The Dead Sea Adventures

After Mass and breakfast, we traveled a short distance to a high hill on the outskirts of Jerusalem to the place that is believed to be the tomb of the prophet Samuel from the Old Testament. It is likely the place of Mizpah that we read about in 1 Samuel 3, where Samuel gathered Israel away from false worship. Here we found a Christian church and a mosque, neither of which are still used. Below these, in an underground chamber, is a small synagogue where the tomb of Samuel is located.

After praying at the tomb and taking a small tour of the rest of the area, we began traveling toward Qumran, making a short stop to explore an ancient cistern. Qumran is the location where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in a cave by a young shepherd boy in 1947. After enjoying lunch at Qumran, we toured the area to learn more about the site and the discovery of the scrolls. Qumran was the site of a religiously focused community who most believe were the Essenes. They lived here together for more than two centuries and it was here that scribes produced the manuscripts that were found hidden in the caves. These manuscripts include almost all of the Books of the Old Testament. There have been fragments from some 930 manuscripts found, most written in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and a few in Greek. These manuscripts date from the Second Temple Period. Significant to us is how nearly identical these are to what we have today in Sacred Scripture. The differences, in fact, are miniscule. Excavation of the site after the discovery of the scrolls continued until 1956. Interestingly, we learned that recently, preserved scrolls were discovered in a twelfth cave.

Upon completing our tour of the Qumran area, we set out for a visit to the Dead Sea. In Scripture, it is referred to as Salt Sea or Sea of Arabah. Its name comes from the fact that nothing can live in its waters because of the high salt percentage, some 35 percent. We learned that it is some 1,300 feet below sea level, the lowest point of land outside of the ocean floors. Sadly, we also learned of the shrinking of the Dead Sea. The Jordan River once provided ample water to the Dead Sea but due to local needs and other uses, water from the Jordan River has been diverted and now provides only two percent of what it once did. That, combined with evaporation, has caused the Dead Sea to decrease significantly in size.

We had set out for the Dead Sea so that those of us who wanted could swim in it. On the drive there, most in our class were disappointed to learn that we wouldn’t be swimming. What?! No swimming in the Dead Sea? The truth is, no one actually “swims” in the Dead Sea. Rather, because of the high salt content, one floats in it. Relieved to know that it was only a joke, most of our class took the opportunity to float in the Dead Sea while a few enjoyed the beautiful scene of the water and mountains from the beach area.

Perhaps most impressive for me today was learning more about the discovery of the nearly 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scrolls. But also a bit troubling for me was hearing about the continuous decreasing size of the Dead Sea. It caused me to pause for a moment to reflect on how I use what has been given to me and my gratitude – or lack of it – for those things. On behalf of our entire class, thank you for sharing in this pilgrimage with us. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we also continue to pray for you. And as we continue our Lenten journey, let us take a moment to reflect upon the many gifts we have been given and how we use and protect those gifts.

Thank God It's Friday

Shabat Shalom! The Sabbath is the holy day of rest for Jews, and it takes special significance here in Jerusalem. Friday evening at sundown is the official beginning, when all the Jews shut down for the night and all day on Saturday to observe the day of rest that God took after six days of creation. 

So after a full day of class a few of us went down to the Western Wall. This wall is the only remaining piece left from the Jewish temple after its destruction by the Romans in the year 70. It is the holiest place in the world for Jews who believe that 'God's presence never leaves the Western Wall.'

There is lots of singing and dancing and celebrating down by the wall to welcome in the Sabbath and to praise and thank God for all His goodness. It amazes me that there are so many Jews who remain faithful to this practice after thousands of years. They truly are dedicated to their religion. 

After dinner we walked around the city a little bit, and it was eerie to see all the shops closed and the streets empty. Even the public transportation stops running during Sabbath!

Enjoying the Jewish day of rest and looking forward to our own Lord's Day on Sunday. God rested on the seventh day of creation but on the 'eighth day' He conquered sin and death with the Resurrection. This is our celebration and for this we know that God is Good!

Mass at Calvary, Those We Love, and the Chicago Cubs

   This morning our entire group departed our hotel at 5 am (sharp!) and made the fifteen-minute walk to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Tired and groggy but excited because we had the opportunity to celebrate Mass at Calvary, the spot where Jesus was crucified and died. We were able to receive Him fully: body, blood, soul, and divinity, in the Eucharist on the same spot where He died for each one of us.

I’m certain each of us there had our own intentions and emotions during the mass, I know it was an experience I’ll never forget and I know I brought a lot of people with me in my heart. My family, friends, those I’ve promised to pray for, everyone who made this pilgrimage possible, and the list could go on. Amidst all of my thoughts of loved ones a few stories from my own life ran through my head as well, stories of how those people have influenced my life and Faith and made me who I am.

