six different Christian denominations competing with one another for "most colorful vestments," "loudest entrance," and "best bells and smells"? Where else can you find little boys yelling on a soccer fields on top of a building that is built into the side of a 16th century city wall? Where else do people compete for ownership on the basis of their ties to people not simply four generations back but, sometimes four millennia? What greater challenge to peace exists than the city of peace itself?
Several of our speakers told us in a variety of ways that there is no such thing as a "solution" to the political and social problems faced by Jews and Palestinians in the Middle East. Rather than one comprehensive solution, there are rather many many ways of working out partial truces and agreements that can serve to allow people to survive and thrive here. President Obama's new envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, is here in Israel today attempting to extend the recent truce between Israel and Hamas into a longer-term agreement. It is hard to believe anything lasting is possible in a situation in which there is so little trust, much less love, between the two sides, where the extremists on both sides profit by continuing to stir up trouble for the many. But we still have to believe things impossible for humans are possible for God.
My prayer for this group of travellers is that we will continue to seek peace and pursue it, both peace at home where each of us lives and peace around the world, especially in this region that is home to millions and emblematic to billions more who have never even had the opportunity to be here in person. With Isaiah of Jerusalem 2800 years ago we have to share the hope that nations "shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Monday, January 26, 2009
Last day in Jerusalem
As we get ready to leave Jerusalem, the weather is still warm. Quite a change from the weather we are going into in Louisville, I understand! We've enjoyed good weather throughout our trip but that hasn't been good for the places we have been. Every place desparately needs rain. Our speakers have commented not only on the need for rain, but also for a better water policy throughout the area so that people on both sides of the Separation Wall have equal access to water. Being in this land reminded me of how much we take water for granted, yet even in the United States, there are issues with who gets water. We believe in Emmanuael, God with us, who came to bring us living water. Throughout our journey, we have been reminded that living water is important not only for our spiritual well-being, but also for our physical well-being.
We have all been transformed by this trip - by the places we've seen, by the people we've met, by the worship we have experienced. Many of us came with questions, and we leave not with answers but with more questions. Some of us may have come with the belief that the problems in this region can be solved with a simple solution. There is no simple solution here, yet I leave with hope - hope because I have met people who still have hope when it seems hopeless, hope because there are people nourishing dialogue and discussions on all sides of the political spectrum here, hope because I worship a God who is ever present even in the most hopeless times.
Blessings to all of you who have supported us throughout our journey.
Diana Moore
We have all been transformed by this trip - by the places we've seen, by the people we've met, by the worship we have experienced. Many of us came with questions, and we leave not with answers but with more questions. Some of us may have come with the belief that the problems in this region can be solved with a simple solution. There is no simple solution here, yet I leave with hope - hope because I have met people who still have hope when it seems hopeless, hope because there are people nourishing dialogue and discussions on all sides of the political spectrum here, hope because I worship a God who is ever present even in the most hopeless times.
Blessings to all of you who have supported us throughout our journey.
Diana Moore
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Final Night
Tonight is our final night in Israel. It's hard to believe that these two weeks have already gone by. It's been an amazing journey in which I feel I am leaving with knowledge, understanding, questions, and friends.
I've appreciated the education we've had here and hope to keep asking questions. I know that problems cannot always be solved, but we can certainly learn from them and try to improve our actions.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Peace,
K ><>
I've appreciated the education we've had here and hope to keep asking questions. I know that problems cannot always be solved, but we can certainly learn from them and try to improve our actions.
Looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Peace,
K ><>
Saturday, January 24, 2009
This evening we had an interesting experience. At dinner we danced to Middle Eastern music, followed by friends of the hotel who taught us some dance moves. It was great fun! And it helped people to break out of their comfort zones a bit. I really enjoyed that and had a great time. It's hard to believe we'll be leaving soon....
Peace,
K ><>
Peace,
K ><>
Some photos...
I decided to take a break from writing and put up just a few pictures. The pictures are: the security wall, a close-up of one of the faces on the door of the Church of Peter of Gallicantu (Dad, I figured you might enjoy this one), the Dome of the Rock, and the Western (Wailing) Wall (where you can see the partition between the men's and women's side). The rest are from the streets of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. I have taken many, many more pictures, so if you want to see more, let me know when I get home!
