Sept 14, 2022
Hello From The Holy Land:
Today was the day we left Israel, and visited another country, and I didn’t even know it until we arrived at our first stop. We went to visit the Dome of the Rock. This Muslim shrine, rebuilt after the Crusaders were defeated in the 13th century is a magnificent structure, with a golden dome, and very colourful murals painted on the outside of the building. Only Muslims are permitted inside, but we were content to admire from the outside.
The Dome of the Rock is located in Jordon, but we did not need our passports to visit. Part of the Peace Agreement that exist between Jordan and Israel stipulates that the Dome and the surrounding complex remain in Jordan’s hands, and the lands beyond the complex becomes a part of Israel. Both nations agree that when visitors are coming to the site, there will be security checks, but passports are not required. I’m not certain if that includes all nations, but as Canadians, our passports could be left behind. One does not hear about this kind of co-operation at home. Three religions see this site as Holy - Muslim, Jewish and Christian, and. I believe the authorities know you must allow access, or my goodness, there would be an uproar. So if they can make it work in the most sacred place for all faiths, why not beyond it?
Not far away in the Jewish quarter of this sacred site is the Western Wall. The Hasidic Jews, the really conservative, devoted sect of the Jewish Faith come hear daily to say their prayers. Their job is to come and pray for Israel at the Western Wall. It is their only job, and the government supports their livelihood through the taxing of all Israelites, whether you are Jewish, Christian, or secular. Our tour guide is a Christian, born and raised in Nazareth, and he tells us that the taxes for the Hasidic Jews, and the military in Israel are substantial. As a tax payer, he pays for a religion he is not a part of, and a military he is exempt from, because he is Christian. He wonders what he gets out of it, not good roads, very limited government services, and Health Care is also a pay as you need system. As you can tell, this is a sore point for our guide. When I told him that we minister’s get paid based on what people give to the collection plate on Sunday morning, with no government support, his eyebrows went up. I wonder if he may be proposing some changes in the future.
The Western Wall was not a part of the original temple. It was part of the foundation that King Herod the Great built in Jesus’s Day so that second temple, renovated by Herod, could sit upon it. The foundation was constructed like a platform, a very deep platform, so it would be strong enough for the restored Second Temple to rest on it. Archeologists have bore tunnels into this Western Wall, and you can walk right through it, sometimes with the pathway being very narrow and low. For me, it’s a privilege to walk through history, and imagine walking with the pilgrims who came to this city, to this temple - Jesus being one of them. To walk where he once walked fills my heart with divine presence and in ways that are hard to describe, makes my faith whole.
Our last stop was the Upper Room that is the supposed sight of the last supper with the disciples. The first thing our guide told us was to forget about DaVinci s painting. There was no table at the last supper . Jews would sit on the floor when the Passover meal was being served. The room we went into looked like an ornate church hall. It was built by the Franciscan’s in the 12th century. I was looking for something a little more like a 1st century dinning room. So I closed my eyes while the scripture of the last supper was being read, and imagined Jesus, the twelve, and some other followers sitting on the floor of someone who graciously extended hospitality to them, sharing the food of Passover, speaking new words when the bread and wine were shared, which would become our sacrament of communion. It was time to go too soon from this, but I know tomorrow will bring some new spiritual moments as we pilgrims continue our journey.
Until then, Peace be with you all.
Take care and God. Bless.
Ed