Rich Days

Jerusalem February 18, 2011

The pilgrimage is going well. There has been a faithful mix of
religious sights, national interests and relaxed playfulness.
The clergy, spouses/partners have been terrific. There exists a
respectful sweet balance of personal time and community time. The bus
has become a rolling kibbutz (community center of prayer, conversation
and learning).

We have experienced so much in such a short period of time that we
each ache for time of reflection and expression. Our community meeting
last evening was a rich mixture of sharing information and short
homilies.

Today was a playful day of cable cars to Masada, flooring in the Dead
Sea, and literally breaking into the sight at Qumran because the start
of sabbath brought an early closure of the sight.

Today we experinced a deepening our our small community as we lingered
over supper, shared stories and learned new things about ourselves
and each other.

Our clergy and their spouses/partners have been extremely generous and
open. The pilgrimage is drawing us all into deeper relationships and
stretching the limits of faithful response to be one body in Christ.

Tomorrow we enter the Old City and begin to walk the stories and
mysteries of Our Lord mixed with the history of Judaism and Islam
that share this Holy City.



Bishop Lawrence C. Provenzano