Peace,
Cory
Friday, January 23, 2009
Conflict
Today was the first time I didn't feel like a tourist. We had some free time, which gave us some time to choose whatever we wanted. I spoke with some locals and some other tourists and it gave me some perspective on people. A few of us went to see a protest and saw the Palestinian/Israeli conflict in person. Even more so, we saw it first hand when our guide, who is Palestinian, was stopped before going into the old city. We were simply traveling from our bus to our hotel, but because of extra "security" he was stopped by an officer. He had all the appropriate paperwork, which he showed them, but the man would not let him through. Finally, another officer waved him through, and we all passed through peacefully. There seemed to be no real reason to have stopped our guide, other than he was Palestinian and perhaps the officer was having a bad day.
It has been nice to be a tourist and to see different places here, but it was also nice to blend in a bit and just observe everyday life. I'm learning so much. I wish there was a simple answer to the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Can't believe the trip is coming to an end so soon....
Peace,
K ><>
It has been nice to be a tourist and to see different places here, but it was also nice to blend in a bit and just observe everyday life. I'm learning so much. I wish there was a simple answer to the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Can't believe the trip is coming to an end so soon....
Peace,
K ><>
Friday in Jerusalem
It's been an interesting day in Jerusalem. During the morning there were police and military, including mounted police, everywhere blocking off the entrances to the Old City of Jerusalem to prevent Muslim men below the age of 50 from reaching the Al-Aksa Mosque/Dome of the Rock to pray (The area is also know as the Temple Mount). We had been doing a tour of East Jerusalem and had to get off the bus to walk back to the hotel because the streets were blocked. The police and the military almost did not let us get back to our hotel. It reminds me of that Chinese curse "May you live in interesting times." We have certainly been living in interesting times during our time here.
Diana Moore
Diana Moore
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Western Wall
Yesterday we visited the Western Wall...actually we visited the whole area- Dome of the Rock, Al Aqsa mosque, Western Wall, but I'm going to focus on the Western Wall.
It was a Thursday and, apparently on Mondays and Thursdays, many Jewish families come to the wall to celebrate bar mitzvahs. There were lots of people there when we got there, certainly an air of excitement. Our group gathered aways back from the wall and each of us read one of the prayers we were carrying. I had asked people to choose one that seemed to call to them, since we couldn't pray them all; most were the prayers I had been praying each night and it was moving for me to hear those prayers spoken at that place for the last time. After we each read a prayer, I said a closing prayer and we (men and women separately since there is a partition between the men and women's side) approached the wall. As I approached, it amazed me how many prayers were put in the wall already. I said each of my prayers, folded them up and placed them in the wall. I stayed for a few moments to say a final prayer. There were many women at the wall praying, some silently, some out loud. At the wall, the mood was prayerful.
Not far back, the mood was definitely festive. On our side, there were women lined up and looking over the partition wall between the men's and women's side. Lots of communication was happening between the two sides. Someone else in the group said she saw things being thrown over the partition. I am glad we got to go there on a day with so much activity.
The rest of our day was spent at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are. In the evening, we met with Gershom Goremnberg, who wrote The End of Days about how fundamentalist religion plays into the conflicts here. Honestly, I don't have the energy to write about all of that...
Until the next time...
Peace,
Cory
It was a Thursday and, apparently on Mondays and Thursdays, many Jewish families come to the wall to celebrate bar mitzvahs. There were lots of people there when we got there, certainly an air of excitement. Our group gathered aways back from the wall and each of us read one of the prayers we were carrying. I had asked people to choose one that seemed to call to them, since we couldn't pray them all; most were the prayers I had been praying each night and it was moving for me to hear those prayers spoken at that place for the last time. After we each read a prayer, I said a closing prayer and we (men and women separately since there is a partition between the men and women's side) approached the wall. As I approached, it amazed me how many prayers were put in the wall already. I said each of my prayers, folded them up and placed them in the wall. I stayed for a few moments to say a final prayer. There were many women at the wall praying, some silently, some out loud. At the wall, the mood was prayerful.
Not far back, the mood was definitely festive. On our side, there were women lined up and looking over the partition wall between the men's and women's side. Lots of communication was happening between the two sides. Someone else in the group said she saw things being thrown over the partition. I am glad we got to go there on a day with so much activity.
The rest of our day was spent at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are. In the evening, we met with Gershom Goremnberg, who wrote The End of Days about how fundamentalist religion plays into the conflicts here. Honestly, I don't have the energy to write about all of that...
Until the next time...
Peace,
Cory
Jerusalem Continues....
Today was a really interesting day. We began by going to the Dome of the Rock. It was interesting to learn more about Islam and to hear someone else's perspective on the whole Temple Mount/Dome of the Rock issue. I appreciated the conversation.
