Deacon Peter

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Today was like trying to get a sip of water from the bottom of Niagara Falls. I woke up to read morning prayer and the first psalm prayer spoke of Jesus weeping over the coming destruction of the city of Jerusalem, a few hours later I stood on the spot where that happened. We met at 5:30 this morning and took a short walk to the church of the Holy Sepulcher and celebrated mass in the tomb where Jesus was laid after the crucifixion and rose Sunday morning. If you sent me a prayer it was on the shelf where they laid Christ as we celebrated mass, along with a picture of my children and my beautiful bride’s first (now broken) wedding ring. Words can’t even begin to describe the emotions of being in the very spot where the Old Covenant was fulfilled and the New Covenant was sealed. In addition to the events of the first Holy Week, I thought of all the people who have come to that spot. Mary, all the apostles, Mary Magdalene, St Francis, St Cyril of Jerusalem whose cathedral this was, the Spanish nun Egeria, Popes through the centuries and probably Pope Francis in May.



After mass & breakfast we went to a cave that Christ used to stay in regularly when here and where he gave the disciples the Lord’s Prayer. Before leaving the small dark place we chanted the prayer as a group. WOW



Next we went to the Mount of Olives, inside the church there is the rock Jesus asked to be relieved of his passion and death. Visible from there is the Golden Gate of the Old city of Jerusalem. Jews believe it will only be open when the Messiah comes, Christians believe it will open when he comes BACK. In any case it is still closed as of this afternoon. There are thousands of graves around the Golden Gate in an area called the Kiddron Valley. Christians and Jews want to be called from their graves when the gate is opened and, I guess, have a good view. Also visible from there is the potter’s field where Judas hung himself after betraying Jesus. It is still a desolate foreboding deserted place in the crowded and bustling city.



Our next stop was a horrible place, the house of Caiaphas the high priest, the top level is where Jesus was put on trial, a level below and off to the side is the court yard where my name sake, Peter, denied knowing his friend three times. Worst of all was the prison on the lowest level where the Lord spent his last night before his crucifixion. It is a small room roughly carved out of solid stone. One was lowered into it through a very small hole in the ceiling buy ropes under the arms and across the chest. When Friday morning came they raised him to face his passion the same way. We read Psalm 88 down there. Part of which says, “I am reckoned with those who go down to the pit; I am like a warrior without strength. My couch is among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave. You remember them no more; they are cut off from your influence. You plunge me into the bottom of the pit, into the darkness of the abyss. Your wrath lies heavy upon me; all your waves crash over me”. I lost it completely thinking of Jesus in that cold hard roughhewn pit and the fear he must have felt after pleading at the rock in the garden from which I had just come. I am very emotional as I write this now.



We stopped at the upper room next where the last supper was, where Christ washed the disciple’s feet, where they fled and locked the doors after the crucifixion and where Jesus met them after his resurrection, where Thomas doubted and where Mary and the Apostles received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The original building is long gone but this was built on the same spot by the crusaders. Wow again



We visited King David’s tomb. And ended our day at the Western wall of the Temple where all your petitions that started the day at the Tomb of Christ are as I write this blog. It was 12 hours of grueling walking and climbing but, any one of these experiences would have been in the top 10 list of amazing experiences of my life. Bethlehem tomorrow.

Peace, and the love of the risen savior to all who read this.

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Comments

[Beth]

wow!
What an emotional day! Lots of places I have only imagined in my mind.

[Dad]

Your journey
Just remember your grueling walking and climbing can not compare to Christ carrying the cross through town to be crucifird. Offer it up my son.

[Laura]

Wow
Thank you for the update, Peter. Your journey sounds amazing and filled with so much emotion and connection to Jesus - I wish we were all there with you. Thank you for taking the petitions to the tomb and then the wall; I will share that with my daughter. Your recounting of walking in Jesus' footsteps makes his life and death that much more real to me and to others, I'm sure. Safe travels.

[Laura]

In awe!
I have read your last post 3 x's and I am sure I will yet again! I cried each time. I feel like I am right there with you. I feel every emotion! What an awesome experience, what a perfect Lenten Journey! What a gift this blog is to us who read it! Like we will hear this weekend- Continue to take in each moment.. Your eyes have truly been opened! Enjoy the LIGHT!! God Bless you and those you travel with! Love and hugs my dear friend!

[Kathy Martin]

Understanding
You are bringing back many emotions that I also had. It brings tears to my eyes as it did then to think I walked the same places Jesus did. It is a feeling you can't describe.