If I forget you, may my right hand wither

"If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither." 

Psalm 137:5

I like thinking of this psalm because it has so much longing for Jerusalem, a place at the heart of this Holy Land I've grown to love so much. I like to remember, though, that the psalm is about a real exile from the city experienced by real people. 

For one thing, I've met people, Arab Christians, who feel that same longing for Jerusalem and almost that same feeling of exile, rarely even able to visit the city only 6 miles away.

For another thing, the psalm isn't just about ancient Israel or even geographical Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents the real home of humanity, the heavenly city. We're all in exile here on earth. So let's go back home. 

Some more beautiful things

I could tell about 100 stories from Galilee/Nazareth. However, that would likely take several hours. Please ask me about that weekend when I come home. I will, instead, show you a few glimpses of the beautiful things I saw there. 

Cana:

Outside the Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth:

Church of the Transfiguration, Mt. Tabor.

Swimming in three seas

Friends, I'm sorry the blogging has been so spotty the last few weeks; I've been doing a whole bunch of traveling around the area, and I'm trying to catch up a bit. 

Here's a post I owe you about swimming in some pretty sweet places -- the Sea of Galilee, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Dead Sea. 

The Sea of Galilee was really beautiful. It reminded me most of Lake Michigan, though warmer of course. I can see why Jesus, who could pick anywhere in the world, would choose to hang out there. We also had a fun time trying to find a place to swim. Good thing one of us is bold enough to just jump off a pier.

The Mediterranean was as beautiful as I could guess and we had a bit more of a beach time there. Lovely:

Probably the most fun though was swimming in the Dead Sea. Of course I knew that it was so salty, and that you could float easier, but that defined the whole experience.  It honestly kind of felt like swimming in a giant lake of jelly. It was also very painful when someone I was with got some in the eye, so make that a giant lake of poisonous jelly. And actually, the mud from the Dead Sea is supposed to be great for your skin. We tried it, and it was! So, I'll leave you with  a picture of me floating (you can't do anything else!) in a giant lake of skin-nourishing, poisonous jelly :).

Excellent Signs

Behold, the greatest signs the Terra Sancta has to offer:

 Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way: Is it possible that there are no coincidences? 

What a weekend!

Hi friends,

I just wanted to let you all know I had a completely amazing weekend visiting Tiberius, Nazareth and Haifa. Here are some of the places I saw:

-Mount of Beatitudes

-Sea of Galilee

-Church of the multiplication of loaves and fishes

-Church of Peter's Primacy

-Capernaum/Peter's house there/now a church/Jesus' synagogue there

-Tiberius (modern city)

-Cana

-Mount Tabor, Church of the Transfiguration

-Nazareth, Basilica of the Annunciation

-Mt. Carmel/Stella Maris Church

-Haifa (modern city) and the Mediterranean Sea

Since there are literally hundreds of photos to sort through, and I have piles of beautiful stories to tell, I'm going to take requests to decide what order to post all this in. Any place you want to hear about, dear friends? Let me know, and I'll try to let you see/hear about it first. 

And the Glory of the Lord Shone Round About Them

Last weekend I had a chance to visit the Shepherd's Fields in Beit Sahour, just outside of Bethlehem. 

If you need a refresher on the event, I suggest Charlie Brown style.

Patricia and I stayed mostly at the Catholic site (the Orthodox have a different one nearby), but we saw some pretty beautiful things.

There's a really cool angel on the exterior of the church:

This is part of the interior of the church:

All the details of the church have to do with the angel's appearance to the shepherds, even down to the candlesticks:

Here's a look at the fields themselves, the area is full of just awesome views:

Finally we got a peek at some ruins of the Byzantine church that was once on the site, along with some caves:

I thought this was interesting; part of the first reading for the votive Mass celebrating the occasion/place:

Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God.

1 Corinthians 1:26:29

Security vs. Suppression

Last week I had an interesting little field trip to the wall that currently separates much of the West Bank from Israel. In a nutshell, Israelis call it the "security wall," Palestinians call it the "suppression wall." 

I know a woman who nearly had it built straight through her land, effectively confiscating half of it. 

Here's what Pope Benedict had to say about it when he visited the Holy Land in May:

Towering over us, as we gather here this afternoon, is a stark reminder of the stalemate that relations between Israelis and Palestinians seem to have reached -- the wall. In a world where more and more borders are being opened up -- to trade, to travel, to movement of peoples, to cultural exchanges -- it is tragic to see walls still being erected. How we long to see the fruits of the much more difficult task of building peace! How earnestly we pray for an end to the hostilities that have caused this wall to be built!

