The Rabbi's say that God created the world with ten parts of beauty and nine of them are in Jerusalem. It is impossible to capture this city in words so here are a few images of the day. The people and places capture that beauty.
Doesn't the man above look like he stepped right out of the pages of the Bible?
And then there is the beauty of the Church of Mary Magdalene.
The ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, with silvery gray leaves shimmer in the wind. They are not from the time of Christ, but they are more than 1600 years old.
That is an impressive cabbage, is it not?
One last image. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, that remembers the crucifixion of Jesus, almost defies description. It is complex and bewildering. Shared by several Christian communities, it feels and is very chaotic. Yet, that is what those last days of Jesus were, so perhaps that is the way we should experience the place. Today was a solemn day, as it is the beginning of Lent for the Eastern Orthodox churches. Pilgrims crowd the church as they have for generations. Crosses etched into the ancient stones remind us of those who have gone before. We too are awed by all that we have seen and experienced.
Blessings,
Mary
