Our journey today took us to Bethlehem, literally in Hebrew "the house of bread." (In Arabic it is the "house of meat.") We didn't just go immediately to the Church of the Nativity, however. Our first stop was at the traditional site of the visitation. "In those days, Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country." (Luke 1:39) It is called En Kerem today. It was a beautiful and peaceful spot and I loved this statue of these two pregnant women. We gathered together our group and read the Magnificat and then sang "Tell Out My Soul." I don't know if this was really the Judean hill town or not. But it is the place Christians have set apart for remembering this moment in Biblical history, and it was a beautiful place to reflect on the Visitation.
The Shepherds' Fields. This is at the cave where the shepherds are purported to have lived. We actually saw sheep and shepherds on the way there but the bus was going too fast to get a shot! In any event we sat and read about the shepherds who "were living in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night" and then we sang "Once in Royal David's City."
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace among those whom he favors." (Luke 2:13-14)
"For unto us is born this day, in the City of David, a Savior..." - a shot of modern-day Bethlehem, which is 70% Muslim and 30% Christian. Sixty percent of the population are under the age of 19 and there is 40% unemployment. There are lots of reasons for that too complex to go into here and now but if you are unaware, I encourage you to begin to pay attention to what is happening here.
Outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, at the place where Christians have been coming since the fourth century.
The Greeks, Roman/Latin Catholics, and Armenians all have their spots in the Church of the Nativity. This is the Greek altar. What struck me 26 years ago and again today is how different it is from the Church I know and serve. It is tempting, I suppose, to wish for more simplicity, especially if one is a Protestant-type. But what struck me in this visit is that while in Christ it is true that there is "neither east or west" the roots of Christianity are more eastern than western even though we in the west easily forget that. The diversity of Christian faith and practice is more and more something for which I give great thanks and it is palpable at the Church of the Nativity.
"While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:6-7)
Outside the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, at the place where Christians have been coming since the fourth century.
The Greeks, Roman/Latin Catholics, and Armenians all have their spots in the Church of the Nativity. This is the Greek altar. What struck me 26 years ago and again today is how different it is from the Church I know and serve. It is tempting, I suppose, to wish for more simplicity, especially if one is a Protestant-type. But what struck me in this visit is that while in Christ it is true that there is "neither east or west" the roots of Christianity are more eastern than western even though we in the west easily forget that. The diversity of Christian faith and practice is more and more something for which I give great thanks and it is palpable at the Church of the Nativity.
"While they were there, the time came for Mary to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:6-7) This, tradition says, is the very spot. So I came like the shepherds and wisemen and pilgrims down through the centuries to pay homage. To quote T. S. Eliot: "finding the place, it was satisfactory." (The Journey of the Magi)
The question inevitably arises: did it really happen here? Was Jesus born in Bethlehem, and if so was it in this cave, at this very place? I don't know. What I do know is that places become holy not only because of the things that literally happen there but because of the prayers offered there over time. In this case, Matthew and Luke testify that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and pilgrims have come here since the fourth century to pay homage and say their prayers. What I can tell you is that it is a holy place, made holy not only by what is purported to have happened there 2000 years ago but over the last 1400 years to this very day. That is hard to put into words and impossible to prove, but that doesn't make it any less real.
The question inevitably arises: did it really happen here? Was Jesus born in Bethlehem, and if so was it in this cave, at this very place? I don't know. What I do know is that places become holy not only because of the things that literally happen there but because of the prayers offered there over time. In this case, Matthew and Luke testify that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and pilgrims have come here since the fourth century to pay homage and say their prayers. What I can tell you is that it is a holy place, made holy not only by what is purported to have happened there 2000 years ago but over the last 1400 years to this very day. That is hard to put into words and impossible to prove, but that doesn't make it any less real.
And so we came and saw. Not only is Bethlehem a sacred place but it is in the midst of a holy land; the Holy Land. Pilgrims from three great traditions come to this land to pray daily. And yet Stephen said something very profound yesterday to our group: that the greater the presence of the holy, the greater also is the potential for distortion and the shadow side of faith. His point was that all people of faith must confront not only the sacred in this holy land but also the demonic within their own traditions. The literal walls that divide people of faith in this land need to come down and be replaced by bridges. As I drove out of Bethlehem what I felt most profoundly was that the work of Christmas is the work of being peacemakers. Lord, make us instruments...
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