Samaria

Today we began our traverse to Jerusalem, along the way we made a few interesting stops in Samaria.  My favorite stop of the day was at Jacob's well.  The well where Jesus asked a samaritan women for a drink from her pail.

Church over Jacob's well

Jesus and the Samaritan woman

This place blew me away due to the irrefutable fact that wells do not move, and although the well has been built up and reinforced with stone over the years, the hole has been steadfast and the water deep down is still flowing from the same spring!

There was a madly embellished church built over the well, filled with beautiful artwork: mosaics and statues, candles, and incense...but in comparison to the undoubtable well of Jacob in Samaria-- all of these beautiful interpretations were completely overshadowed.

Sanctuary

 Everyone sipped the cool perfectly clear spring water that 2000 years ago gave relief to our Savior and his parched lips.


I hate to talk about how we broke a few rules in this church... but we were naive visitors.  Meg and I peeked into the Holy place that is separated from the rest of the room by a veil, where the holy sacrament is kept and given to the priest for communion, we were   
reprimanded.  Jonny put his foot up on the well "where 

Holy Place

people kiss"...I asked for a picture of our whole group around the well...and was berated.  I sipped from the cup and then poured the remainder of the water back into the well, to hear the depth of the channel...and then the man wanted a greater donation from our group.  Its safe to say that we rushed out of that hallowed building with some urgency

The next thing on our agenda for the day was to listen to a Samaritan priest tell us about his theology concerning his thoughts on Jesus as the Christ, as well as some personal things about himself.  It was very INTERESTING to say the least.  

This man along with the rest of his people believe only in the first 5 books of the Torah.  The books of the prophets,  he said, do not pertain to him or his people. (he wasn't shy about marketing the samaritan lifestyle to Nicole, Meg and I so that we could be brides for their people...yea...)  

I don't know about smartest, but definitely the most confident man in the world

This guy made many outlandishly global claims that were simply bizarre.  

However along with all of the boasting, this priest did teach us a very important, yet scarce concept that is crucial to understand is this:  that the scriptures are the living word.  This love letter from the lord is ALWAYS offering insight, relief, difficult truths, as well as gracious blessings.  

The samaritan manicans

The point is that no matter how many times one might read, analyze, or parse the scriptures...it will always be there, yet it might come from a different viewpoint,  fulfilling different purposes and making sense in new ways.  During our debriefing session Dan remembered this phrase the "smartest man in the world" had said: He was talking about how in the 45 years that he has been studying scriptures, he only has one drop in the sea.  What he is getting at is that there are so many things to discover.  the bible keeps teaching no matter how many times its been read.  what a beautifully spoken lesson by our passionately devout Samaritan priest.  In Dan's words, "I hope that he's on his way to discovering the rest of that sea!"

The Shroud of Turin: Jesus or just a man?

Notre Dame Center

This all brings me to the last and probably most influential thing that I've seen and reacted to so far on this pilgrimage...which I am tentative to say because each and every day something new seems to bring an experience that is unimaginable and invigorating in a touchingly beautiful way, that to me is almost beyond words and often earthly comprehension.

After our team had dinner (we didn't want to be rushed for this experience.)  we got to go to another exhibit after hours. ( we have a pretty amazing group leader..huh..getting us these privileges with his way of words.)

It was something that I could never have prepared myself for.  The museum was in the Notre Dame Centre (created by Father John fro Magdala!) featuring the man's countenance discovered in the shroud of Turin.  The man of the shroud is believed by many to be Jesus.  It is a mystery how the impression of a crucified man was left in these burial clothes as well as why it is the only one found yet.  There are detailed coincidences that are displayed all throughout the exhibit that share huge similarities to the burial tradition and conditions that took place for Jesus' burial that were recorded throughout the four gospels.

Shroud compared to Jesus interpretations

The impressions that were left on the shroud (burial cloth) are unmistakably one of a crucified man, due to the blood stands and hand/feet positions.  There was a poster showing how closely the face in the shroud resembles the icons and images of Jesus that date from the 4th century to the 14th century.  These are artworks that had not been associated with the discovered cloth.

After seeing the numerous explanations and evidentiary proof that dates the shroud to the 1st century, also known as the time of Pontius pilot and Jesus, the same area that Jesus would have been buried in (due to horticulture studies of flowers imprinted), and a body likely in the condition Jesus' had been left in (no broken bones, bloody head, a spear-like wound, and definite crucification wounds. Understanding these things were pretty indescribable.  

We made our way over to the holographic display of a crucified version of the man imprinted in the shroud that is behind a sheet-covered statue.  My Dad explained that the sculpture is the creation ---thanks to technology and computer graphics of 3 dimensional proportions of the mysterious man, allowing these technicians to built the body that was super-imposed onto the burial cloth.  

As Steve and my Dad removed the draped sheet that was covering a life-sized man- drained of was all light and life.  I was completely awestruck, I suddenly felt the need of a chair, for standing seemed quite

difficult.  I struggled to find my breath.  Looking into the face of a man stricken with death-- and one of the most torturous sorts.  Just soaking him in, all of his lifelessness.  For me it wasn't the usual hollow emptiness of a statue.  This was like no other sculpture I'd ever experienced.  Because it was that...an experience.

