Wallking on Holy Ground

Then the Lord said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will pass by. There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord—but the Lord was not in the wind; after the wind, an earthquake—but the Lord was not in the earthquake; after the earthquake, fire—but the Lord was not in the fire; after the fire, a light silent sound(1 Kings 19:11-12). This is the passage that came to mind while sitting atop one of the highest points of the ancient city of Petra. Exhausted from the intense heat and long climb to this high place, where the ancient inhabitants of Petra came to meet their gods, I was confronted with a refreshing gentle breeze and reminded of Elijah's "light silent sound." Perhaps most ... read more

The Dead Sea is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy! This is the thought that came to mind as I laughed out loud to myself yesterday when first experiencing the phenomenon of floating in the Dead Sea. Truly one of the most relaxing experiences I have ever had. In the Gospels, there is an allusion to the disappointment of some that Jesus is not the revolutionary Messiah that would restore the Davidic kingdom. Within 40 years of life of Jesus, the first Jewish revolt against the Romans led to the burning of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. The final battle between the Jewish rebels and the Romans took place at the breathtaking stronghold of Masada, which we visited yesterday. Masada is located atop of an isolated ... read more

Leaving from his home in Bethany, he traveled down the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley and through the city gates of Jerusalem. After visiting the local synagogue, he proceeded to Mount Calvary, where he spent the night praying and reading scripture. After these things, he journeyed through the Old City, ascending the Mount of Olives and returned home safely to Bethany the following morning. Although this sounds like a scripture verse, it is actually a description of my Saturday evening through early Sunday morning. For me, it was a sacred night spent in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. When I first arrived, I joined a few other pilgrims and the Franciscans for a beautiful procession commemorating the Transistus of St. Francis. At 8 pm the doors were sealed shut by a member of ... read more

A Lesson in Time Today we traveled to Jericho; the ancient Natufian people first settled here over 10,000 years ago, before 8,000 BC. When archaeologist Tessa Wheeler excavated Jericho in the 1950's, she discovered evidence of 23 successive settlements upon this ancient tel. Today’s visit (and much of this journey through Turkey, Greece and Israel) has reminded my-American-self, who tends to think of history in years and decades, much of the world measures history in centuries and millennia. This discussion of time enables me to share a summary of the Biblical timeline we have been studying along the way. Numbers are rough estimates. Setting of Genesis Patriarchs (4,000 years ago) Exodus Event (3,500 years ago) Joshua & Israelites appearance in Canaan (3,200 years ago) Saul, David, Solomon & 1st Jerusalem Temple (3,000 years ago) Dest... read more

We began the day by singing a few verses of a hymn based on Psalm 34:8. Taste and see, taste and see the goodness of the Lord, Oh, taste and see. This hymn was appropriately chosen because two of our three stops today were associated with breaking bread together. Our first stop was a Jaffa bakery that has been owned and operated by an Arab-Israeli family since the late 19th century. Besides serving good food, they also advocate for peace between peoples of this land. It is part of their mission to employ women and men of diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. Great mission; great food! To read more about this wonderful business, click here: url=http://http/www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/a-historic-bakery-in-jaffa-produces-pastry-and-peace-zbcz1408.aspxhttp://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/a-historic-bakery-in-jaffa-produces-pastry-and-peace-zbcz1408.aspx/url... read more