Anyway, stories and statements about the wall abound, but I'll let some pictures from my side do the talking. 

Look Mom, I'm famous!

In case you're curious, here's an update I wrote for the HCEF website. Aww.

Also, I have been doing actual work...

And look, this published news story sounds, wow, exactly like the press release I wrote. Hmm.  :)

Around the Office

This week I had a good chance to hang out with my co-workers outside of the office, since we were hosting a conference for another organization. I continue to be so impressed with them, as very talented young professionals, and as kind, welcoming and joyful people. 

Some highlights:

--This morning Lana, Maha and Manar brought in all the fixings of Arabic breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, pickles, olives, deli turkey and cheese, two kinds of bread, and of course, falafel. 

--Salim (the boss), is from Bethlehem but studied for 7 years in Australia. He was so thrilled that some of the participants in the conference were Ozzies that he brought his dijeridoo along to play at the Palestinian culture night/dinner last night. Talk about an interesting musical ensemble! 

--After hearing plenty from Khalil about the challenges of being a young person in the Palestinian Territories, I was so happy to meet his wife and 2-year-old son! What a beautiful family, and how inspiring it is to see them tough it out in Bethlehem for the sake of their faith and commitment to their community. 

Some faces:

This is Khalil, me and Salim on the roof of the house Salim's family is building. 

This is Ranya. She probably has super-secretary powers. I am working on stealing them.

Finally, me and Khalil, working hard.

Beautiful Things

Another highlight from Jerusalem last week was this statue on the Via Dolorosa (hopefully I'll make it to walk the whole thing sometime soon). 

I usually have kind of a hard time with religious statues; I'll always find some detail I don't like and it will distract me from connecting with the subject of the art. This statue I just think is the most beautiful thing. It's not very well-restored or maintained, but I just really love it.

"...Now it all takes place. In her heart she had kept the words of the angel, spoken to her in the beginning: 'Do not be afraid, Mary' (Lk 1:30). The disciples fled, yet she did not flee. She stayed there, with a Mother’s courage, a Mother’s fidelity, a Mother’s goodness, and a faith which did not waver in the hour of darkness: 'Blessed is she who believed' (Lk 1:45). 'Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?' (Lk 18:8). Yes, in this moment Jesus knows: he will find faith. In this hour, this is his great consolation."

--From then-Cardinal Ratzinger's Via Crucis Meditation, 2005. 

Photo Credit, because mine didn't turn out.

My Kind of Hotels

On my last trip to Jerusalem I got to spend time at some pretty neat spots. I had the joy of staying at Casa Nova, which is a Franciscan Pilgrim House, like the ones found all over the Holy Land. I also got to visit Notre Dame, the Vatican's hotel/conference center in the city.

Here's the grand exterior of Notre Dame:

The Notre Dame Center apparently has a really interesting recent history, including takeover by the Israeli military for some period of time, not too long ago. I heard just snatches of this recent history from Patty, but I would love to read somewhere the whole thing.

Generally, Casa Nova is a little humbler, but it still has a great Jerusalem Old City feeling, and a really beautiful courtyard:

The other thing I noticed about both hotels was the beautiful chapels they both had! Obviously very different in style again (Patty is fond of saying Casa Nova is "very Franciscan"), but how cool to have the Blessed Sacrament so close. It's not enough that you can't throw a stone in Jerusalem without hitting a church; they put 'em right in the hotel for you. 

Here's Casa Nova's "very Franciscan" chapel (note especially the Tau Crucifix):

And here's the one Patty took inside Notre Dame...so beautiful!

Definitely my kind of hotels. As some of my friends are fond of saying, "Sleep with the angels."

Perpetual Christmas

This morning was a beautiful, though warm day in Bethlehem (80s, not a cloud in the sky, as usual). 

As I trotted off to Mass in the Grotto of the Nativity, I had no idea what awaited me...

Until I saw the white vestments. And heard the Gloria (I can make it out in Italian now). And then the gospel reading was the genealogy of Christ. And I realized: Merry Christmas. 

I didn't know before coming to the Holy Land that it is permitted to celebrate a special day's Mass when in the place where it happened. For example, at the  Basilica of the Annunciation, you can have Mass for the Annunciation any day of the year. And, therefore, in the Grotto of the Nativity, you can celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas, any day of the year.  So, for the second time in the last three weeks, Merry Christmas.

Venite adoremus!

EDIT 6/27: It's been Christmas three times this week! Also, some of my friends who run a souvenir business tell me they are really busy right now because of the Christmas rush. Rush, I ask? Apparently they start taking orders for the next Christmas season around February. Talk about perpetual Christmas!

