We started the day at the Garden Tomb. Though this is not where Jesus was buried, it gives a good representation of the tomb. We celebrated communion with the Presbyterian group from South Carolina that we have been traveling with. Rev. Sloan and I shared in the consecration of the elements and then served the group. Wonderful sharing.
We then traveled to the believed site of the birth of St. John the Baptist. Beautiful church built by the Spanish Franciscans. The interior is covered with blue and white tiles. Is this the site of his birth? If not here then somewhere close. This church was built in the 1200's on top of the church built in the 500's.
Later this evening Jan, Mary Lou, and I went into old town Jerusalem by ourselves and found our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher by ourselves and then found that the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer was right across the street! What a find. It was really exciting meandering through the narrow streets to Golgotha on our own. The bazaar that we found was undoubtedly the same in the time of Jesus. People from all over selling their wares. The smells - coriander, cinnamon, rosemary, and ginger - along with the sounds of music and bartering, everyone coming to shop for their daily needs. Can you imagine Jesus walking along these narrow streets talking and eating leading a crowd down the streets. What a commotion it must have caused as his many followers filled the streets, talked with the merchants and their customers, as people were healed on the streets and watched as this man whose reputation had preceded him walked among them. And then he came in on a donkey through the Eastern Gate, Solomon's Portico and rode onto the Temple |Mount.
Now we are off to Egypt in the morning. 5:30 wake up call.
Pray with me: Lord help us to see with your eyes that we might never see an us and them, that we might always be a blessing to those we meet. AMEN
