Tuesday June 28th:
Sunrise over Jerusalem
Our Community and Basileia
In the life and ministry of Jesus we see the manifestation of the kingdom or, in Greek, Basileia. Whenever Jesus intervened, he became the presence and action of the Good News through his teaching, healing, proclamation, forgiveness and making those who came to him, whole. This is what the kingdom or reign of God is all about in the message of the Gospel.
The community of gathered disciples to which Mark addressed his Gospel was to be the visible manifestation of the kingdom and the same is true for those to whom his Gospel is addressed. We are called to be, through the gift and power of the Spirit of Christ, the visible and tangible manifestation of the Basileia.
I would like to describe a few facets of this 'Kingdom Conscious Community'. My hope would be that they might provide pointers for our own parish made up of the people of our various churches.
Social Alternative
It is for us to ensure that the culture and way of living in our community offers a way of being a society which is different from the bigger society of which we are part. Not in a critical or judgmental sense. More positively to show that human life lived in accordance with the Gospel brings wholeness, flourishing, justice and peace.
The society of which we are part presents itself as holding the attitudes and processes that lead to human flourishing for all. This is patently not the case. Levels of anxiety seem to be rising, division between the rich and poor deepens and abuse, exploitation and the engineered termination of human life increases. It is for us to show that the Gospel of Christ leads to the fullness of human life.
Addressing Causes of Division
Filled with the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of unity, it is for us to address all causes of division with a view to finding healing and reconciliation. Any Christian community which is content to accept division, envy, exclusion or competition and rivalry that damages is in need of urgent repentance .
Sites of Communion, Hospitality and outreach
The parish community which is ready to put time and energy into organising its welcome, hospitality, and the invitation to people to ' come and see', is being true to its identity and mission. I was so pleased before I left for Jerusalem that Liz Bradley and Max Wilson agreed to co-ordinate welcome and hospitality. The words of St. Paul ought to be written over all of our church doors: "Make hospitality your special care".
Local, concrete and practical expressions the Basileia
All the time we must be striving to ensure that our love and respect for others takes a visible and tangible form. In every parish and individual life there will be opportunities to put the Gospel of life and love into concrete form,often not without cost to ourselves.
.JPG)
The Via Dolorosa, where Canon Paul has been staying
Monday June 27th: The Empty Tomb at The Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is located in Jerusalem's Christian Quarter. It was built first by Constantine over the site of Calvary and the place of Jesus' burial and resurrection. In the centuries that passed it has become smaller and was modified by the Crusaders and other enthusiastic builders since.
It was a joy this morning to have the Eucharist actually inside the Edicule which is a recent construction strengthened in the nineteenth century by British Army Engineers.
Our celebration of Mass began at 6.00am and, as is usual in this location, we used the Mass and readings of Easter Sunday. The Mass is actually celebrated at an altar over the site of the slab where Jesus was laid. There is enough room for a few people to gather. The rest gather in a second room inside the Edicule which is linked through a low connecting door.
It was a powerful experience to pray and celebrate Mass in this space where so many have done the same before us. Listening to the Gospel of the Resurrection from Mark, I was acutely aware of the women who came to this spot to discover the Empty Tomb. They were told by the young man in white "Jesus is not here, he has been raised. See the place where they laid him". As I gazed at that empty place, I felt the tinge of absence that the death of a loved one brings. Immediately though, I recalled the number of times that Jesus spoke of his resurrection and became aware of what those early morning women discovered in faith together: that Christ is risen into the empty space of our lives and all we need do is turn to him in trust and confidence.
The Empty Tomb is for me at the heart of Jerusalem; of Israel/Palestine and of the world. Its emptiness speaks eloquently of so much human desolation, which during the last weeks here, I have experienced in the lives of the people with whom we have lived in Jerusalem. The plight of the people here reflects a suffering and emptiness which is cheerfully carried. There seems to be no easy or immediate solution to the divisions which exist in this land. The more it is analysed, the more complex it becomes and the unravelling strands thread their political way into every nation on earth. The division here seems to speak of the global division between the rich and the poor and between those who have the power of resource and those who do not.