I don't think that it was simply the interpretations or scientific observations that had been discovered, dissected, and parsed from the shroud.  It was more this image, or rather human being, whom I was gazing upon.  A man-- so emaciated by compassionless pain and forsaken death that to me was a frozen proof of horror and unimaginable sorrow staring me in the face.  

 Representations of this event of passion moves me, but not in the hands down irrefutable, incomparable way that this Man of the Shroud brought upon me.  

An unshakable distraught-ness.  A feeling of helplessness, as well as of shame, guilt, mercy and undeserved  love washed over me.  Regardless of the fact that the man in the shroud could very well just be a man.  There was an equal possibility that he could also have been Jesus.  

I have been overwhelmed before..but never have I been so emotionally, spiritually, and physically rocked by anything.  I will never think of Good (unbelievable) Friday in the same way ever again-- It

wasn't that i didn't hold a reverence for it before.  But there is just some quality or characteristic that was represented in this crucified man's face and body.  a possibility of what He may have looked like-- an actual crucified man, or truly the Prince of Peace's countenance that can never be transferred through any silver screen.  I don't care who the director is.

Tonight was earthshaking of the highest caliber on my Richter Scale.

This night will be forever set apart in my mind.  

                                                                    SELAH

JerUSAlem

What is the core of Jerusalem? USA! This joke is a favorite of many Israelis, and one that we became quite accustomed to :)

Today we got to negotiate our way around and through Jerusalem.  It started out a little rougher than we had anticipated.  The hope was to start off visiting the Garden of Gethsemenee followed by the church of Mary Magdalene...however...we had a later start to insure a relaxing start today, which developed into a series of badly timed arrivals... every church seemed to be closed for lunch!

whoopsies ;)

We made it to the church called Dominus Flevit, or the Lord wept, after the verse in Luke 19:41 where Jesus weeps when the city of Jerusalem comes into sight, and this incredible window shows

the dome of the rock in the background of the cross.  a beautiful testament to the scriptures and passion that Jesus felt towards the lost city.                                                                       

The church was built near some uncovered ossuaries (bone boxes) and gave an example of family tombs from that time.  This is the only church with a hen gathering her brood on the communion table that reminds us of Jesus' words in the gospel of Matthew.  A very tender reminder.

"Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem...How often would i have gathered you as a hen gathers her brood..."

-Matt 23:37

  Next we went to a lookout overhanging old jerusalem, this helped to paint an image  of the majestic heights and stature of the old temple's structure. 

While we were there, Meg and Jonny got an impromptu camel expedition! They looked like true Israelites with their rented (yes...not borrowed, but rented) headware.

 Plus, the camel was pretty cute, 

and the owner assured us that he was a kissing camel, rather than a spitting one :)  

This site overlooks a massive Jewish grave site.  The hillside overwhelmingly has strategically stacked gravestones that slightly reminded me of sardines all packed in with no room to spare.  

Many jews decide to be buried in this specific location of Jerusalem because this is where Jesus is prophesized to come to first on his return, or for them, his first coming.

The Tombs of the Prophet (Kidren Valley)

Next was our visit to the Holy Sepulchre.  It was exquisitely adorned with candles and houses three different churches. The Holy Sepulchre or Holy Tomb is believed by many to be the site of the crucifixion of our Christ.  It also holds what is thought to be the anointing slab of rock that Mary magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus used, as well as the burial place. 

I found it touching to enter these holy places, to put my hand into "the cross's hole".  But at the same time, it gave me a vivid reminder of how many of these sites, however  on point or near the place they might be, may be no where near the locations of the crucifixion or burial of Jesus that took place in the bible.  However, this Holy place seemed to be a  testament of how we all want that same proof and evidence that Thomas hoped for those two thousand years ago! 

Entrance to the Holy Sepulchre








 When I rubbed my fingers around the circumference of that hole in the rock it was so reminiscent of doubting Thomas putting his hands in the wounds of the Lord.

Tomb of Christ









 Even today, centuries later, people are trying to uncover evidence to further prove with scientific explanations or geographical facts what we Christians believe with faith and hope that grows each day in our hearts. 

Caesarea Philippi

Today we saw a paradise.  The true definition of floral and fauna--It was one of Herod the Great's architectural masterpieces (it seemed like every place we went, we would come across some of Herod's creations to Caesar and himself)  Before we went to look around Caesarea Phillipi we read the scripture from Mathew 16:13-20.  this was an amazing scripture to read.  This place was also a temple to many Roman gods like Banias and Venus, as well as a place where the priests of these gods made goat sacrifices for them.

 It was like going back in time and realizing that Jesus and his disciples walked by these very streams and saw the little stone idols that would sit high in these shelves, and somehow had the power to own the people and fulfilling the world's obsession with worldly materials, as well as feeding the selfishness of many; these people would choose a god depending on their specific needs, rather than giving the Lord their hearts to be molded into one of his sons or daughters, desiring to honor and serve Him with all they have.  People were too worried about their belongings and comfortable lives. 

This was a really cool "device" that had the scripture  mentioning Caesarea Phillipi from the gospel of Mark written in four different languages, and when spun would show up on the sand!   Jonny says that "this is a job for Dan..." haha so great.

This was an amazing day!  We took a nature hike where we followed the Hermon stream to an incredible waterfall that seemed to be streaming out of sheer rock.  It gave an enlightened meaning and interpretation to Christ's metaphors of being living water, and why that is such a craved entity.  Pure beauty!

                        untamed waters :)