Incarnation epilogue... Ding Dong can Jesus play

Ok this blog post will be short and sweet.  Here in Nazareth I'm staying at the sisters  of Nazareth  convent.  Here's  the thing, several years ago they made a huge discovery.  the convent was actually built on top of a Byzantine ruins of a church.  the dome has kept things preserved and under the dome was also a first century  house and tomb.   Bottom line many think this is the house of Jesus , Mary and Joseph.   and that this was josephs  tomb.  This is not for the public.  it is still being worked.  but tonight we got a private tour.    Google, "CNN Jesus home found" for a full story.  here are the pix.

The puzzling thing about incarnation

I worshipped today at the Lutheran church of the Redeemer here in Jerusalem.  The opening confession had these words:  "O god, even as we celebrate our unity, we know that sometimes we forget the beauty of your three persons.  We hold to your transcendent life as creator and keep at a distance the challenges of Christ.  We bow before your glory and keep your humanness away from the reality of our own lives."

It seems to me that this is one of the great wonders of the Christian faith.  We take seriously that Christ was born, incarnate into the mess of humanity.  That somehow this mess is blessed by God and is even "good" as it crossed the threshold of creation.   But people are irritating.  We don't always love one another as we should.  We don't always act noble and there are times when we willingly and knowingly allow ourselves to rationalize all kinds of wrongs, if not down right evils.

I've come to realize that this is one of the reasons why I like the Holy Sepulchre so much.  It's because it is utterly divine and so painfully human at the same time!  Standing reverently

to touch the hill of Golgotha where Jesus was crucified and died; people are pushing and cutting in line and quite frankly ticking me off!  So many seem to have no reverence for the place and no appreciation for the faith.  I'm looking for a spiritual experience and they seem to be on more of a field trip.  And then it hits me....Christ died for them!  For me!!  For this unfaithful, selfish lot we call humanity.  Christianity is not a retreat from the mess; but a reminder that God loves it, and there is good in the midst of it.  Even with our inevitable patterns of sin and brokenness.  God still comes to us each and every day!

I of course come to the Sepulchre as often as I can, but during this season I come especially not to touch the hill of Golgotha or go to the tomb; but to look at the ladder.   You see in 1852 there was so much fighting and bickering among Christians in the Holy Land that the law of Status Quo was
put into effect.  It states that nothing can change from how it was in 1852. So what ever you were allowed to do in 1852, what ever boundaries there were---they have to be the same today.  That's why it takes minor miracles to get anything done in the Sepulcher.  Well in 1852 the Franciscans were allowed to have a ladder in place behind the stone of purification for a hundred days or so from Easter onward

See the ladder to the left?

Here's a better view from up top!!  It's there

because it CAN BE BY GOD!

.  So...BY GOD...they put a ladder back in that place every Easter.  Not because they need it, but because THEY CAN!!!  And no one is going to take away their right to have a ladder there.  So, every time I walk in....I look at that ladder and chuckle.  Yes, even for such stupidity s this...Jesus came.   We are a strange people.  Stubborn and stiff necked just as the Bible claims.  Yet God still loves us all!   Keep those ladders up....by God!

Christians, Jews and Muslims...Oh My!!

Coming toward us is a "Provocation Visit" to the

site of the Dome of the Rock.  Led by police and

followed by soldiers these visitors are there

to make a political statement and to cause tension.

This week in my program at Tantur is a constant mixing and matching of the three great traditions that call this land holy.   I have been at the Western wall amidst devout and praying Jews and at Al Aqsa mosque and inside the Dome of the Rock amidst devout and praying Muslims.  Tomorrow I'll spend time at a Refugee camp breaking the daily fast of Ramadan with a Muslim family and Friday I'll be celebrating Shabbat at a local Orthodox synagogue.  Meanwhile we meet as a Christian ecumenical group and struggle with issues of land, Biblical interpretation and authority and how we walk together in this land called Holy.  And of course this is not just a question for here in the Holy Land but how do we walk together in lands called America, or United Kingdom, or Singapore?

the ever popular selfie

at Al Aqsa compound.

Today we studied a document from the year 2000 entitled "Speaking the Truth."  It was prepared by a group of Jewish leaders as a point of discussion with the Christian world.  It offers 8 brief statements about Christian and Jewish conversation.  The 6th statement is this:

"The humanly irreconcilable differences between Jews and Christians will not be settled until God redeems the entire world as promised in Scripture.  Christians know and serve God through Jesus Christ and the Christian tradition.  Jews know and serve God through Torah and the Jewish tradition.  That difference will not be settled by one community insisting that it has interpreted Scripture more accurately than the other, nor by exercising political power over the other.  Jews can respect Christians' faithfulness to their revelation just as we expect Christians to respect our faithfulness to our revelation.  Neither Jew nor Christian should be pressed into affirming the teaching of the other community."

