A day of rest...sort of

Our day began at a worship service with Holy Communion @ St. George Anglican Cathedral. In an intimate setting about fifty pilgrims, most from the US worshiped together led by an Anglican priest. In Jerusalem they don't have many Protestant Churches, a Baptist (not southern) and a Lutheran, along with a couple of Anglican communities, and that's about it. They have more Catholic and Orthodox Churches than anything else. The most interesting, even ironical, thing about this morning was the fact that the Gospel lesson was Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well, John 4. The irony comes from the fact that the sermon we had to write for the Board of Ordained Ministry in order to be ordained by the SC Conference was on the very same passage. Pilgrims together, through a common journey, went through and common experience, linked again to where we've come from...quite amazing.

After church, we drove the same route as yesterday going even further south through the Judean Desert to the ancient ruins of Masada. Masada is a site in the mountains where Herod the Great built a palace and fortress. Later the area was abandoned. After the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70AD, the Zealots retreated south and took over the Masada fortress. In 73AD, the Roman Army surrounded the Fortress at the base of the mountain in an effort to crush the last of those who opposed Rome. The Roman Army took 9 months to build a ramp large enough to reach the fortress. Upon entering, the Roman soldiers found all but a couple of woman and children alive. After a stirring speech by the Zealot leader, the men and women chose death by their own hands rather than death by the Romans or enslavement. It is considered a heroic act (by some) and one in which Israel of today still uses. The Israeli rallying cry is "Masada will not fall again!"

After lunch at Masada and a quick float and mud bath in the Dead Sea (it was cold), we traveled back North towards Jerusalem, stopping just short of the city, just like Jesus often did, in order to visit his friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. We visited yet another beautiful sanctuary at the site of Mary and Martha's house. Outside we read from John 11, the moving story of the death of Lazarus. Up the street we entered a cave-like door and descended down many stairs to the Tomb of Lazarus.

While it may have appeared like a short day, I assure you all, we are tired. Sadly, our trip is coming to an end too quickly. But we have saved probably the most important day for tomorrow, our last full day in Israel. Tomorrow, we walk the Old City of Jerusalem, we walk the Via Delarosa, or the Way of the Cross. It is the journey that Christ made carrying the cross that would eventually hang him for his final moments and honor him for eternity. Please continue to pray for strength for this journey, as we are worn down, but still open to God's Word. Again, we miss you and love you. Have a great night...Shalom, Salaam, Peace.