Mt. Nebo is about 400 miles from Egypt where the Israelites had left lives of physical plenty but of spiritual poverty and uncertain futures.  On thispilgrimage we have seen some of the area that the Israelites traveled through, the Wadis or natural formations making paths between mountains, and the desert.  These areas are unimaginably harsh and unforgiving.  The Wadis lay in deep canyons betweens solid rock formations stretching hundreds of feet tall.  The desert is trackless.  And because all this area is low lying, it is impossible to have an idea of distance to the end.

So it must have given Moses a sense of relief, or, more than that, a sense of hope and vindication to see, at last, where it was that God was leading the people.

Standing here at Mt Nebo today, it is a beautiful day – around 60 degrees.    In the distance we can pick out buses and cars and trees.  We are looking down from a temperate area to land that changes geographically, from the mountains to desert, to tropical area with plenty of spring water, to far hills covered with fertle cultivated fields. 

But we cannot see all the way to the promised land because of dust storms in the horizon that fill the air with a reddish haze. 

I have seen the mountaintop.  I cannot help but hear the voice of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King echoing in my consciousness;  his voice saying that he had seen the mountaintop in his last major speech before his death.  In so many ways we have progressed towards the promised land since the time that Dr. King glimpsed the promised land.  Yet in many ways the promised land eludes us. 

In the United States many of the battles of the geat days of Civil Rights were won, only to face challenges from new sources promoting and advancing racism and discrimination in new and subtle ways.  Women have advanced in business and professions only to hit glass ceilings. 

As always when I travel outside the US, I am aware of how incredibly blessed and advantaged we Americans are.  We enjoy basic human rights and protections, incredible wealth by comparison to many, and infrastructure of electricity and water and roads and communications that we take for granted.  We have religious freedom and diversity – the kind that the Israelites left Egypt to find.  

God calls all of us, as Christians, to live out our faith, to live out the promises of our baptismal covenant.  We are called to push beyond our immediate concerns, and in faith and after prayer find ways to be part of the great movement of all creation towards God’s promised land.  

Like the red haze that hangs over the land today obscuring the distant hills, the shape of the promised land is not entirely clear.  As yet the promised land remains elusive.  But I have been to  the mountaintop. 

We fly home tomorrow morning full of wonder and thanks for this pilgrimage.   Amen

Our band of pilgrims went to the River and on the banks renewed our Baptismal vows – promising to seek and serve Christ in all people – one of the priest’s sang Wade in the water… I thank the Lord that the faith of our African American ancestors reaches people of all backgrounds in this Holy place!

A hollowed out cave in the sandstone cliffs made a perfect place for Jesus to speak to 5000 people gathered on the Mt of Beatitudes and in the valley below. 

The Sea of Galilee was amazing – so blue and a striking contrast to the desert.  We took a boat-ride – and another  spiritual – this time from the boat’s loudpeaker – again I give thanks for the enduring faith of African Americans and the spirituals that continue to give hope and faith to the world.

We crossed over the Jordan River into what is now the Kingdom of Jordan — this is spectacular desert – very different from Israel.  There is more freedom of movement and Christians and Muslims interact fmore freely. (There are no Jewish citizens).  Jordan has adopted and given citizenship to over 100 thousand Palestinian refugees.

We visited St Marys Episcopal church in Irbid with a remarkable school and parish.  These parishes are the “living stones” of the church. 

Our first night in Amman in a hotel in this bustling modern city.

Blessings and prayers!

Take for example, the parable of the person who keeps knocking on the door until it is opened.  We think of our homes, where we would wake up, turn on the light, go downstairs and open the door.  In Jesus time, people in Nazareth lived in hollowed out caves in the hills.  We saw an example an actual one of these.  It is excavated  under the Church of the Annunciation.  The family would sleep on a ledge directly in front of the doorway.  To get to the door the owner would have to step over everyone and wake them up!  No wonder it is a big deal to continue knocking until the person lets you in!

In Jesus time about 400 people lived in Nazareth.  It was a backwater.  The outlines of the villqge at that time have been excavated  so we know this.  The biggest city nearby was Sepphoris.  We saw ruins there as well. 

Everything that I learn and experience here helps to deepen my understanding and bring Jesus message to life.

Also amazing are the contrasts.  The three religions Jewish, Muslim, and Christian living in tension at some times and in harmony in others.  The desert and lush crops.  Tourists and locals.  Religious and secular. History and current life.

Due to technical limitations of the equipment here at the Sisters of Nazareth, I cannot send photos. 

I am so thankful to be here and look forward to sharing on my return.

Blessings!

A chapel is there now, maintained by the Roman Catholics and the Armenian Orthodox, I believe.  An altar sits on the rock – which is exposed through glass.  And there is one section that pilgrims can touch.  This is one of the stations of the Cross.

We believe that Pilgrims had come to this place in Jerusalem to walk in the Lord’s footsteps since the crucifixion.  It is believed that communities of monks lived at or near the site in the years after Christ’s crucifixion and Resurrection, but they did not erect churches over the site.  

It was only in the 4th century that Helena, Emperor Constantine’s Mother, built a Basilica complete with courtyards and a magnificent memorial, to honor the place of Calvery.  Helena’s workmen found what she believed to be the True Cross and that place is revered as well.

Helena’s church was destroyed and the Dome of the Rock built over the site half a century ofter the death of Muhammad, and the beginning of the Muslim faith. 