Directly after the Dome of the Rock we went to the Western Wall. This was an experience. I took many prayers with me, and found a place to shove them into the wall. It took a while to get to the wall because it was packed. I didn't want to butt in, because I felt that the Jewish women had more of a right to be there than I did. Finally, I found a place to pray, and as I prayed, another woman shoved her prayers by the ones I put in, making them to explode all over me, knocked right out of the crack. It was intersting, and a bit symbolic. As I reflected on the the situation, I realized that many of the people there were probably praying for the Temple Mount. It seemed so odd considering we were just up there.
After lunch we went to the Israel Museum, which had the Shrine of the Book. This was really interesting to me. I loved seeing the old scrolls, trying to translate it, and to just feel the history and tradition behind many of the writings we call sacred.
Lately it has been coming to my attention that there is not only conflict among religions, but within religions. We try to find peace with religions that "look" different, but we cannot even all agree within our own religion. How can we make progress with a stranger when we cannot even be friends with our own neighbors?
Peace,
K ><>
Directly after the Dome of the Rock we went to the Western Wall. This was an experience. I took many prayers with me, and found a place to shove them into the wall. It took a while to get to the wall because it was packed. I didn't want to butt in, because I felt that the Jewish women had more of a right to be there than I did. Finally, I found a place to pray, and as I prayed, another woman shoved her prayers by the ones I put in, making them to explode all over me, knocked right out of the crack. It was intersting, and a bit symbolic. As I reflected on the the situation, I realized that many of the people there were probably praying for the Temple Mount. It seemed so odd considering we were just up there.
After lunch we went to the Israel Museum, which had the Shrine of the Book. This was really interesting to me. I loved seeing the old scrolls, trying to translate it, and to just feel the history and tradition behind many of the writings we call sacred.
Lately it has been coming to my attention that there is not only conflict among religions, but within religions. We try to find peace with religions that "look" different, but we cannot even all agree within our own religion. How can we make progress with a stranger when we cannot even be friends with our own neighbors?
Peace,
K ><>
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Relationships
Today we went to Tantur and met with Fr. Mike McGarry. Tantur is a center that provides a place to stay and study for theological scholars and persons seeking to explore and deepen their faith. It also provides a neutral space for local peacemakers to meet. Fr. McGarry said the center often hosts meetings between Palestinians and Israelis to meet and be in dialogue. This for me was another sign of hope.
We also visited a nature preserve which is focused on the landscape during Biblical times. As we toured around, various plants, animals, and structures were explained to us through the context of the Bible. This was also fascinating.
I think what I have been thinking the most about throughout the day is relationships... I think so often when we talk about issues, all sorts of statistics are cited and personal stories are called "anecdotal evidence" and not given much importance. Being in places like this, it seems that it is only through hearing stories and forming relationships that peace is possible.
Through the prayers I have carried, I feel I have a deeper understanding of the people who gave me prayers for which I know the person who wrote the prayer or who is being prayed for. By reciting the prayers, I have a deeper appreciation for our need for God to hear us. It is likely that tomorrow our group will go to the Western Wall, where all of the prayers I have prayed each night will be put in the wall. At our evening meeting, the box that has held those prayers was passed around our group. Each group member took several of those prayers. Tonight there will be 28 of us praying those prayers, instead of just me. Tomorrow as a group, we will be honoring those prayers by putting them in the wall. I know for me, that action will be one of the many ways my relationship with God is deepened on this trip...
I think one of the many things that makes this trip so rich is the group of people with whom I am traveling. We are a diverse group in age and experience and our evening reflections help me to put together what we have done each day. The relationships formed here, whether fleeting or lasting, make being here more meaningful because of the depth of reflection.
In our meeting with Fr. McGarry, I was reminded that I need to be careful with how I talk about the people and the situation here. The fact is, though I have learned a lot, the situation is complex and there is much I still don't know and understand. His advice was "come back and get more confused." :) We have only met a few people and heard a few stories. By talking to more Palestinians, by talking to more Israelis, by talking to more people at home, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or of some other belief system, by listening and being willing to be confused and changed by relationships, that is how understanding happens. Being in dialogue, both talking and listening is how the possibility of creating a more peaceful situation may happen...
