Sunday, 22nd September 2019
Our final outing in Jerusalem was a return to Old Jerusalem to visit the ‘Dome of the Rock’ on the Temple Mount. I found this part of our pilgrimage somewhat challenging! Having previously learned the history behind the Temple Mount, the destruction of the Temple and the spiritual significance of what remains for the Jewish people, the sight of the Mosque in the place of the Temple Holy of Holies was quite an affront. While I appreciated the architecture of the building, I couldn’t look pass such a sacred sit that was constructed to honour Yahweh being hijacked by the Muslims to honour Allah. All of a sudden, the ‘Wailing Wall’ made sense. I found myself empathising with the anguish of the Jews as they pray daily for redemption and restoration. My empathy is in no way political but spiritual. Behind the complex politics and historical conflict, there is an unavoidable spiritual battle occurring. When two monotheistic religions compete for the same sacred space, no amount of secular diplomacy will resolve this religious tension.
We then left Jerusalem and crossed over the border into the West Bank to visit the ‘Tomb of Lazarus’ and home of Mary and Martha in Bethany. Once again, an elaborate church built on this biblically significant site. On the one hand I find this disappointing, as I would love to see some of these sites in their original context, but on the other hand, I recognise without these historic church structures, these sites would probably have been lost forever centuries ago. Our journey in the West Bank then took us to the ‘Shepherds Field’ where the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of the Christ child. Inside the chapel we gathered together as a group to sing ‘O Come All Ye Faithful’, surrounded by beautiful paintings of the nativity story, which was later read by Kate Young.
“O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, o come ye to Bethlehem
O come and behold him, born the King of angels
O come, let us adore him…
Christ the Lord.”
From the Shepherds Field, we naturally progressed to the ‘Church of the Nativity’, which houses the very place where Jesus was born. There was a sense of wonder and awe as we each stepped through the low opening through the front wall of the church (apparently, this is a deliberate design of the Crusade period to stop people riding into the church on their horses). Once inside the church, I felt a little overwhelmed by all the religious icons, statues and art paying homage to Mary and the Christ child. As beautiful as many of these pieces were, especially the gold mosaic uncovered only two years ago, it felt a little over the top for me, taking away from the humble origins of Jesus’ birth. We queued up for what felt like an eternity to descend into the cave of the ritual site of Jesus’ birth and apparent location of the real manger. It was a special moment to stand in this space, yet all the religious trappings just got in the way for me, diminishing this unique opportunity. I really wanted to be deeply impacted by the birthplace of Christ but instead, I was distracted: Distracted by the ornate fixtures, distracted by the crowd jostling of position, distracted by the religiosity of the whole set-up. I am very grateful for the privilege of such an experience, but it somehow took away from the image of the nativity scene that had formed in my mind.
The final stop for the day presented us with more artwork but of a very different nature. In a strange way, it spoke to me more of the nativity than the church did. I’m referring to the powerful and provocative artwork that lines the security/separation wall that divides Israel from the West Bank. This artwork presents the soul of a people who have been segregated from the world around them. The politics involved in the West Bank emerge out of centuries of conflict that divides the Jewish and Muslim faiths. Outside of the politics are a people who yearn for a different reality. The Palestinians we met want peace and goodwill for all humankind. Their desires and dreams of peace emerges from the art that lines the wall that separates these two states.
How appropriate that we ended our day staying with a Palestinian Christian family in a homestay arrangement. This provided us with a fabulous opportunity to get up close and personal with a family living this reality. Basam and Kawkab embraced us very warmly and together with their children shared something of their lives with us. Life in the West Bank presents many challenges, yet there is a deep national pride and a strong sense of community in Beit Sahour where they live. Coincidently, there was a street festival happening during our stay called ‘Souq Hikaya’, which means ‘Story Market’. It was a vibrant and joyful celebration of their culture and city. I must confess that before our homestay, my experience inside the West Bank wasn’t all that pleasant with pushy and aggressive peddlers trying to exploit tourists. But, at this festival, I saw Palestinians in their natural state enjoying life and extending very warm hospitality. There were no strings attached to the greetings and handshakes and you felt welcomed in their city. While these Palestinians longed for a different reality, there was a sense of pride and contentment with who they are as a people. Staying with this family was definitely a highlight of our trip.
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