"As Jesus came near and saw the city, he wept over it..." (Luke 19:41)
From my very first visit to the Holy Land, and before I even knew his name, I have been drawn to the extraordinary work of the 20th century Franciscan monk and architect, Antonio Barluzzi. He was so enmeshed in Scripture that his churches tell the story of the places where pilgrims go to remember these key moments in the life of Jesus.
On previous visits I was able to see The Church of the Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor, which we did not get to this time. This past week we did get to The Church of the Beatitudes and The Shepherds' Field Church in Bethlehem. And today I got to what I think are my two favorites, The Church of All Nations In Gethsemane and Dominus Flevit, on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The picture above was taken at this last church, shaped like a tear drop.
The image above, taken of the altar (not shown is the image of the mother hen at the foot of the altar) speaks to my faith. When we take the bread and bless it and break it and give it, we do so not to escape the world around us. We do so looking out at the world around us - knowing of it's own brokenness and of our call to be peacemakers. In sharing the bread and the cup we pray that we might become what we behold, and work toward the day when there is no more crying and every tear is wiped away.
Of course we live "in the meantime." We behold a city where the children of Abraham struggle to live together with an awareness of the dignity of one another. We commit to respect one another - and even, with God's help, to love one another. We commit to strive for justice and peace among all people.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
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