Inside the Dome of the Rock.  A real privilege during

Ramadam.

There is much to think about in this little statement; but what intrigues me is this idea of being able to respect each others  faithfulness without having to affirm the teaching of each other.   It sounds so simple.  And yet it seems lately in the United States we can't even give to our neighbors on either side of the aisle respect with affirming their position.  Instead we are taught to hate, to challenge, to dismiss anyone who thinks differently or who holds faithfully to a different set of ideals and principals.  

Can we ever reach a point when it's OK to respect the other, even while not affirming their particular position.   One would hope so!  

We came in through the northeast gate, not

the Tourist ramp you usually take.

Grounds as you approach the Dome of the Rock on

this northeast side.

Visited the delightful Muslim

museum on the site

 

Christmas in June and the story of Omar

The oldest church in the Holy Land. Floor mosaics inside

date from 339 AD!!

By now you know that I am in the Holy Land, living right next to Bethlehem and Beit Jale and basically each day I get a chance to hear lectures about the land, the people, the politics, the Scriptures and then go out and visit.   What amazes me is how much more I learn each and every time I come to the Holy Land.  Let's take Bethlehem for instance.  Pretty much got the story of Bethlehem down pact.  Old Testament, David born here and Ruth meet Boaz here.  New Testament, Jesus born here (shepherds, angels, magi, Inn, census) got it.  But of course there is always more to learn.

Original floor from 339 AD

Let me tell you about Omar.  We Christians don't know anything about him.  He was the second Muslim Caliph.  Having conquered the Holy Land he traveled to Bethlehem in 637 AD to issue a law that would guarantee the safety of Christians and clergy.  He was asked if he would like to pray in the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, he declined.  However he did want to pray at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.   So here's where the story gets interesting.  In order to accommodate Omar, the leaders knew that he would need to pray toward Mecca, and that there couldn't be any images in the area where he prayed.  So they enlarged a side door in the direction of Mecca and to this day there are no icons or images in that part of the church.  This was over 1400 years ago!  Still it remains empty for Omar!

Here you see the door and the white plain wall.

In order to make sure there would be no problems, Omar decreed that Muslims could visit the Church of the Nativity, but should not pray there.  Instead he built a mosque across from manger square for the Muslims to use for prayer.   The mosque of Omar.   I guess what I find amazing is that in a land that is often known for its extremes, here is a decision that involved compromise, mercy, and mutual respect for each other; while fully realizing that there are differences between us. 

How I wish we had some folks with the wisdom of Omar today!!

Where St. Jerome translated the Bible

into Latin

Of course the Church of the Nativity is being renovated so it is a mess...but the renovation is much needed.  It is also the place where St. Jerome translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into Latin.  He did this while living at the Church of the Nativity.  He died in 386 AD.  You can still see where he lived and worked. 

Finally, you'll have to wait until December, but I've learned a few new things about the birth of Jesus as well.   It doesn't change the wonder of the story, but it seriously challenges one of our most deeply held 'folk tales' about that night.   Ask me when I get back and I'll tell you....or just come to church on Christmas eve!

At the end of the day, visiting the shepherds fields--where we  had communion and the caretaker of the beautiful church let us ring the bells as we sang "Angels we have heard on high."  And being in the oldest church in the Holy Land, singing "Silent Night" right near where he was born whose name is above all names....wow, that is quite the Christmas present.

Cave at Shepherds field set for Holy Communion.

Shepherds field

Church at Shepherds Field.

Three Narratives...one land, one God.

Looking out to the modern city of Jerusalem.

When I host trips to the Holy Land I prefer to have a Christian guide.  It's just my preference.  Here at Tantur we get to experience folks from Christianity, Judaism and Islam and today we had a Jewish guide to take us around the city of Jerusalem to explore its outer edges before experiencing the center of the city tomorrow.  First of all, what a wonderful opportunity that time allows us this luxury.  Usually you can't "waste" time driving around the outside of the city because your itinerary just doesn't allow for it.   You are reminded of how big Jerusalem is, 850,000 souls and how the modern is just as important part of the city as the ancient streets. 

The western fringe of Jerusalem looking out toward

the valley where the Israelites camped opposite

the Philistines and their champion Goliath.

