In the midst of the sacred...

Receiving Communion on the Sea of Gailee.  Walking down the path that Jesus took from the Mount of Olives to the gate into the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.   Worship amongst the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane - some over 2,000 years old.  Feeling the cool of the Jordan River as we are invited to remember our baptism.

Our guide shares that one Palestinian male with a knife, only Israelies can carry guns wherever they go-Palstinians will be put in prison if they even own a gun, attacks five policemen at the West Gate of the Old city of Jerusalem-if a Palestinian commits suicide they go to hell, if they are killed they will go to heavan, and dies.  As we drive through one of the checkpoints at the Wall built by Israel not so much for security as harassment for the Palestinians who must carry their ID's with them at all times and must produce them whenever a soldier requires it, a young Israeli soldier enters our bus of many nationalities and walks down the aisle with his machine gun-why does he do that I wonder "Because he can" is the voice in my head.  As we drive past the West Gate of the old city of Jerusalem we witness at least four police officers with two German Shepherds (One of which is barking and appears to be in attack mode) who are surrounding a young man in jeans, a blue and white short-sleeved three button rugby shirt.  One is patting him down like a criminal.  Is he just coming home from school?  Maybe walking with friends who have scattered?  Was he walking alone?  He is Palestinian.  Our guide understands security but wonders why no others who are on the sidewalk are getting the same treatment.  A comment from our African-American sisters is simply "It happens all the time.  Yes, it happens all the time."  

Running by the Sea of Galilee before sunrise realizing Jesus walked around this mass of water many times. Seeing the Gold Dome in Jersulam for the first time and hearing the song "O Jerusalem" playing over the bus speakers.  Standing in front of a nativity set carved by an artisan from a tree that is over 2,200 years old.  

In the midst of the sacred...

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