.JPG)
As I prepare to leave this ancient and beautiful place, I am preparing to take with me the challenge of the Church's Social Teaching which is to see that the security and wealth of one nation is the poverty, insecurity and even exploitation of another. For me the division within this land will be healed when all nations acknowledge their contribution to justice and peace and embrace a readiness to 'live simply that others may simply live'. Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Sunday 26th June:
.JPG)
This is the final Sunday of this Biblical Programme. Usually, on a Sunday, we make our own liturgical arrangements, but today we went to Abu Gosh to celebrate Mass with the mixed Benedictine Community there. Those who have visited Abu Gosh will remember the beauty of unaccompanied singing by the two communities there.
Looking over Jericho
Abu Gosh is one of the sites associated with Luke's Gospel story of the meeting with the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, which could be Abu Gosh.
The two disciples are perplexed as they walked along the road to Emmaus. On meeting them, though they did not recognise him, Jesus invited them to consider the events in detail and the teaching of the prophets. Having reflected on the 'tradition' they invited him to stay with them and it was at that point they recognised him as the risen one. In fact they recognised him at the Breaking of Bread just as we do. He vanished from their sight at that point because the Eucharist had become his presence. Now, they were ready for mission. A mission Luke describes in the Acts of the Apostles.
Saturday June 25th: It is Saturday morning in Jericho and the heat is fierce at 40 degrees centigrade. Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and is an oasis in the Judean desert. Herod the Great built yet another palace here with an aquaduct bringing water from Wadi Kelt, and the sycamore tree up which Zacchaeus climbed can still be photographed.
Since my last visit here there are signs of money being spent. The City is firmly Palestinian and has a very relaxed feel. They are not allowed to use the recently built casino and the Romanian Orthodox Church has built an amazingly beautiful monastery church and Pilgrim centre.
The cable-car to to the Mount of Temptation and Monastery of the Annunciation has been refurbished. The monastery, which houses the reputed place where Jesus was tempted, clings precariously to the mountainside, and benefits from a percentage of the cable-car fares.
Monastery in the Wilderness
It was fascinating to visit the Spring of Elisha which provides water for every home and field in this oasis City. Jericho is a mass of green in the middle of a white and hostile, rocky desert. It produces tasty fruit and vegetables which are served at local eating places.
Jericho overlooks the Jordan Valley and the Northern end of the Dead Sea, which loses a metre of depth every year because of water extraction by the surrounding countries.
We have already celebrated Corpus Christi here, so to those have not, Happy Feast Day.
Friday June 24th:The visit to Galilee this week was immensely rich in image and theology. I am so grateful to Brother Elio Passeto of The Notre Dame de Sion Congregation in Jerusalem.
In his presentation at Capharnum, Zippori and Caesarea, he described the early Christian group as being part of the Jewish community gathering all together in the synagogue. Gradually, and as Jewish disciples, they assumed an identity which was predicated on their faith in the risen Jesus and their relationship with him. As time progressed the Christians gathered separately to celebrate their collective memory and their recognition of him in the Breaking of Bread.
The story of early Christianity during the first 700 years in Galilee is one of a community growing in confidence and community prayer with the Eucharist at its heart. Spirituality, culture and community was thoroughly Jewish and grew to a new Christian identity organically.
Reflection at Mt Beatitude
The lesson for us is that the community of the Lord's disciples is still growing and developing even in our own time. Dialogue and community experience are a vital part of this change and growth, whether with other faiths, science or the culture of which we are part.
Thursday June 23rd: It was 6.30am and the Sun rose over the Golan Heights glistening on the still and blue water. Our time in Galilee came to a beautiful completion as we celebrated the Eucharist on the shore of the Sea adjacent to our pilgrim-house.
Crusader Chruch at Ceasarea Maritima
The Gospel was Mark's version of the Calming of the Storm at Sea. In the understanding of Mark's audience, the boat would have contained them and the storm and the journey would have spoken eloquently about the trials and challenges they encountered in Christian life and mission. The story reminded them, and constantly reminds us, that Jesus is always with us and particularly when we think he is far away. It is those storms, both within our personal and ecclesial community experience, that beckons us to trust in the Lord and wait patiently for him.
Zippori is about 5 Kilometres from Nazareth and was Herod Antipas' capital City of Galilee. It has and is being excavated and the work reveals the remains of a thriving and prosperous Roman City. Jesus lived in the vicinity of Zippori and it is likely that he and Joseph would have found work in this 1st century developing place.