The next day, having studied the history of the place and reflected on the events, we returned early in the morning to walk the Way of the Cross.  Carrying a wooden Cross, walking in silence we traced the path that Jesus would have walked.  We walked along the path of the Roman road, the Cardo, to the place of judgment, to the prison where He would have awaited word from Pilot (who washed his hands).  We prayed at each station, and between each station one or another of us carried the Cross.  Through the narrow streets, up and down the hills, through bazaars and acros streets, following the path where we know it was in ancient times.  Finally we came to the city wall, marked by a sweet shop.  And finally outside the walls of the ancient city, we began the ascent to the hill of of Golgatha. 

On the way, women in traditional orthodox scarves shouted at us “drano” – meaning “Congratulations!”  For we are pilgrims.  We are blessed.  In (Eastern, Armenian) Orthodox traditions, the celebration of Crucifuxion is a joyous event, linked to Easter, for it is always understood in the light of the Resurrection. 

Jerusalem is an interfaith city. The Muslim calls to prayer are broadcast regularly, beginning at  4:30 am.  The city is divided with different groups predominant in different areas.  Here in East Jerusalem, on the West Bank, Muslims are predominant.   Christians and Jews retain their ability to worship, and have access to their Holy Sites. 

Yet, Israeli separation walls divide the countryside, and young people in uniform with machine guns guard entry into sections of the country.  

The Anglican Church is a force for interfaith reconciliation and cooperation in Jerusalem.  With the American Friends of the Diocese of Jerusalem, we visited the Princess Basma school which serves Christian and Muslim children pre-school through grade 12.  We also visited the Arab Evangelical Episcopal School in  Ramallah, where students at the hotel managment division of the Techncal School treated us to a marvelous lunch.  We visited with young children and teens as well.

We leave Jerusalem tomorrow for Nazareth and may not have access to the web for posting.  So please be patient if I am not able to post!

 For blogs of other pilgrims on this trip see Pilgrims Blog at www.AFEDJ.org

Hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to God’s people!

Bear with me, friends back home… as this blog has been uneven in coming—there were a few technical issues to overcome - a computer crash, issues in accessing and uploading, and one day I was just too tired to blog! 

So here are some impressions about the visit to the Western Wall – the Wailing Wall - with all of your prayers! 

The pilgrims who had been to the Wall before took one look at my three bags of paper and said – oh no they have to be rolled very small to get in between the cracks!  Late that night, Jane and Kate, fellow pilgrims, helped me to roll the prayers into miniscule packets to fit into one plastic bag!

The Wall is a Jewish Holy Site, maintained by the state of Israel.  A sign says that according to Jewish tradition,  the Temple Mount is the place where God created Adam, where Abraham served, where the Temple of Solomon and David stood and where the Shekinah, the Presence of God, rests.  As we got closer to the wall it was clear why it is called “Wailing.” 

The sounds of prayers and songs and laments fill the air!  People are rushing by in groups in families, to make their prayers.  Dressed in many types of garb of the Jewish faith, some men wear the black coats and broad hats, others white long garments and shawls, still others are in street clothes with yarmulkes.  Women have heads wrapped in shawls.   Christians approach as well, clergy and tourists, nuns and monks, Christian Orthodox women in different types and colors of shawls and head coverings. Out of respect we did not take close-up pictures of people at prayer. 

Men and women go to separate areas of the wall.  Several of the pilgrims in our group take a handful of prayers and we each approach the wall place them in the tiny crevices.  A kind Orthodox woman shows us the best places to put the prayers, and we stand back and silently pray.

I touch the wall – this Wall in Jerusalem that was here – in this place -when Jesus was in the Temple – here – in this place.  

Words do not come – only tears. 

Amen

In Israel everything and all the signs are in Hebrew!  A few times at the airport the ticket agents made announcements for connections – and forgot to translate! 

Our guide, an Episcopal Canon of the Cathedral – Iyad Qumri met us at the airport and transferred us all to St. Georges Episcopal Cathedral and guest house. 

We traveled through the land of Canaan, following the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.  This is “big sky” country with mountains and vistas and brown hills stretching into the distance.

We saw Palestinean  areas and Israei settlements along the highway as well. 

After a brief intreeoduction and dinner At St. Georges House I’m turning in!

Blessings to all,

Mother Kathleen+

In my bags are the prayers of the people of St. John’s and family and friends, written on bits of paper to place in the Western Wall. In a few hours I will be in the Holy Land, the place where Jesus walked. My heart is so full of prayers and good wishes from all of you. I pray the prayer of St. Francis, Lord make me an instrument of Thy Peace… Amen

 Last night’s Healing Prayer Group, led by Deacon Elena Barnum, wrote prayers for me to take with me to the Wailing Wall.  The Wailing Wall is the Western Wall of the Temple, a part of the edifice that has been there for thousands of years, even before Christ!  Tradition says that prayers written and placed in the cracks between the stones are heard by God, even more clearly than ever.  I will take these prayers to the wall and place them for God to hear.

The Healing Prayer Group prayed for my Pilgrimage, for safe travel, that my faith may be renewed, that I might bring back renewed faith to the people of St. John’s.  I will take these prayers as well. 

I will take the prayers that people wrote and posted in the Veterans’ Chapel during the St. John’s Memorial Service on the tenth anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11. 

 And I will take prayers of family and friends, and I will pray for all people, for we are all children of God, and God listens to prayers!