What struck me was the different narrative that comes from a Jewish perspective.  It's not wrong, it's just different.  The accents and stresses are simply put on a different part of the story.  The question today was "WHY JERUSALEM?"  We struggled with the ancient texts which never give us the name of the city until much later.  We talked about Abraham and Rachel and Moses and Joshua.  We talked about conquest and looked out to see the valley where a yet to be King David went to meet the Philistines in battle and took Goliath's head. We stood atop mount Scopus and where asked to imagine the Jewish pilgrim coming to Jerusalem and how the individual call to piety would be reinforced by his/her fellow pilgrims joined together by a single narrative.  Coming to the Temple to worship the God of Israel.

All wondrous and true....but no need for Jesus!  He was only mentioned in passing as that "other guy from Bethlehem."  What's humbling is to remember that while I can't come to Jerusalem without thinking about Jesus; others have a story to tell that has little if anything to do with him.    Their narrative is also mine, but in some ways I have to respect the fact that it is also self contained and can stand on its own.   And I have to contend with the fact that sometimes the two narratives have different perspectives.  Today we stood on Mount Scopus to look down into the Old city.  The Christian in me so wanted to stand on the Mount of Olives, for a more familiar view.  "Mount Scopus, Mount of Olives, all the same our guideproclaimed."   Indeed much in common, but not the same.  Similar view...but a very different path.

The view from Mt. Scopus with the Mount of Olives on the left and the tower of

Augusta Victoria's Hospital "Ascension Church" on the left and the Dome of

the Rock on the right. Kidron Valley in the middle.  Great view... not my

my mountain!

Dangerous and against the law

Today was my last free day before my month long program begins and I decided

Sign warning you before entering

Bethlehem.

to walk into Bethlehem.  It's only a 15 minute walk to the WALL and check point 300 where it seems that everything that could be done to discourage your visit is put into place.  No signs telling you where to go, enter, or whether or not you even can.  But there is a sign telling you that entrance into Bethlehem is dangerous and illegal for citizens of Israel.  Most Americans don't realize that Israeli citizens are not allowed to visit towns in the West Bank.  My passport allows it...so off I went.

Once you get through the turnstiles--no passport check or anything to get in, only to get out.  You can walk along the Israeli built border wall, meet many nice folks along the way, and finally reach Manger square.  Here you are where God became man.  Think about that!  As unlikely a place today as it was 2000 years ago.  I decided to skip the church of the Nativity and go to the Milk Grotto.  Very nearby, and an ancient pilgrimage site that is said to have been where the Holy family found refuge from King Herod's soldiers who had come in to Bethlehem to kill the children.  Legend says a drop of milk from the Virgin Mary fell on the ground here and turned the floor of the cave white.

Bethlehem where King David was born, Ruth found favor with Boaz, where Samuel came to anoint David as king, where shepherds came and wisemen visited, where God became incarnate in order to show the world a better way---Indeed, a dangerous place!  

The Milk Grotto

Biggest danger for me...I was late for dinner and had to settle for a couple pieces of fruit and a delicious Teybeh beer, which by the way is also very dangerous and not allowed to be imported into the US.  Seemed safe enough.  I'll be back to Bethlehem again later and will put up some pictures of the more traditional sites.  

Two buses and why it's good to travel

I like taking public transportation when I travel.  It can be a bit intimidating and as I get older it's always enticing to "just call a cab."  But so far I still force myself to "ride the bus."  Why?  Because you get to see, hear and participate in the life of the locals.  You get beyond being a tourist and experience the place in a whole different way. 

The unmarked bus stop.  Where I'm staying on

the hill above.

Here in Jerusalem you have two buses to choose from.  The Egged or Jewish bus that connects you to Jewish things and the Arab bus that connects you to Arab places.  I know, it doesn't make any sense to us as Americans; but that's just how it is.  Today I grabbed the Arab bus on the Hebron road right near where I'm staying.  The bus stop wasn't marked, but I had some good intel!  After waiting a few minutes the 234 bus to the Old City appeared.   The driver seemed a bit perplexed on whether he should pull over for this old bearded white guy on the side of the road--luckily he did. 

I got on and it was the stereotypical reality that you almost couldn't believe.  The first passenger was an older gentlemen in full Arab head scarf and dress, then several ladies in very traditional attire, and finally some more western dressed folks toward the back.  Maybe they weren't but it seemed like everyone was staring at me.  Every seat had someone in it, with the exception of a few double seats that only had one person in them.  I decided to stand.  No reason to force my big sweaty and perhaps unwelcome body next to anyone. 