   Along with those stories, a very random one came through my mind that stood out in a strange way. Last fall, The Chicago Cubs won the World Series. Something I’ll always remember is hearing so many Cubs fans talk about the people they love who were cheering and celebrating from Heaven, my own family being no exception!

   One story that stayed with me was about a man who, instead of watching game 7 on his big screen with his friends, took an old transistor radio to his father’s grave and sat and listened to it with him; just the two of them, the best seats in the house.

That story plucks at something very deep in our nature, namely that death is not the end, that our relationships with those we love most are not over or conquered when we die. I don’t think there is a deeper hope in any of us, and when we go to Mass we come face to face with the reason for that hope.

Today at Calvary we had a special opportunity to go to Mass at the spot of the absolute core of our Faith, and there is no doubt each of us experienced the depths of our Faith, Jesus Christ Crucified, in new and deeper ways.

Feast, then fast

No matter where you go, Ash Wednesday is still Ash Wednesday. However, I think we had a really nice one here in Jerusalem.

One highlight of being here for this year's beginning of Lent is that we are able to keep the purposes of fasting, prayer and almsgiving in mind very easily. We had Mass in our local chapel, but we are able to visit and pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as well as other holy sites concerning Jesus' passion, death and resurrection whenever we have free time. That means we can think about these moments in Jesus' life as we say "no" to what we might want and ask for our life from the Lord. 

You can be assured that we celebrated 'Mardi Gras' in style the day before. We had an extra joyful Mass because we had the African Choir sing. Back at the seminary, the African Choir is a favorite for happy rhythms and songs at Mass. Even the day after, I've noticed a lot of guys singing or humming the joyful songs because they stay in your mind long after you've sang them. Between the Mass and having a social in the evening, we were all prepared to go into the Lenten season.

In the afternoon, we had an informative session with a local leader in Jewish-Christian relations. It was helpful to us to hear and understand something of the Jewish lifestyle since it very much present and visible around us in Jerusalem. A group of us also attended a local symphony concert later in the evening. This was planned by one of the seminarians, and about 20 people went. We walked there and listened to some beautiful music. It is amazing to have both the holy sites for prayer and this cultural experience within walking distance of where we are staying. Most pilgrims get less than two weeks to stay in the whole Holy Land, but I think it still will be hard to leave Jerusalem even after having that whole amount of time here! 

Walking and Wailing

Tuesday. No classes today! Instead, we had a walking tour (and when I said walking, I mean it!) for five and a half hours through the Old City of Jerusalem. This tour focused on visiting three places.

First, we visited the Dome of the Rock located on the Temple Mount. This majestic Islamic shrine–characterized by its golden dome and mosaics–rests over what is known as the “Foundation Stone,” the site where Abraham’s son, Isaac, was to be sacrificed. For the Islamic this place is also important because it is believed that the Islamic prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven with the angel Gabriel. Next to the shrine stands Mosque of Al-Aqsa. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to enter either one of these two sites.

We moved from here to our second stop, the Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall. The significance of this place is that it is the only fragment of the second Great Jewish Temple (Solomon’s Temple, or the First Jewish Temple, was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE) that stands after its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE. The Jews, however, assure that the Divine Presence has never departed from this wall. We spent a bit of time praying at this wall. I cannot speak for all my brother seminarians, but I am positive that it was a very powerful moment were we tried to experience such a Presence.

Finally, we quickly explored the City of David. There were so many things to see! By the way, did I mention that this was a walking tour? We left our place of residence at 7:30a.m. and it was already past eleven when we started to walk to this National Park. Of course, walking downhill was not the problem, but the way back! However, though it may have drained our energy, it did not drain our enthusiasm. Anyhow, the City of David is a small hill sloping from the foot of the Temple Mount down to the Pool of Siloam. Water was–as with many other sites that we have visited–the main concern for the people in the cities, and the City of David was no exception. The highlight in this visit was, perhaps, for all of us, related to the experience of walking through the tunnels such as the one that led us to Warren’s shaft and the Canaanite tunnel that is now a dry tunnel as a result of the work of the King Hezekiah to redirect the water trail.

Yes! It was an exhausting morning for all of us. Moreover, we began to get hungry. So this became actually our biggest motivation to endure our way back. We will get some fuel, and may be a short nap, and then, we will keep exploring and experiencing this Holy place, Jerusalem! Know that you are in our prayers. Please keep us in yours. Blessings to all!