The last thing I want to talk about is my relationship with my country. I love my country. I am critical of my country. Sometimes I think when I speak up about problems I see in the U.S., people think that I don't like the U.S. I do love my country, and one of the very reasons that I love it is that I can speak freely. However, just as I want to be the best person I can be, I also want my country to be the best it can be. Acknowledging where we are lacking, we may seek ways to make our country even better. I truly don't remember if I wrote this last night, but yesterday, watching the inauguration, I was so proud of my country. I was proud to be an American.
I will stop there. It is getting late and tomorrow will be a long day.
Peace,
Cory
We also visited a nature preserve which is focused on the landscape during Biblical times. As we toured around, various plants, animals, and structures were explained to us through the context of the Bible. This was also fascinating.
I think what I have been thinking the most about throughout the day is relationships... I think so often when we talk about issues, all sorts of statistics are cited and personal stories are called "anecdotal evidence" and not given much importance. Being in places like this, it seems that it is only through hearing stories and forming relationships that peace is possible.
Through the prayers I have carried, I feel I have a deeper understanding of the people who gave me prayers for which I know the person who wrote the prayer or who is being prayed for. By reciting the prayers, I have a deeper appreciation for our need for God to hear us. It is likely that tomorrow our group will go to the Western Wall, where all of the prayers I have prayed each night will be put in the wall. At our evening meeting, the box that has held those prayers was passed around our group. Each group member took several of those prayers. Tonight there will be 28 of us praying those prayers, instead of just me. Tomorrow as a group, we will be honoring those prayers by putting them in the wall. I know for me, that action will be one of the many ways my relationship with God is deepened on this trip...
I think one of the many things that makes this trip so rich is the group of people with whom I am traveling. We are a diverse group in age and experience and our evening reflections help me to put together what we have done each day. The relationships formed here, whether fleeting or lasting, make being here more meaningful because of the depth of reflection.
In our meeting with Fr. McGarry, I was reminded that I need to be careful with how I talk about the people and the situation here. The fact is, though I have learned a lot, the situation is complex and there is much I still don't know and understand. His advice was "come back and get more confused." :) We have only met a few people and heard a few stories. By talking to more Palestinians, by talking to more Israelis, by talking to more people at home, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or of some other belief system, by listening and being willing to be confused and changed by relationships, that is how understanding happens. Being in dialogue, both talking and listening is how the possibility of creating a more peaceful situation may happen...
The last thing I want to talk about is my relationship with my country. I love my country. I am critical of my country. Sometimes I think when I speak up about problems I see in the U.S., people think that I don't like the U.S. I do love my country, and one of the very reasons that I love it is that I can speak freely. However, just as I want to be the best person I can be, I also want my country to be the best it can be. Acknowledging where we are lacking, we may seek ways to make our country even better. I truly don't remember if I wrote this last night, but yesterday, watching the inauguration, I was so proud of my country. I was proud to be an American.
I will stop there. It is getting late and tomorrow will be a long day.
Peace,
Cory
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Peace in Jerusalem
I will keep this short because it has been a long day. The best part of my day was going into the Chuch of Mary Magdalene. We met this lovely woman who had moved from California to the convent there in the White Russian church. She eagerly showed us the church and explained the beautiful paintings inside. She didn't preach at us, but shared her faith in a way that it was clear she could not keep it in anymore. It was refreshing to see this. I enjoyed the stories and hearing her passion about the church. There was something peaceful about it.
I was less excited about the stations of the cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For the stations, they were just so minor seeming and surrounded by current life. The church was too divided and a bit too much for me. I felt like much of it really was too focused on his death, when I think, personally, we should focus on Jesus' life and ministry and resurrection.
It was still a great experience.
Peace,
K ><>
I was less excited about the stations of the cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For the stations, they were just so minor seeming and surrounded by current life. The church was too divided and a bit too much for me. I felt like much of it really was too focused on his death, when I think, personally, we should focus on Jesus' life and ministry and resurrection.
It was still a great experience.
Peace,
K ><>
Jerusalem
We descended the Mount of Olives this morning with the Golden gate in full view as we approached the walls of Jerusalem. Along the way we visited the Garden of Gethsemane. There we saw olive tress that were over two thousand years old. I recalled that here was the place where Jesus contemplated his immediate future in prayer and ended that session with God with the affirmation, "not my will, thy will be done". Having surrendered his will to accept his crucifxtion, Jesus began his journey to the stations of the cross.
I was profoundly moved to see the olive trees in the grove where our Lord wrestled with his destiny. I was further moved by touching the stone that is believed to be the very stone that was in the garden on that fateful night so many years ago. I could have lingered for a day, feeling the human connection to Jesus' humanity in the common experience of discernment that sometimes leads us to surprising and yet compelling choices. Alas, our schedule moved us to enter the Golden gate where we visted the Church of St Ann, the spring of Siloam, and the final stages of the cross.
