Day 4 - Jim Papile - The Bedouins

 Judean Desert, Jericho, Nazareth

     It was totally unexpected for some and eagerly anticipated for those who knew what was coming.  Walking up over the ridge to suddenly see the land roll out, as far as the eye could see.  Purples and magenta, the Judaea desert stretched out in front of us.  "This isn't what  desert looks like," someone behind me said, "it's supposed to be flat!"  Here the gentle undulations seemed to have a pattern, a rhythm.  

As we set up for communion several children, all very young, and a couple of adults headed our way with jewelry and keffeyahs the traditional men's head scarves.  They were obviously looking for a sale. Bedouins have lived in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Arabic speaking world for for thousands of years, selling, trading, raising sheep and goats. We have read about them, seen them on TV, and here, on the edge of the desert was a family of Bedouins making their livelihood primarily by creating and selling traditional crafts. 

I heard several comments of concern from members of our group about why the children were not in school.  It was very evident to me, they are the main attraction, it was very hard to turn the down when they offered an item for sale.  The universal appeal, they might as well be our children and grandchildren.  I'm sure others, like me were looking into the faces and seeng our own beloved children, far away.

It seems to me that this is what pilgrimage is.  If it is about finding the face of God in unfamiliar places, the land and it's singularity, like the desert; then I think it is even more about finding God's face in the face of other people.  No less now then ever before in human history, tribalism, identifying with a kindred group by defining ourselves against other groups, continues to prevent any semblance of peace, regional or global.  The day we see the face of God reflected in the face of the "other" reflected in our own is the day the kingdom will come.

Day 4 - Nancy DeDona - Reflections

Reflections on Day 4 of the Holy Land Trip:

Today's Slideshow

My husband John and I jumped at the opportunity to go on this pilgrimage, not because we consider ourselves to be overly religious, but because we feel as Christians taking a pilgrimage is something we need to do in our lifetime.  I suppose it is something similar to how Muslims feel about going to Mecca.  I’m not sure what we expected, but felt it was something we had to do.  

And boy am I glad we came!  Our guide Iyad is so knowledgeable (the cover on his Bible is practically worn out) and he is deeply passionate about the treatment his people, the Palestinians, are receiving from the Israelis.  I am sure you will hear a lot more about that from Father Jim.  Forget about what you are hearing in our media, we are quite safe and have enjoyed exploring on our free time.  We are here with about 15 other parishioners from New York and California and the groups have blended very nicely.

I’ve been amazed by so many things-everyone’s journey is unique and yet each of them contribute to all of our journey’s.  Does that make sense?  Some of the observations of the group seem to hit me like a shock (not a bad shock, more of turning on a 500 watt light bulb and not expecting it) and I wonder if others feel that way too.  The nightly summations of the day where each of us can share what surprised us or “fed” us have been as meaningful as some of the incredible experiences we’ve had during the day.  

On the first day one of the parishioner’s from NY, said that he was struck by the human need for the tangible—proof if you will for everything we can’t see.  He then said it hit him that day that despite the need for the tangible, the reality was that “the resurrection is within me.”  What a wow moment!!  

We’ve seen where our Lord was allegedly crucified and buried, followed by a visit to Bethlehem  where most believe he was born.  And these locations are extremely moving and aroused surprising emotions.  Yet, I know that if I’d never seen these places, I’d still believe.  However, I never would have thought of it as the resurrection of our Lord living within me.  Without coming on this journey at this time and with this group, would I have made that discovery about myself?      

- Nancy DeDona

Day 3 - Father Jim - Bethlehem/Church of the Nativity/Shepherds' field, the wall

Bethlehem/Church of the Nativity/Shepherds' field, the wall

Today's Slideshow

First thing I noticed, approaching the door of the Church of the Nativity early this morning was the  hodge podgeiness of the entrance.   Pilgrims often enter as we did, not though some elegant garden, but through a parking lot...with cars in it.  Looking up, maybe twenty feet  my eye was struct by a hugh stone pediment, big enough to get a school bus through.   It was built by the mother of Constantine the Great, Helena in the fourth century. But it was blocked off with big, square stones.  Below it, about twelve feet off the ground was an elegant arch created by the crusaders, sometime around eleven hundred.  It was beautiful. but stoned in.  Finally, about five feet off the ground, an ugly rectangular door that one must walk through in order to get inside,  it spoke volumes.  Apparently, sometime after the Crusaders left people began to bring animals, into the Church.  Tiny door no big animals.

Inside the Church this theme of construction, reconstruction only heightened.  With half of the floor covered with scaffolding and the other half empty there was nothing happening there.  Yet there was a smell of antiquity, old dust, and incense and the smell of humanity.  But as our guide, Iyad keeps telling us, the place to look for ancient activity is down, twenty feet down.  So we gingerly steeped down very slick and shiny stone steps until we were in the bowels of the building, the series of caves which in Mary and Joseph's time was the place where Jesus was born.   No timbered European style stable with a wood cradle full of warm hay, but a simple stone cave with a stone trough that was used in it's day to feed animals.  There was a depression a hole really, to one side that held several candles that burned in perpetuity the center of which was a metal and precious stone many sided star, with another depression, about the size of a softball, which was supposed to be the exact spot where Jesus was born, an educated guess.  We were there with only a few others for the Eucharist which is said every morning by Franciscan priests.  It was a special moment, made even more so as either coming in we bent to touch the cross. 