Young man carrying bread from the Old
city to local shops.  walking up from
the Damascus gate.  I got the bus home
from across the street.

As the bus began to pull out, a big hand fell upon my shoulder.  The man who was reaching from his seat, looked at me and said: "Sit, sit!"  So I hoped next to one of my fellow pilgrims in life and sat and listened to conversations I couldn't understand, smiled when folks laughed and basically laughed at my own fears and insecurities.  I liked the people on bus 234.  Thanks for the hospitality.

Light and Truth ... Psalm 43.3

Perhaps because I am off to Jerusalem, or maybe just because I'm a Liam Neesom fan, I have watched "Kingdom of Heaven" twice in the last week.  It's a 2005 epic about the complexities of the 12th century crusader period.  Mixed reviews...I like it.   But what struck me this time was the Knights oath.  Here's what it was:

Stained glass here at Prince of Peace Abbey
in Oceanside.  A great place to ponder truth!

"Be without fear in the face of your enemies.
Be brave and upright that God may love thee.
Speak the truth always, even if it leads to you death.
Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong--that is your oath."

Now of course the theology of 'being' good so that God loves you...that's no good.  But what really intrigued me was the line:  "Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death."   In the Christian tradition we have that great line from Pilate, "What is truth?"

Psalm 43 tells us:  "O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling."   As people of faith there is a truth that we proclaim above all others--of God's love--but we live in a world of competing truths, dare I say alternative truths or fake truths if you rather.   And worse of all we seem comfortable with these more and more on a daily basis, we seem to prefer the 'truth' of expediency or the 'truth' that resonates best with our own agenda.

The Psalmist reminds us that there is a truth from almighty God and that we should be attentive to it.  Why?  Because it is truth that brings us into the presence of God.  Perhaps this is why Jesus told his followers, "I am the way, and the truth and the life."   What truth do we find in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus?

Be still and know that I am God....Psalm 46.10

Icon of Jesus the Prince of

Peace at the Abbey

Be still..... easier said than done.  I try to stop and pray and my mind begins to race with things to be done and how I'm going to accomplish it.  Be still ..... so difficult.  And yet perhaps the key to this little verse from Psalm 46 is what comes next--"and know that I am God."  Ah, there is the key.  You see if God is God, then I am not!     I don't have to worry about the polar ice caps or the famine in Ethiopia or the latest terror attack in Manchester--I simply trust that God is fully aware, at work in the midst of these rather worrisome things already and my job is simply to be open as to how God might give me the opportunity to be at work in these things as well.  You see the call to trust in God is not a call to apathy or disengagement in the world, it is rather a call to participate without the egotistical anxiety that somehow everything hinges on me!   This week I spent time at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, a Benedictine monastery.  I spent considerable time in prayer.  I prayed for hours in the sanctuary and walking the way of the cross outside.  I prayed so long, not because of my piety, but because I had so much to let go of and allow God to be God.  I used a prayer that I have taught many over the years--the prayer of relinquishment.

  It's very simply, you pray about something of great concern.  You speak out loud with your hands in front of you, palms facing upward and you feel the weight of the anxiety you carry.   Then you repeat the same prayer, and as you list all the things that you find worrisome, you slowly turn your palms from facing up to facing down, as if you are letting a burden drop through your hands.  You end the prayer with the statement, "and all these things are too much for me and so I trust them to you Holy God to carry them for me.   As for me I'll be here ready to do my part, but allowing you to be God and let you have the burden!"   

The way of the cross is a wonderful way to pray

with your whole body at work.

A Fearless Spiritual Inventory!

In Galatians 5 Paul lists for us the 9 fruits of the spirit.  I cannot think of a better metric by which one should measure their growth in the Christian faith.  In fact I encourage each of you to find some time for quiet prayer and meditation and lift up these 9 fruits of the Spirit.   Ask the question, “where have I shown love?”  And then ask the question, “where have I erred against love and lived contrary to the faith that is me?”  Do the same with Joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Take a fearless spiritual inventory and pray for the Holy Spirit to encourage, strengthen, correct and admonish your behavior and your production of these Godly fruits that we are called to bear.  If you are like me, you’ll find yourself lacking in some and pleasantly proficient in others; but remember this is not a litmus test for salvation but an assessment of how we are living out the faith in regards to blessing others with the gifts of our lives.

^“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control.”   Galatians 5.22-23

For Jesus' sake . . . Stir us up!

Confirmation Day for one of my sons.

Worshiped this morning at Gloria Dei Lutheran in Dana Point.  Always great to be in the presence of Pastor David Mattson and Pastor Sabrina Vasta.  Today was the Rite of Confirmation at Gloria Dei.  Once again, hands were laid on those affirming their faith and the prayer for the Holy Spirit was spoken: "Father in heaven, for Jesus' sake, stir up in 'name' the gift of your Holy Spirit; confirm their faith, guide their life, empower them in their serving, give them patience in suffering, and bring them to everlasting life."

 I've been reading a new book:  The Benedict option.  It has a pretty hard critique of both church and culture that I don't always agree with (for example I understand the basic good of civil rights for all people to be a positive movement--not a negative) but he brings up some very thought provoking observations.  Here is one:

 "American Christians are going to have to come to terms with the brute fact that we live in a culture, one in which our beliefs make increasingly little sense.  We speak a language that the world more and more either cannot hear or finds offensive to it's ears."   

I agree with Rod Dreher on this.  I'm not sure that we would always agree on what aspects of Christianity makes little sense to our society; but I can think of a few things that seem to be pretty Anti-Christ out there: Desire for Vengeance vs the desire for forgiveness.  The need to hate vs the call to love our neighbor.  The desire to 'Lord it above all' vs the call to humility and service.  The disregard for the need to use our words and lives to build up vs the desire to tear things down.

Confirmation at Our Savior's
Lutheran Church, San Clemente

Pastor David preached about the power of the Holy Spirit today.  Amen pastor, may the Holy Spirit be stirred up and may the people of Christ continue to make no sense to the world that lives by hatred.   And to those confirmation kids...look out, you've made public profession of your faith, you are now marked women and men!  Amen, come Holy Spirit and stir us up!

Aesop in the desert

I'm here in Henderson, NV at Zumapalooza where I'm going to be an 'inspirational speaker' during lunch tomorrow.  My honor as Zumasys and the Giobbi family have been great supporters of OSLS.  I took a walk today to sort out my thoughts and I ran across these two iconic figures below.  Notice the Hare looking off to the distance--preoccupied.  The Tortoise has his foot lifted and his eyes fixed on the road ahead.  I had to think is it the distractions that are the Hares true undoing?  Those things that keep us from the race that has been appointed to us the real obstacle?  In this world that admires the Hare, may we have the strength to be more like the Tortoise.

See the front left foot of

the tortoise?  Sculpture

is iron filed rocks.

Worship ... it feels good!

Imagine if your job was to always make sure that everyone's water glass was full at a particular restaurant.  Then you go out to eat yourself and you find that you can't really enjoy the meal because you are anxiously looking out spotting all the water glasses that need to be filled!   Ok, maybe this doesn't quite work; but that's pretty much how worship feels for me when I get a chance to worship outside of OSLC...It's hard to turn off the critical eye and become a worshiper.   It will come.  A few more Sunday's and I'll begin to be able to allow someone else to be concerned about the glasses on the table.    Worshiped with my friend Pastor Mark Davis this weekend at St. Mark's (not named after him) Presbyterian church in Newport Beach.  His message was to see God at work in the human experience.  Amen

The promise of Christ's presence
 set out before worship. 
A very peaceful sanctuary.

Ok, any of your musicians 
if you canread this:  
Does it sound just
like "Minnie the Moocher"
 from The Blue's brothers?

Stating the obvious!I

It's hard to change one's momentum.  You can change your direction, you can change your schedule, you can change your address; but momentum is not so easy to master.  I'm on day two of my Sabbatical but my momentum keeps bringing me back to things I failed to get done and loose ends that haunt and ultimately commandeer everything else on the schedule.   The list of things to finish up is getting smaller.   Part of that list included putting some fresh Ahi on the grill thanks to Mike Boquet!   So, I'm really not complaining.

Welcome Pastor Ernie and Annie Worman

to Our Savior's Lutheran Church this Sunday

Fill the house of God!!!

The Return of the Blog!

The Blog is back!  I occasionally make use of the blog for special projects---summer reading, Lenten Videos, Special Events--and I will return to the Blogosphere during my upcoming Sabbatical (May 11 - August 10).   This wont be a travel narrative, but a place for me to share some of my thoughts and insights while I take this time of renewal.  Special thanks to the Lily Endowment for Clergy Renewal at Christian Seminary and the people and leadership of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, San Clemente!

The clip to the left is a good metaphor for Sabbatical.  It's often hard to balance the needs of ministry with one's personal needs for study, prayer and renewal.  Occasionally (every 7 years) it's good to let go!  Thank you Pickles and Andrew for the clip!