A vision of the future

A group of Israeli and Palestinian children on a field trip in one another's company.

Beit She'an

A visit to the ancient city of Beit She'an:

Photo 1: a Byzantine cross in the ruins of Beit She'an
Photos 2-3: Our group listens to the guide's descriptions of the city
Photo 4: The Romans were here!

Learn more about Beit She'an @ http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Beitshean.html

At the River Jordan

Bishop Provenzano leads a renewal of baptismal promises at the banks of the Jordan River:

Question Do you renounce Satan and all the spiritual forces
of wickedness that rebel against God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you renounce the evil powers of this world
which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you
from the love of God?
Answer I renounce them.

Question Do you turn to Jesus Christ and accept him as your
Savior?
Answer I do.

Question Do you put your whole trust in his grace and love?
Answer I do.

(Book of Common Prayer, Holy Baptism)

Mosaic floor

At the site of Jesus' casting of demons into swine, a mosaic floor of an ancient monastery.

Bottom photo, left to right: Guide, Mrs. Jeanne Provenzano, The Rev. Dr. Jeff Hamblin, The Rev. Dr. Raewynne Whiteley

In the region of the Gerasenes

Mrs. Jeanne Provenzano reads from the Gospel of Matthew:

Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men

²⁸ When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”

³⁰ Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

³² He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. ³³ Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

Top photo, left to right: Kurt von Roeschlaub, Enid Nessmith, Bernice Coleman

Accretions


Today we visited Tel Megiddo, an archaeological site where there are 26 or thereabouts (depending on which archaeologist you believe) layers of civilization. Inhabited from about 7000 BC to 586 BC, it is a mound created by fortress built upon fortress. The remains include an early Canaanite settlement with its large circular altar, a circular communal grain pit from its time as an Israelite fortress, and stables with stone drinking troughs from the reigns of Solomon and Ahab.

Later in the day, as I was walking through the town of Tiberias, I realized that most of the Christian sites that we have seen are layered like Tel Megiddo. The top layer is almost always a church, sometimes Roman Catholic, sometimes Greek Orthodox. Down a layer maybe a Crusader church, or perhaps a Byzantine one. Finally, perhaps down another couple of layers, are remains that date to the time of Christ. Sometimes it's a village, or a rock, or a well; sometimes accessible, sometimes hidden behind a gate or under the floor. Somewhere down there is a place that Jesus might actually have lived or visited.

Sometimes our faith is like Tel Megiddo. Way down at the bottom is the heart of our faith, our relationship with Jesus Christ himself. Sometimes that dates to our childhood; sometimes it is much more recent. But since then, layers have built up over that initial experience. The liturgical traditions that have become meaningful to us, the hymns that we love, the architecture that speaks to us, and the people who have shared our journey all shape our experience of faith. But there are times when those accretions threaten to overwhelm our core relationship; it is at those times that we need to stop and take time to simply talk with our Savior.

Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to Bethlehem, where apparently we will go down a long flight of stairs and see the exact place where Jesus was born. Maybe.

The Rev. Dr. Raewynne Whiteley

Taking a breather to catch up with email, a snack, and to share impressions of the day.