Just  few hours later we were at the base of the wall, in Bethlehem that separates the part of the town where Palestinians live from Israel.  It divides neighborhoods, families, gardens, farms, shepherds fields.  It was supposed to be 450 or so kilometers long, it is over 900.  I was startled to see that it did not run next to the settler's communities it was built to protect, but right on top of the houses and shops of Palestinians.  I guess the Israeli government does not want to have to move the wall when the settlements expand.   One of the panels was most powerful for me. 

I was reminded of the communion we had just shared a few hours before, American Episcopalians and Italian Catholics, with a few other denominations throw in Im sure.  "This is My blood," the priest said, holding up the cup.  "Do this in memory of Me."  In whatever way we view the theological purpose for Jesus' death on the cross, many have said  and still say that shed his blood in love for love.  His blood the same color as ours.  Many Christians venerate the      Sacratissimi Cordis Iesu, the scared heart of Jesus.  Some images, the ones that made me so uncomfortable growing up in the Catholic Church showed a heart bleeding.  I thought of that today, the first time in a long time.

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land/Day 3 - Church of the Nativity, 'The Wall' and Shepherds Field

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land - Day 3

Today's Slideshow

Another early start at 5:15am for breakfast and on the bus to the Church of the Nativity.

The reason for the early start was so we could join a Roman Catholic communion at the church at 7:30am that is not open to the public.  After a chance to explore the church, much of which is under reconstruction we entered an underground cave, close to the traditional site of the nativity and a Franciscan priest officiated at the communion which was held underground close to the traditional site of the nativity.  We sang some Christmas hymns in an adjacent cave.

We left the Church of the Nativity for a walk through Bethlehem, along the wall that separates Jerusalem from the West Bank.  Our destination was a local store which was selling items made of olive wood, icons, jewelry and clothing.

Our next stop was the Shepherds Field, more information about the location at http://www.seetheholyland.net/shepherds-field/  The church has a non-traditional format with seats arranged in a circle under a cupola.  We heard that many the churches under the Franciscans were designed to be different from each other and the theme here was of a tent.  We sang some more hymns and headed off to lunch.

Lunch was at Ruth’s Restaurant which served our best meal yet, felafel, salad, pita, etc.

As we’d packed much of the day into the morning and we’d had several early days in a row we had the afternoon off to reflect, relax or with one small group make an independent return trip to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

In the evening we had a talk from a Christian Palestinian, Dr. George Sabella.

Tomorrow we’re off to Nazareth where we’ll stay three nights…another early start! :-)

Day 2 - Father Jim -Western Wall, Temple Mount

Today's slideshow

Israel Pilgrimage Day Two From Father Jim Papile

We were up early, five o'clock breakfast so that we could make it to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount before the crowds.  Things there have been pretty tense the last few months, you probably noticed in the media.  Just as in Jesus' time this most sacred place for three religions is a flash point for confrontation. 

There was a flurry of activity as we approached the Wall to say our prayers, and to press our written prayers into the cracks between the huge blocks of stone that made up the foundation of the Temple Mount.  Men, in black suits with long earlocks and beards, their prayer shawls up over their shoulders stood before the wall praying while they davined (prayed), bobbing quickly up and down: some walking briskly away as if late for work.  Women, dressed conservatively too, with their heads covered, prayed on their side of the holy space.  As early as it was, we seemed to be the only tourists on site.  There was no sense of tension whatsoever.  

Next, we lined up to go across the wooden bridge that would take us up to the Temple

Mount.  We got to the check point, at the bottom of the bridge about 7:20, ten minutes before it open.  I noticed, standing next to our group ten or so Jewish people, I could tell because they had kippahs on their heads.  It looked to me like they were having some kind of briefing, with the leader saying things life, "now, this is what you do if..."   Whatever it was, I didn't pay much attention.  When the Israeli police opened the gate, and we began to file through I noticed an overhead electric announcement which cautioned Jews not to go on the Temple Mount, for fear of stepping on the place where the Holy of Holies might have stood, for not provoking the Muslims, who had control of the area, the site being the Dome of the Rock, the third most sacred place in Islam. 

About ten minutes into his talk Iyad, our guide, asked us to move over a little, to get out of the way. Looking up I saw the same group of Jewish people, escorted by several armed Israeli soldiers walk slowly towards us.  This is a common experience by some radical jews who want to take back the Mount to build the Third Temple.  Several Muslims obviously found this provocative, yelling at them "Allah Akbar" God is great.  So the religious Israeli authorities beg Jews not to walk on the Holy of Holies, and the government sends troops to protect them when they do.  An obvious contradiction.  This Iyad assured us is why there has been trouble on the Mount in recent months.

It needs to be asked, for sure who should, or maybe even better who should not, be allowed on the Temple Mount, anyone who wanted to, obviously.  Sharing, or not sharing. this small stretch of ground, about the size of two football fields is a crystallization of the national problem.  It's seems logical to think that the Jews, Muslims, and Christians should be able to sit down and figure out how to live with each other in peace.  All, without a doubt, love the land passionately.  Trouble they make, they make for every body.  Physical oppression of the Arab cause spiritual oppression for the Jew.  Acts of a few zealots on both sides continually threatens peace on this holy mound, in this holy land place. 

Elias Chacour was, until his retirement the Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church in Israel. 

In 2001, Chacour gave an address at commencement at Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia where he accepted an honorary degree. An excerpt from his speech: