Sauntering in the Old City

Any day is a nice day to walk in the Old City. Today was especially pleasant. It is Friday, and the city is just coming back to life (photo used by permission: Todd Bolen).

Therefore, my pace is better one of "sauntering." Such is more like strolling and taking in one's surroundings. A stop at the Austrian Hospice for hot chocolate is even in order.

But sauntering is the right word. Thoreau said, "It is a great art to saunter." He also provided this account of the origin of the word.

It derived from idle people who roved about the countryside, in the Middle Ages, and asked charity, under the pretext of being on their way to the Sainte Terree - Holy Land. These people came to be called Sainte-Terrers. And thus evolved the saunterers.

I am delighted to be in the Holy Land as a saunterer. Such a pace is not always my choice, but today is a nice day to saunter. May we all, wherever we are, seek to recover this art. There are days for sauntering.

Beit Jala and the Valley of Elah

Beit Jala is one of several villages located in the Bethlehem triangle. The town is predominantly Arab Christian. St. Nicholas Church and Hope Secondary School contribute greatly to the life of this community.

My visit was to Hope Secondary School, whose headmaster is Solomon Nour. He is one of my heroes. Solomon is gentle, kind, and passionate about educating Muslim and Christian children in the ways of peace. The odds against him are great, but Solomon is undeterred.

I almost always walk the grounds of the school. Atop a high hill, the school provides one with a great view of the Valley of Elah. Young David would have traveled this valley to reach his brothers who were serving in Saul's army. David did more than resupply his brothers that day. He defeated the Philistines and their hero Goliath singlehandedly.

Therefore, I will never doubt my friend Solomon and that he is succeeding with the children. While David slew Goliath and defeated the Philistines, Solomon Nour is winning over his foes with the gospel of peace. Pray for the work of Hope Secondary School and peacemakers like this headmaster.

The Lord's Day in Jerusalem

I have posted my experiences with the Jewish Sabbath and the Muslim holy day of Friday. Today, I celebrated worship on the Lord's Day at St. George's Cathedral. The cathedral is near our hotel in East Jerusalem.

I attended the 11:00 a. m. service with some forty other worshippers. The ritual was comforting, and the organ music was uplifting.

The gospel reading for the day was John 2:1-11, the account of the wedding at Cana of Galilee. The sermon was edifying.

As I listened, the many trips to Cana came to mind. Although the site is considered traditional only by most scholars, this Cana is a good place to remember the story of Mary, Jesus, and a groom and bride.

But back to St. George's and Sunday worship! For 2,000 years now, Christians continue to gather and worship the Lord who is still the joy of life. I depart rejoicing in the opportunity to worship on this Lord's Day in Jerusalem.

Muslim Holy Day in the Old City

It's Friday, the Muslim holy day, and I have joined the stream of worshippers entering the Damascus Gate for prayer at the "noble sanctuary." We share different destinations today but similar needs.

The devout Muslim prays five times a day, but on Friday, he seeks out the third holiest site in Islam for prayer. I can sense the desire for the Holy in the crowd. There is unbelievable energy and expectation.

I am told that Moses was first told that one must pray fifty times a day. When Moses laughed, the requirement was reduced to five times daily. I too breathe a sigh of relief.

In the West, we are hard pressed to pray once daily. Here in the Middle East, prayer is a pillar of faith and a profound longing for the Holy. Perhaps, we have much to learn from our friends in this place.

Return to Bethlehem

I enjoy returning to Bethlehem whenever possible. Today, I accompanied forty-nine students from Lutheran Southern Theological Seminary and laity from the Columbia, SC area.

We began our day in Efrat, a Jewish settlement of some 9,000 persons. The head of the Religious Council, Bob Lang, spoke to the group with his perspective on the present political situation in the land. Later we heard from the Reverend Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem as to the Palestininan perspective. Of course, I am discovering that there are more than "two sides" to this situation. The issues are complex and not always black and white. Doesn't that sound familiar as to many of the challenges we face?

I ended my day strolling quietly through the Roman Catholic Shepherds' Fields. It was dusk, and the evening was a bit cool. My thoughts were of the angels' song, "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to men of good will!" Given all that I have heard today, may this song echo anew and reassure men of good will today to continue the efforts for peace in this land.

Sabbath in Israel

The first hint of the approaching Sabbath is in the scurrying to complete Sabbath preparations. For once Sabbath descends on Friday, all such activity ceases.

Other signs of Sabbath observance are the lighting of Sabbath candles in the hotel, the red light identifying the Sabbath elevator (which automatically stops at every floor), Jewish families gathering for the evening meal, the synagogue service in the evening, and the complete silence that accompanies the rising dawn of Saturday.

Still other cues are the delay of room service until late Saturday, the absence of "hot" soup from the dinner buffet, and finally the festivity of the new evening.

Sabbath in Israel! I am reminded of the Sunday observances of my childhood and youth. Strange as it seems, I miss aspects of those observances: cessation of chores, rest, silence, and family time. I am challenged to work out my modern observance of sabbath when I return home.