The tradition of St. Ann, the Virgin Mary's mother, was new and welcoming Christian tradition. The group sang several songs in the Chapel and visited the grotto where Mary was probably born in the lower lev
The most profound experience of today was the visit to the Church of the Holy Scpulchre where we walked the final stations of the cross. We touched the stone of Golgotta, looked in the scpulture of Christ, saw the place where the cross of the crucifix was found and so much more. At the end of the day I was a little overwhelmed that I had been to the stations of the cross in one day! I am aware that I will appreciate the stations of the cross and all this experience means to me and my faith for years to come. Today, I learned traditions that were new and welcoming. I look forward to our future exploration of the land of the bible.
I was profoundly moved to see the olive trees in the grove where our Lord wrestled with his destiny. I was further moved by touching the stone that is believed to be the very stone that was in the garden on that fateful night so many years ago. I could have lingered for a day, feeling the human connection to Jesus' humanity in the common experience of discernment that sometimes leads us to surprising and yet compelling choices. Alas, our schedule moved us to enter the Golden gate where we visted the Church of St Ann, the spring of Siloam, and the final stages of the cross.
The tradition of St. Ann, the Virgin Mary's mother, was new and welcoming Christian tradition. The group sang several songs in the Chapel and visited the grotto where Mary was probably born in the lower lev
The most profound experience of today was the visit to the Church of the Holy Scpulchre where we walked the final stations of the cross. We touched the stone of Golgotta, looked in the scpulture of Christ, saw the place where the cross of the crucifix was found and so much more. At the end of the day I was a little overwhelmed that I had been to the stations of the cross in one day! I am aware that I will appreciate the stations of the cross and all this experience means to me and my faith for years to come. Today, I learned traditions that were new and welcoming. I look forward to our future exploration of the land of the bible.
Inauguration in Jerusalem
Rather than "next year in Jerusalem", it is "this year in Jerusalem" and on inauguration day. Since the day is so important for us, I thought everyone in the world knew who Obama is. Today I realized that was not the case. There were correspondents wandering through the bazaars in the Old City of Jerusalem today asking individuals what they thought about Obama. They asked one seller and he responded: "Who's Obama?" It was a reminder that local matters - whether you manage to get people to buy your goods - is often more important than who is being elected in some far away country.
Today we left Bethlehem and came to Jerusalem. I felt like I was being fed with a fire hose. There was so much to absorb. We started on the Mount of Olives and walked down through the Garden of Gethsemene. One of the wonderful things that happened today on our walk is that we met a Russian Orthodox nun outside the church of Mary Magdalene who was from the California. She offered to show us the church. Trisha, in all her years visiting Jerusalem, had never seen the church so we were all excited to visit this unexpected treasure.
We saw a lot of expected and unexpected treasures today. I'm having trouble absorbing everything.
Our evening ended watching the inauguration. We lined up chairs in the lobby of the hotel we're staying in, turned up the volume, and watched the inauguration while a group of Romanian Orthodox pilgrims watched us watching the inauguration - and at the end - told us congratulations. In this country of turmoil, it was a blessing to see a peaceful transition of power, albeit from a distance, one that didn't involve violence or a military coup.
Let us pray that the hopes and dreams that President Obama announced in his speech get spread throughout our nation and the world.
Diana Moore
Today we left Bethlehem and came to Jerusalem. I felt like I was being fed with a fire hose. There was so much to absorb. We started on the Mount of Olives and walked down through the Garden of Gethsemene. One of the wonderful things that happened today on our walk is that we met a Russian Orthodox nun outside the church of Mary Magdalene who was from the California. She offered to show us the church. Trisha, in all her years visiting Jerusalem, had never seen the church so we were all excited to visit this unexpected treasure.
We saw a lot of expected and unexpected treasures today. I'm having trouble absorbing everything.
Our evening ended watching the inauguration. We lined up chairs in the lobby of the hotel we're staying in, turned up the volume, and watched the inauguration while a group of Romanian Orthodox pilgrims watched us watching the inauguration - and at the end - told us congratulations. In this country of turmoil, it was a blessing to see a peaceful transition of power, albeit from a distance, one that didn't involve violence or a military coup.
Let us pray that the hopes and dreams that President Obama announced in his speech get spread throughout our nation and the world.
Diana Moore
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