At the Empty Tomb

I'm not really sure what to say in this post, but I figure I should tell you all a little bit about what was by far the most beautiful thing that's happened here!

Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

Thursday morning, very early, Patty and I went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and we got to go to Mass. The altar was literally right inside the tomb, and the 30 or so people who were there sat right outside. 

"After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, "Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified.  He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."

Mt 28:1-6

Mass was completely beautiful. There was this booming organ, and about 10 Franciscans belting out the chant. The air was just fresh, and it was so joyful! 

I just kept thinking about Mary Magdalene and Peter and the rest seeing the risen Christ and freaking out, appropriately. But there I was, in the same place, seeing the same thing, and appropriately, freaking out! 

I'm just so thankful that I was able to see and participate in something so beautiful. What else do you say?

An interesting exercise

Hello dear friends,

Sorry it's been a while since I posted; this week was very full of interesting things! 

One of those was a military exercise that took place right on our street! Now mom, don't fret, this was a rarity; my coworkers had never seen anything like it either. Mostly, it seemed to be a bit of a glorified photo-op, but eventually the practice did indeed happen at the building right next door. 

A few more photos...

That's a photo-op:

That's a Ford truck:

I Trust in You

For you fans out there, I also snapped a quick one in a bookstore:

Yes, the Divine Mercy in Arabic :).

Oh Jerusalem

I also got to visit Jerusalem this week. In a word: incredible. 

We only stayed for a few hours, since the main purpose was a meeting at the U.S. Consulate. 

Just going is a really interesting process: I took a cab in with Patty, but another co-worker had to drive several hours to pick up his permit, then go through some more stress to get in to the city. The irony? Patty and I are obviously from another country. He was born in Jerusalem.

The streets around the Holy Sepulcher are just covered with shops and more shops. Note the "I heart Jerusalem" Tweety shirt on the right. Oh dear.

My main goal of the day was to make it to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which is really just unreal. 

I even got a shot of the ladder that's been there since at least 1892. It was used in a long-ago repair, but from what I can gather the fairly intense turf wars among Christian sects have prevented its removal:

I got to see the holiest places in Christianity, and it was amazing. 

We also caught the tail-end of the Latin Patriarch's Corpus Christi Mass. The procession looked like every stereotype and imagination we have of religious ritual. Epic.

In addition to pretty extreme holy sites like the tomb, Golgatha, and the stone where the Lord's body was anointed, there's piles of art inside. Patty snapped a picture of Our Lady of Sorrows. Her friend, Moses, always brings the flowers for either side of her.

  

Here's some other photos I've found of the interior. It's all just incredible. What else do you say?

Interior Photos: Christopher Chan

I have big plans to return, and I just can't wait. 

Oh Jerusalem.

A Fruitful Birthday

Last Wednesday was my birthday, and for the second year in a row, I was truly thankful for the kindness of new friends to make it a special day.

After work, several of us from HCEF went out to the land where Salim's family is building a new house and has recently planted fruit trees of just about every kind.

Mostly, the apricots were ripe, so we picked a whole bunch of them. I'd never had fresh apricots before, but boy are they delicious!

We also got some of the tiniest apples I've ever seen. They taste like a regular one, but they're so small.

They are also growing a few olive trees, which have really special meaning to Christians in this area. Tiny olives are so cute, too bad I don't care for them much once they grow up.

Here's Salim's father, Mr. Al Ama. He seemed like he would get along very well with my dad, especially when he started talking about how he hates the birds eating their fruit!

In all, it was a great day. Thanks to so many of you for the birthday wishes.

The Road to Ramallah

I went to Ramallah on Tuesday. It's a very interesting city; the political capitol of the Palestinian Territories and home base of Yassir Arafat, back in the day. 

It's only a very short drive from Bethlehem, but it takes more than an hour if you're a Palestinian and have to go around Jerusalem. No fun. 

Here's some photos from the road:

Yep, that's a herd of goats. Ok.

In any case, the drive in is not the cheeriest sight. The parts of the city are very interesting, though. I would say it's more "metropolitan" than Bethlehem. A European Cafe, and plenty of coffee shops that feel like they could be in Madison, barring the palm trees outside. 

We visited some hospitals in the area, check out the Red Crescent ambulance:

There were some pretty serious images inside the hospital, too:

Mostly, I saw more Yassir Arafat than I ever have in my life:

And at the end of the day, we stopped by his grave, which was really interesting. The text on the stone basically says who he is and when he died, calling him a martyr.