Wednesday in Holy Week

Don Hamer, Rector, is on professional development leave until May 15. He is writing occasional posts to this blog to share some of his experiences. From April 4 to April 20, he is writing daily updates while he and his wife Debbie make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Today was one of those days when our original plans didn't work out, but new opportunities presented themselves. Being the day before Passover, nearly everything around here shut down early today (think Christmas Eve!). We had walked an hour to visit the Dome of the Rock, only to be told by an Israeli Guard that it was being closed early. Then we walked down the hill to the City of David, to learn that the caves were being closed early and we would not have time to finish. Having walked about 23 hours during the past three days, we called a cab driver who had been recommended to us (and whom we had met on Palm Sunday) to bring us up to the top of the Mount of Olives so that we could work our way down, stopping along the way to a number of religious sites located on that route. Mahmoud confirmed our suspicion that many of the sites would be closed already or closing early. Paying attention to our tired feet, we took him up on his suggestion that he drive us to the West Bank to visit the City of Bethlehem. He suggested that he had a tour guide friend who would lead us through the Church of the Nativity, he would point out some of the sites, and bring us to a Palestinian restaurant. The Church of the Nativity is a beautiful building, that actually houses three separate worship spaces -- one Orthodox, one Armenian, and one Roman Catholic that is run by the Franciscan order. It is said that the church is built upon the site of Jesus' birth, and indeed in a crypt below all three worship spaces there is a small grotto marking the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. Whether or not one believes that this is indeed the exact spot, the prayers of centuries of Christian pilgrims has hallowed the space, and it was a moving time to stop and pray there.

Following our tour of Nativity, we then visited a shop that specializes in carved olive wood, where Debbie and I bought a few gifts and memorials of our trip to Bethlehem, and then we went along with Mahmoud to a wonderful Arab restaurant, where we were treated to a sumptuous feast of fresh vegetables, some in various middle eastern sauces, and topped off with a selection of three different types of lamb. We te for over an hour, but perhaps the best part of the time was our conversation with Mahmoud, who shared his story and that of his family. We talked about his three daughters, one of whom is now expecting his third grandchild -- and he is only 46. He is a Palestinian Muslim, but lives in Jerusalem, and so is free to navigate back and forth between the areas governed by the Palestinian Authority and Israel. It was very interesting to hear a perspective that few in America ever get to hear.

We arrived back at St. George's in time for Evening Prayer, and plan a quiet evening catching up on the news and trying to gain some physical stamina for the days ahead. Have a Blessed Day, and to our Jewish friends, Blessed Passover. Peace, Don+