Documentary evidence tells us that there was a thriving Christian community here in the centuries after Christ and that there was a 5th century church which was dedicated to St. Joachim and St. Anne. These two were the parents of Mary and the dedication of a Church to their memory raises a question for those who have a devotion to Anne or Joachim. Could the dedication of their church mean that this is where they lived and died? Could Mary have been brought up here? Could further archaeology discover a house or house church that could answer these questions?
Sue Pickett took a photo of me standing on the Cardo of Zippora. It is easy to identify grooves caused by chariots or carts which used this main shopping street.
.JPG)
Caesarea Maritima was built by Herod the Great and was a thriving port and City in Jesus' time. Herod had a palace here with sea views, Pontius Pilate lived here and there is a plaque with his name on it and Paul was imprisoned here before setting sail for Rome and eventual beheading. Jews, pagans and, eventually, Christians lived here and by the 6th century it was a thriving Christian community which was devoted to study and worship. They had a huge octagonal church later replaced by a Crusader church. Herod's City boasts an hippodrome and a theatre in perfect condition.
The journey back to Ecce Homo stopped at the beach where Herod the Great's amazing aquaduct can be viewed.
Wednesday June 22nd: Our visit to Dan this morning took us to the ancient Canaanite City of Dan which was populated 5000 years ago. At its heart is the pagan Temple where Israel's monotheistic faith was challenged by the polytheism of surrounding tribes and nations. Dan sits at the base of the Mount Hermon range and here is to be found the verdant and cooling source of the Jordan River. The aquifers ensure a constant and strong flow during the six months of the dry season. It was here that we bathed in the Jordan and renewed the promises of Baptism.
Then we travelled to Banyas which is the Caesarea Phillipi of the Gospels. Here Jesus asked the question "Who do you say that I am". The theological significance and background of this passage has a number of elements. When Rabbinic disputation about matters connected to the Torah brought answers to disputed questions, the answers were given divine authority. So, when Jesus asked the question of his disciples, the answer would have been with the authority that followed from divine approval. This authority brought responsibilty, which in this case gives the community of Jesus' disciples the duty to proclaim Jesus and his message.
.jpg)
Church of the Mount of Beatitudes
Caesarea Phillippi was at the source of the Jordan and as such was a sacred place guarded by the divine. It was the natural place for a pagan temple and this one was dedicated to the God Pan. Jesus' question was asked within the context, both geographical and theological, of disputation about the presence and action of God.
At the Sea of Galilee
Tuesday June 21st: Galilee is very beautiful, especially after the tense noise of Jerusalem. We are staying at the German 'Pilgerhaus' on the shores of the Sea of Galilee near the Church of the miraculous feeding. It belongs to the Benedictines and the site was blessed by Blessed John Paul in 2002. The grounds offer beautiful views across the lake to the Golan Heights on the other side, which are renowned for battles and the production of fine wine.
Capharnum After visiting the museum with the preserved 1st century boat, sailing on the Sea of Galilee and having a lunch of St. Peter's fish at the Mount of Beatitudes, we spent the afternoon at Capharnum. This is the place where Jesus came to live when he left Nazareth. It was a large City on a trade route which came from the North to Jerusalem. It was the home of Simon Peter and his mother in law whom Jesus healed. It was also the place where Matthew collected his taxes and the Centurion gave the people the synagogue.
There are two buildings in Capharnum which are of immense significance for Christianity: the synagogue and Peter's house. The evidence that archaeology provides shows that the Judaeo-Christian community grew in Capharnum for the first seven hundred years after Christ. They grew and practised as believers in Christ alongside and as members of the Jewish community who came together in the synagogue. In fact there is evidence of a first century house synagogue and a first century house church both of which were renewed and enlarged during the 700 years before the Muslim invasion which brought an end to that community. The relationship between the Jews and the Judaeo-Christians is evidenced by archaeological remains which prove the peaceful co-existence and interdependence of the two groups. The archaeology supports the tradition that the Christian house church is on the site of Peter's house where his mother-in-law had been healed by Jesus.
In a synagogue in Nazareth
The Primacy of Peter This Church built over the 'Mensa Christi' recalls the beach breakfast of John 21. Telling his disciples to cast their net to the 'otherside' would have meant the task of taking the Gospel to the nations of the Roman Empire. In fact the miraculous catch of 153 fish is a disguised and significant reference to the number of nations conquered by the Romans.
