Water Into Wine

The picture above was taken early on in our trip here; inside of the Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr. It's not a great shot, but it gives you a sense at least of this "little slice of England" here in the midst of East Jerusalem.

Today was our second Sunday here at St. George's. Last Sunday I worshipped with the English-speaking congregation at 11 a.m, but today I decided to join the Arabic-speaking congregation at 9:30 a.m. The Dean to the Palestinian Congregation preached and the Bishop was here to celebrate.

It was an odd juxtoposition of the familiar and unfamiliar. On the one hand, the liturgy was totally Anglican and we could follow along with the English printed materials every step of the way. The hymns and congregational responses were done together--singing in your own native tongue. It admittedly felt more like Babel than Pentecost at times, but it worked. The dean's sermon was about ten minutes long in Arabic with about a 1 minute summary/Cliff Note's version in English. I couldn't help but to think that some weeks it must feel that way in the pews and this is an apt metaphor for preaching. Even in congregations, where we all presumably speak the same language, the preacher sometimes lapses into platitudes and Greek phrases and academic commentary that fail to connect, and that may very well sound like a foreign language to those listening. Perhaps a one-minute summary at the end would work at home as well!

In any event, praying in Arabic: the Lord's Prayer, the Sanctus, the Great Thanksgiving is filled with paradox, but it was a rich experience and I'm glad I went. I love the fact that I belong to a liturgical, lectionary-based Church. I know that at St. Francis today and in fact around the world and across denominational lines, people are reflecting today on the wedding at Cana in Galilee, just as we are here. The catholicity of Christ's Church is incredibly important to me. It doesn't mean we all need to pray in the same language or believe exactly the same ways. But we need, I think, to continue to cultivate the connections, and for me that begins with these old Biblical texts that still convey meaning.

I love the story of Jesus' first miracle because it is ultimately about God's generosity--the wine Jesus offers is not only very good but there is more than enough. It helps to have just traveled through Cana last week when we were north, in Galilee, but the miracle has power for me not because of it's historicity, but because it keeps happening if only we have eyes to see. God is present: at weddings, at funerals and baptisms, or when "The Church's One Foundations" is being sung in Arabic and English at the same time! Wherever, in fact, two or three are gathered together in his name.

Our time here is drawing to a close. In 72 hours I'll be landing at JFK airport in New York and waiting for a flight to Logan. There is much to consider and reflect upon as we begin to make our way back home. One of our members got an email from his daughter that said: "Dad, I hope you have a transformative experience; but don't change." I love that! We tend to want our transformation that way, without change; especially perhaps in the Episcopal Church. But like water into wine, God working in us does bring about change. And I know I have been changed here in ways I only begin to understand.

I want to share the words that appeared in today's bulletin, a mission statement I suppose for the diocese here. As I mentioned in an earlier post, this coming Good Friday I will be ever more committed to encouraging members of my home parish to support the Diocese of Jerusalem and their work here. These words for me are words of hope and promise that lead into our final two days here, days that focus on the cross and resurrection.

Two conflicts in Lebanon, two Intifadas, two Gulf Wars, and the ongoing stalemate of the "peace process" remind us all of the elusive nature of peace. The Christian community continues to be a moderating influence promoting a just resolution for a lasting peace for the benefit of all God's people--Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. At the present time, Bishop Suheil Dawani sees education for all the young people of our region and among the 6400 students in the schools of the Diocese as the key to the future. Our schools are educating the next generation of peace-makers even as our hospitals are healing the wounds of the present generation. Your prayers and generous financial support are most welcome and appreciated.