Jesus ' questioning of Peter becomes highly significant when when we realise the different Greek words for love that are being used. Jesus uses the word 'agape' while Peter responds with a much less weighty word for love.
Monday June 20th: The Jordan Valley Leaving Jerusalem for Galilee you take the new highway from which good views of the old Roman Road, which Jesus used, can be had. Skirting Jericho, the oldest City on earth with 12,000 years behind it, the road plunges into the wide and fertile Jordan Valley to go North to Galilee. This is an ancient rift valley which continues South into Africa and the Olduvai Gorge where the fossils of our first ancestors were found.
It was in this valley opposite Jericho that Jesus was baptized and here the Israelites crossed the river to claim the promised land after 40 years in the wilderness.
This valley is the border between Israel and Jordan and most of the Israeli side is administered by the Palestinian Authority.
South of the Sea of Galilee the Hampshire resident would be impressed by the arable agriculture in the Jordan Valley. While water is scarce, conservation is effective, and highly organised irrigation schemes ensure abundant crops from the fertile soil. Surrounding countries like Jordan and Syria look across the border with envy as they struggle with their own water shortage. Oranges, apples, dates, apricots, tomatoes, avocadoes, melons and cucumbers all grow here with Eden-like abundance and quality.
Nazareth Three hours from Jerusalem and road signs begin to point the way to Nazareth, the place of the Annunciation and early life of Jesus. Today it is the largest Arab City in Israel with 70,000 inhabitants. In Jesus' time it was a small hamlet with only a dozen families. There are two major Christian sites. One is the Greek Orthodox Church built over the local well where the Greeks say the Annunciation took place. The other is the Catholic Church built over Mary's house where the Catholics say it took place.
.JPG)
In the Basilica of the Annunciation
The latest archaeology in Nazareth has revealed only two or three houses from the time of Jesus. This would indicate that it was only a small hamlet of a dozen families when Jesus was a boy. Luke's description of it being a town was unlikely. It was a suburb of the vast Roman town of Sepphoris where Joseph and Jesus would have found plenty of construction work.
The visitor to Nazareth will be taken to St. Joseph's house. Here there are the remains of impressive arrangements for baptism by immersion, which was the practice in those early days of the Church. Baptism by immersion is a rich symbol which speaks of baptism as immersing us into the death and resurrection of Christ. In baptismal rites now total immersion is the norm and communities must make it a possibility for adult baptism.
At Cana
Cana Cana is only a three kilometre journey from Nazareth. The little church with its Byzantine foundation is where so many over the centuries have listened faithfully to John's story of the miraculous wedding feast.
Sunday June 19th - Trinity Sunday: We celebrated Mass in the Basilica here at Ecce Homo. Fr. Michael Brennan, who is a parish priest in Adelaide, took his turn to preside. He spoke movingly about how the mystery of the Trinity is reflected in the power for good of our own relating.
It was strange to be free for the rest of Sunday morning. I went off, water bottle in hand, to my favourite church in the world. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is where history, archaeology and the Gospel events of Jesus, death and resurrection intersect. In terms of authenticity, the Holy Sepulchre ticks most of the boxes. This is most certainly the place where Jesus died and rose from the dead. That is why at all hours of the day it is flooded with people of all traditions both East and West.
Olive tree in garden of Gethsemane
Our scripture professor, Dr. Michael Trainor, told us to go to the Holy Sepulchre and reflect on the death and resurrection in Mark's Gospel. This I did. Mark tells us that the women in the Gospel were told by the young man seated on the right that Jesus had been raised and was not there and they were told to note the place where he was laid. The experience of resurrection was an experience of the absence of Jesus. My reflection caused me to consider those times in life when everything turns black and hope seems far away. It also occurred to me that as soon as one difficult situation disappears another comes to take its place. That is what the women experienced at the tomb of Jesus. They felt the emptiness of absence. Those are precisely the times when we must turn away from old certainties and established patterns of self-reliance and pride and renew our trust in the risen one who is with us always and will never leave us alone. Metanoia (change of heart) opens us to divine communion.
I am managing to send these updates using the 'Windows Phone' that the parish provides for me. Its effective use depends on Wifi being available. I am off to Galilee tomorrow and I hope Wifi will be available there. If it is then I will continue sending these updates.